When it’s my turn to help plan a baby shower, my event-planning background comes in handy! For even more ideas, I recently received some tips and tricks from the amazing Boston Moms team to ensure a fun, memorable, and stress-free baby shower that’s all about the mom-to-be.
Start with a theme
Kelly Kapoor said it best when her birthday was forgotten on “The Office:” “There’s always a theme.” Whether the gender of the baby is known or a surprise, a theme can help tie everything together. From Etsy to Pinterest, you can find endless possibilities, no matter what budget you’re working with.
Boston Moms contributor Colleen Lubin said, “My friend’s shower last year was nautical themed, so we did a ‘message in a bottle’ to write love notes she could read when she was up in the middle of the night or having a hard time.”
I helped plan my best friend’s shower, and our “watch her grow” theme was complete with succulents as favors and lots of green decor.
Choose a few activities
You can’t go wrong with a diaper raffle. On the invitations you send, note that guests should bring a package of diapers (any size) to be entered into a raffle. Anyone who brings diapers gets a ticket and can win a prize. It’s simple, useful, and fun!
“Baby shower feud” or trivia about the parents-to-be or about babies in general is another activity that’s simple, low maintenance, and fun.
Filling out advice cards for the parents-to-be is always meaningful and appreciated.
Boston Moms owner Meghan Block shared a unique activity — a flower bar where guests can make vase arrangements that not only act as centerpieces for the shower but also double as favors!
A “mom-mosa” bar makes for a fun and interactive drink station, with seltzer mocktails and bubbly for guests.
Guide the gift-giving
Outside of the typical gift registry, you can guide guests in their gift shopping for mom. Maybe a prenatal (or postpartum) massage would be more useful than yet another baby blanket or outfit. Or, how about a group gift for a maternity or newborn photoshoot? Another fun idea is a gift certificate for something she enjoys but can’t indulge in while pregnant, like sushi or her favorite bar/restaurant. If taking the thoughtful and practical route, Instacart or DoorDash gift cards may come in handy during those early weeks with a newborn!
Boston Moms contributor Cheryl Mastrogiovanni suggests guests bring children’s books instead of cards. This way, guests are helping to build a baby’s library, and mom gets to reflect on her friendships anytime she reads to her baby!
