Babies Don't Take Showers

Now, you’d think that the subject of baby showers would be as pure as the babies themselves.  I like party planning and baby showers are one of my favourite events to plan.  What’s not to love?  It’s a party to celebrate the birth of a baby – how adorable.  Here’s what I think needs to be done for a fabulous, frugal, event.

Invitations

If you can, paper invitations are the classy way to go.  I know with the advent of technology, facebook seems like an obvious solution, but I find invitations can get lost in someone’s inbox along with all the game requests and additional crap that is shoved on us each day.  I recommend supplementing the written invitation with a personal invitation that is sent to someone’s private message box.  That way, it comes across as a deliberate invite instead of a random wheel of fortune spin down your friend list. 

Also, send it a week to two weeks before the party.  Give the guest a chance to get a gift and mark it on their calendar without having the event so far in the future that it gets forgotten.  And tack on an RSVP.  That helps.

Party Games

Personally, I don’t need these.  Some people despise baby showers because of them.  And who can blame them?  Sometimes you have to identify a mashed up chocolate bar in a diaper.  There may be tasteful party games, but I’d rather not chance it.  I would like my guests to be as comfortable as possible and visiting amongst themselves is half the reason for coming.  Besides, I don’t have to be a performing monkey and I get to put the money spent on prizes into the food budget instead.  Ha ha!

Food

Have a couple sweet things, a couple salty things, a punch and a jug of water and BOOM!

Party Favours

I like doing these.  I think it saves the mom from having to hunt everyone down after the party to give them thank-you cards.  Aren’t we trying to help her out?  So, as people leave, have a little basket of lovelies for the guests to choose from with a little thank-you note attached.  Appreciation has been shown and the new mom is off the hook. 

The Budget

When you do the invitations, they should cost nothing to less than nothing.  Seriously apply your mind to solving this problem.  They should be memorable and free.  Be resourceful.  If you serve six dishes at the party, three of them should be made from things you have in your kitchen anyway.  The other three can be purchased.  How you mix it up is up to you.  The party favours should not cost more than $1.50 per guest.  It negates the purpose of the having the guests bring gifts if the favours cost more than that (and I think $1.50 is generous).

Happy Baby Day!