To Open or Not to Open - Baby Shower Gift Opening Etiquette
If you have a large number of guests opening gifts can be time consuming. I recently attended a baby shower with 35 guests. It took my friend a little over an hour to open her gifts. If you are concerned about gift opening taking up too much time or interrupting your guests fun - don’t be.
First, your guests will continue to chatter and eat throughout the gift opening process. If they seem like a shy bunch encourage them to help themselves to food while mom to be is opening her gifts. Second, make a game out of opening her gifts. Either play the “Don’t Say Baby” game with pacifier necklaces or baby gift bingo.
The majority of your guests want to see what mom to be received. Baby gifts are so adorable - who wouldn’t want to see them.
Baby Clothesline Gift Idea
I love this idea. You will need a wicker laundry basket, stuffed animal, onesies or lap shirts, rope, tissue paper, and clothespins. Of course you are not limited to onesies or lap shirts. You can add socks, hats, outfits, etc. If clothing is packaged together you will have to open the package and separate items. Attach clothing to the rope with clothespins as if hanging out laundry to dry. Take one end of the rope and lay it in the wicker laundry basket. Tie the end of the rope that is at the top of the pile to the leg of the stuffed animal. Sit the stuffed animal at the top. Surround the stuffed animal with lightly crumpled tissue paper. You want the tissue paper to hide what is under the stuffed animal. Wrap the gift basket in either cellophane or tulle. Tie basket with a pretty bow and you have a unique surprise waiting for mommy to be. Make sure mommy to be opens the basket so she sees that the gift is more than a wicker laundry basket and stuffed animal. This gift idea is great for a baby clothesline baby shower theme.
Baby Shower Game Prizes
Baby Shower Game Prizes don’t have to be large or expensive. They can be small candles, such as votives, candle holders, shaped notepads, or small lotions. Many of these items can be purchased at craft stores, such as Michaels or A.C. Moore, or even Target and Walmart. Look for sales or coupons to save some money.
Each game requires game prizes. If you have a large party of about 40 or more, you will want at least two prizes per game. For example, if you have three games with 30 guests you should have 3 prizes - one winner for each game.
Dirty Diaper Baby Shower Game
If you are willing to put in the time and money you can create this game on your own. You will need colored felt or baby themed fabric, small safety pins - 2 per diaper, and mustard or a brown fabric marker. Cut triangles out of the felt or fabric. Bring the three corners of the triangles together and pin with one safety pin. You could also hot glue the diaper shut. The winner of the game is the person with the dirty diaper. Determine how many winners you would like. Before closing the diaper, ’stain’ it with the mustard or fabric marker. Add a safety pin to the back and you have your dirty diaper game! You could also embellish the diapers with ribbon, pearls, etc.
If you don’t have the time to make this game you could purchase ready made dirty diaper games here.
Clothesline Baby Shower Game
This is a great baby shower game for co-ed baby showers. The object of the game is to have a race where each person, or team, races to hang their laundry while holding a baby doll. You will need two clothes lines (twine works well for this), clothes pins, an equal number of baby clothes for each person, and a baby doll. If holding baby is not challenging enough, have players also hold a cordless phone to their ear while holding baby and hanging laundry. The person, or team, who hangs all of the laundry the fastest without dropping baby or the phone wins!
Baby Shower Ideas for Second or Third Child
Well, this isn’t really a traditional baby shower. If mom already has all the basic items she needs for baby we have two ideas for a baby shower for her:
- Diaper Shower - Newborns use 8-12 diapers per day. That’s a lot of diapers. Ask baby shower guests to bring a package of diapers or baby wipes. Ask for sizes 2 or higher since babies move through sizes Newborn or 1 pretty quickly.
- Pot Luck Shower - Ask guests to bring a cooked, freezable meal to get mom to be through a few weeks after baby is born. If guests haven’t already done so, label the items with masking tape and a marker as you receive them. Add the contents of the dinner and the date.
What to write in a baby shower invitation
When writing your baby shower invitations you should have the facts:
- Who is the baby shower for?
- When? (shower date & time)
- Where? (location information)
- Who is the shower hosted by
- RSVP information, including name, phone number, and RSVP By date
- Registry information
Some people are uncomfortable adding registry information directly on the invitation. If you prefer not to add it on the invitation you can insert a slip of paper with registry information on it. This also applies for other activities you may be having, such as a diaper raffle or the guess who game.
Of course you can add little poems if you are printing invitations on a computer. Such as “A Baby Shower in Honor Of” or “Bottles and Booties, Diapers and Pins, This is where the Love Begins!” You can purchase paper to coordinate with your baby shower theme.
When to have a baby shower
A baby shower should be held 4-6 weeks before the baby is due. You want to leave enough time for mom and dad to be to buy any necessary items before baby is born. You also don’t want to schedule a baby shower too close to the due date in case baby decides to arrive early.
Planning the Best Baby Shower
There are two things to focus on when planning a baby shower: organization and details. Organization is key - without it you may forget some important items for the shower. I am a fan of lists. Make a guest list; a list of party items (decorations, games, prizes, favors, etc); menu; etc. Organization can also help make planning a baby shower less stressful on the host.
Details bring those special touches that will make this baby shower a memorable occasion. Details include choosing baby shower favors and game prizes, menus, and decorations. Details for mom to be are important too. Make sure she has comfortable seating, that there is food that she likes, or even buying her thank you cards and pre-addressing the envelopes.
You don’t need a big how to guide on how to host a baby shower. If you know mom to be and her likes then all you need to do is trust your instincts. If you need a baby shower planning checklist you can receive one by signing up for our monthly newsletter here. Scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for the newsletter.
Baby Clothesline Baby Shower Theme
Using a baby clothesline theme is perfect for any gender baby shower. There are quite a few clothesline baby shower favor ideas if you search online. You can also buy clothesline themed decorations or you can make your own.
- If you are able to attach a piece of twine to a wall you can create the following decoration: tie bows at the end of the twine, leaving a loop to attach to the wall. Tape probably won’t be strong enough to hold. Either use those removable hooks or tack it to the wall. Have 2-4 special people, such as grandmas, godmother, sisters, etc. buy a baby outfit. Use clothespins to attach it to the clothesline.
- Decorate a cake for dessert – Ice your cake smooth. You will need an outline tip (#3 or 4), a star tip (#21) and a grass tip (#233). Use cookie cutters in the shape of baby clothes to make imprints on the cake. Use the outline tip in the color you are going to decorate the outfit to outline the imprint. Fill in the outfit using the star tip. Use the outline tip again to create a clothesline on the top of the outfits. Use a grass icing tip to create grass under the clothesline.
- Decorate a Diaper Cake – Make or buy a plain diaper cake. Tie a slender ribbon, about ½” wide, around the diaper cake. You can make a bow in the front of the back. Purchase smaller baby clothing, such as booties, caps, mittens, lap shirts, etc. Attach them to the diaper cake using clothespins. If you can find clothespins that are smaller than the standard wooden pins that would look better.
- Centerpieces - use wicker bread baskets that look like wicker laundry baskets to hold fresh flowers, baby sock bouquets, or favors for guests. If you put fresh flowers make sure you use a plastic or glass bowl so the basket doesn’t get wet.
- Baby Shower Game – Decorating onesies or lapshirts. This is my favorite activity. Set out one or two sets of fabric markers at each guest table or a designated decorating table. Each guest gets a onesie or lapshirt. Make sure you buy various sizes for these items. Let your guests create works of art for baby to wear. This activity is great if mommy to be is expecting twins or triplets.
With a little creativity you can take a simple baby shower theme and make it simply elegant.