How to throw a Baby Shower?!?! Help!

[Independent Gal]

So, my secretary got knocked up. By mistake. And only found out AFTER she kicked the father out of her house and said ''See ya!'' But I always thought he was kinda no good for her anyway.

Wellll... so now she''s going to be a single mom and she doesn''t make much money at all. I think she''s about 38 too, and she''s the youngest sibling, so it''s not like her sisters have baby clothes still lying around from their kids. She''s got to get this future kid kitted out! So, I said ''Hey! How about I throw a shower for ya here at the office!'' She was really excited about that idea, and is already giving me names and stuff for people to invite from the administrative side of the organization. We are all really fond of her, so I''m sure my co-workers will be down with the plan.

Problem is: I''ve never even been to a baby shower never mind thrown one! I have no idea how to throw one. Other than eating cake and giving her presents, what are we supposed to do?

Help!

 

[ellaila]

That''s really sweet of you! I''ve never thrown a shower myself, but my baby shower is this weekend, so I''ll be sure to fill you in on details after!

 

[lili]

Awwee, that''s so sweet of you.
Anyway, I''ve never hosted a baby shower and have been to only one shower, so I can''t be of any help.
Perhaps this website may be useful.

www.allaboutshowers.com/baby

Good luck!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Okay, I had three. Two were more traditional. Food, cake, a few games. My third was really laid back (no games, co-ed). I am sure you can find a few games to play on the internet. We played a word scramble and she had this tape (like a streamer) where they all cut it to guess how big my belly was. I can''t remember what else.

 

[nessvan12]

Very sweet of you to offer to throw her a shower. I threw one for my sister in law for my twin nieces! It was adorable. The colors were lavender and mint and I of course invited family & friends. We played some games, mostly paper games since we had a large group, like a word search, guess how many diapers are in this huge jar, (of course mom got the jar of diapers), word scramble, guess how many squares of toilet paper it takes to wrap around mom's belly. The winners got small gifts. I got a diaper cake made and there was alot of mingling/talking/eating/cutting the cake and of course gifts. The shower lasted a few hrs, but mainly because we had 100 people to feed/open gifts from/talk to etc. It was co-ed and the guys had a great time too!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

BTW, Target has really cute baby shower invites/paper plates/decorations. A baby cake is nice (it is made from diapers). I got two (from two different showers). I just hope your co-workers buy off a registry or pool together to buy some bigger pieces. One shower all I got was baby clothes

mostly newborn. Sounds like she will need more useful gifts.

 

[somethingshiny]

I've given different kinds of showers. One was not "babyish" at all and was actually themed after what they intended to do with the room. One was themed as a country cook-out (indoors), my sister's was for a mom on a budget.

For hers we decorated with baby bottles, blankets, and other stuff off her list. We played "guess how many diapers" that we put in a storage bin. (mom keeps diapers and storage bin)

We played "guess the poo" where you melt little candy bars and put them in a few of the diapers you got for the guessing game. (if you use that game, you have to have a tie breaker "poo".) I've also seen that game played with baby food.

Guess how many words you can make out of baby's name.

And one of my favorite games "Don't say 'baby'". You give everyone a strand of beads, or a clothespin to wear throughout the shower. When one of the guests catches another saying "baby" they take their token. Whoever has the most at the end of the shower wins. That really helps get people mingling, too.

You can get online and find the names of animals and their offspring. Use the info to create a sheet where you have to fill in the blank. (Great for a shower where everyone has to stay seated)

Oh, another fun and cheap game was "draw a baby". Everyone gets a paperplate and a pencil. each guest has to place the plate on their head, and draw a baby on it. The mom gets to choose a winner.

An idea for a keepsake is to have each guest write down their parenting advice. Then you can pull out the letters and read them. If another guest can guess whose advice it was, they win.(then mom keeps the letters, of course) Another version is to have everyone write hopes, dreams, prayers for baby and seal them until "baby" is grown (or at an age of appreciation)

Although I usually get the 'winner' gifts to actually have, for this shower, it was all baby themed stuff to give back to mom.


It's also perfectly acceptable to have a shower with no games. During my pregnancy I wasn't in a game playing mood. both my showers were just eating!


One thing you CAN'T skip, having everyone self-address an envelope you provide for thankyous. This also helps when you're not sure if they are saying it's from kids, husbands, etc.

My sister's was in the winter, so I made two pots of chili (one mild, one hot) and cornbread. Then we had the cake. I've also done BBQ and raw veggies, and just cake, and a dessert buffet (where a few people bring their specialties), and just snacks. You've got to feed mom something of she will be miserable.


Everyone arrives and mingles for a few minutes while they get their beads. Then we start off with one of the quick games like "draw a baby" (oh, this has like a one minute time limit) Then we eat and talk. Play a couple more games to let the food settle. Then we have cake while the mom opens gifts (with a friend sitting near to write everything down for later "thankyous".) This helps to keep people from getting bored. Then (you should warn mom) mom stands and thanks everyone for helping her to celebrate the upcoming arrival. She may use a little antecdote from the party that she won't forget, etc. If you're giving the shower, it's your job to guide the guests to their tables, through activities, and basically set the tone for the event. After mom gives her little "speech" you thank everyone for coming and tell them to "drive safely" (that's their cue to leave)

Another great place for invites is Hallmark. I got 8 "Pooh" invitations to print at home for 25 cents. Check their clearance and sidewalk sales.

One more thing. If you give the shower, it's perfectly acceptable to NOT give a gift. Especially if mom gets to take home all of the "decorations" that are also useful.

Sorry this was so long. If you need any help, page me!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

For work showers, we never play games. You have some food for people to eat while she opens the gifts. It really can be very simple!

 

[Jas12]

I think anything goes these days

You can do the traditional finger-food, games, gift opening, hosted at someone''s home
or do something like rent a room at a restaurant and have a co-ed luncheon (this is what i hope to do!)

I would ask your co-worker, she may have a preference. Either way she''ll end up with some much needed gifts and that is the main goal

 

[Nicrez]

Just threw (hosted) two this month!

....I mean....

one was girls only, one was Jack & Jill (kids invited). Both were at restaurants. Much easier to cater and not worry about any of the food details! Clean-up and everything else is far easier too! Plus both had 50+ people...

Many games to play, if you have a fun group. I have been to baby showers with no games. It's sort of defeats the mood for me.

The following are games I know OF:

Melted tootsie roll in diaper. Everyone gets a diaper with a tootsie roll. the one with the melted one wins a prize.

Melted candy bars in diapers. Get like 5-6 different chocolate candy bars melted in a diaper. Must guess all correct to win prize. Can smell, even taste. (found this one absolutely disturbing frankly)

No one say "baby". As stated above, no one can say baby all day, and the one with the most "baby" tokens wins. The point of a babyshower to me IS to use the word baby, and a lot, so I've never seen this one played, but who knows...


Ones we used:

Baby changing race. Used dolls and real diapers, powder, wipes. Chose people to change babies "properly", then burp them. the one who finished first one.

Ice baby birth. Melted a small plastic baby in ice and as it melted people wrote down their time prediciton for when it falls from the ice (suspeneded over a
bowl) When the plastic baby finally falls from the ice "is born" the person closest in time wins. (this was logistically tough but everyone found it entertaining)

Measure the preganant belly. Using toilet paper or belly tape (plastic tape at party stores just for the game) a person has to "guess" the amoutn of tape that perfectly fits around her belly. This is cute because everyone lines up and measures the girl themselves. It's kind of sweet as everyone participates and usually leads to hugging!

Baby Bingo which is usually done in two ways. They sell the game where you mention baby products from a list, or each little sheet is created from items on the registry, and as she opens the gifts, you check off from the list. Clearly the one who yells Bingo first wins. Each can make their own card before gift opening, if you provide a list of total gifts and uncreated checked sheets.

Advice cards. Can be to mom or the baby. Everyone fills them out, except we use them in a scrapbook with a picture of the person with the pregnant girl we take as they are arriving or after they open that person's gift.

Wishing well. People can bring an item for the wishing well. A small item that is needed but usuaully if there are enough people you can give each person a printed tag with a letter of the alphabet and they can bring an items that starts with that letter, like B for book or bottle, or C for crib sheet or cap, or O for onesie. They take the letter tage given to them and attach it to the gift, but NO NAMES. Sometimes the bride likes to guess who it's from. that's cute.

Also we had the baby guessing pool. People would fill out a card (attached to the favor, which in this case was a personalized jar of organic honey that says, So & So...parents to BEE can't wait to meet their little honey...") where the name of the guesser, the baby's day of birth, baby's weight, length and time of birst guessed. Once the baby announcement goes out, the one who guessed right gets a little gift in the mail. It's kind of like betting, which is similar to the office pools that inevitably happen...

My friend once decorated her shower with a clothes line and pins and hung baby clothes and diapers. The mother-to-be got to keep them at the end, and it was cute to decorate. Of course the ubiquitous baby diaper "cake" which someone inevitably ends up bringing. It's super easy to make, but I have never been that crafty. But some stores sell them made. I've always loves the baby baskets with clothes, diapers, and a slew of baby products already included, like bottles, thermometers, rattles, and knit things... Saks has a lovely assortment I recently found.

Foodwise: My friends have prefered brunches instead of a lunch, so I always find that far better than late babyshowers. Also, at one they had exotic fruit juices and champagne, tiny sandwiches (baby bites they called it), some did just appetizers passed around, some did sit down lunches. At my office, we usually have just small snacks or order from a place like Mangia, where they prepare snacks (brunch or sandwich bites), juices and cookies and desserts trays, fruits and cheeses, etc. recently I went to one where the mother-to-be was Asian, and her friend created a menu with grilled vegetable sushi rolls. She also had the baby favors as bamboo sprouts in baby themed ceramic bowls. The tag read, "I may be little now, but if you love me, I can grow big and strong!" and the baby-to-be's name on the reverse side of the card. I thought that was a cute idea.

So many little things to do really, it's up to what you want the fete to be like, but in an office I would keep it simple, get snacks and possibly sandwiches or finger type foods. Maybe even make is a brunch/breakfast thing. Get a cake of course, and possibly try the measure the belly game and the baby guessing pool... It's it's at a home, there's more time and leeway.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[VegasAngel]

babyshower101.com- love it.

 

[Independent Gal]

Thanks soooo much for all the tips, ladies!

Since a few of us are friendly with my secretary, but none of us are what you would call 'friends' with her, I think participation will be highest if we do it around 4pm on a workday in a meeting room on the premises. I'll make a big cake and decorate it and order some snacks and coffee and things. I'll also do some decorations. Then we can sit around and chat and eat cake while C. opens her presents. I'm pretty sure that my colleagues would be horrified (and probably not show up!) if I suggested playing games. They are kind of a serious lot.

Then since many of my colleagues have kids already, I thought a nice thing to do would be to get an album and a book of pretty postcards, and have each of us write a piece of advice or encouragement, or a happy childhood memory to give her ideas, excitement and hope about being a parent.

How does that sound?

I think we should keep it to about an hour.

In terms of presents, I wondered if it might make sense to pool our money and give her one big gift certificate to a place like Target, so she can choose what she wants and maybe get a bigger ticket item like a stroller. Then we could get just a few knickknacks (like, tippy cups, that sort of thing) just so she has stuff to open. Or is it better to give her lots of actual gifts to open? Thoughts?

Another q: how early is too early? She's due around the time I'm getting married, and I'm worried I might be so busy and frazzled that it will be hard to manage if we leave it til February or so. So, is early December (she'll be 6 months preggers at that point) too early?

 

[chrono]

I like the pool the $ together idea. It is usually the big ticket items that really helps the most. Also, this way she can get what she thinks she''ll need the most. A few small/token wrapped items would be nice too.

 

[lili]

Since she didn''t register, gift certificate is always a good idea. That way, she can buy whatever she needs and like.

 

[baby monster]

We usually have baby showers in the conference room at work around 3-4pm with cake and coffee. Btw, we throw baby showers for dads-to-be as well. At most, they last around 40min to an hour. I work in a conservative place, so we don''t play games. The showers are scheduled 2-3 weeks before due date, so I think having it when your secretary is at 6 mos might be a bit early.

As for presents, a card goes around the floor requesting warm wishes and contributions to gift (not more than $20 each). The contributions are then spent on the cake, decorations, a bag with couple of items the mom-to-be can open at the shower and an Amex gift card with the rest. We used to get gift cards to specific stores but then switched to Amex since it can be used anywhere.

 

[divergrrl]

The menu at my shower was great...antipasto plate, quiches, grapes, cranberry sparkling apple cider, and great cupcakes.........yum....