Baby Shower
Let's get this party started!!
Whether for a first child or a fifth, baby showers are a great way to get together with family and friends to celebrate the upcoming new arrival.
So gather the troops together, determine time, budget and location, and divide up the work to be done as best as possible.
- Baby Showers are supposed to be fun. If you're left to plan one, don't let yourself get stressed out. Delegate the tasks required to as many people as are willing to pitch in.
- Determine your budget. Knowing how much you have to spend, will allow you to more easily make other decisions regarding the shower.
- Determine the location. A home, office, park, country club or restaurant, and reserve it.
- Set the date. Make sure there are no scheduling conflicts for the key people. Try to let close friends and family know about the date as soon as you can so that they can keep the date free.
- Decide on a menu. If the shower will not be in a restaurant, decide if you will be cooking, picking up take out, or formally catering.
Pot luck works great as it provides a variety of food and doesn't overwhelm any one person with the responsibility. You may also order in pizza, chinese take out, or 6 foot heros. If you are having alot of people, and have the budget, you may want a restaurant to cater the party.
Try to have a variety of foods so that guests with particular dietary needs can find something to eat.
Theme oriented food is always fun if you choose to have a theme for the party.
If you will be catering, select and order the food. If you will be doing pot luck, start divying up the responsibilites.
- Decide whether you want to have a theme. See. Knowing your budget already comes in handy. If you don't have much money for decorations, and will be using decorations that you already have, this may not even be an option.
- Determine the list of invitees. Select and send out the invitations 6 weeks before the date.
- Reserve additional tables and chairs if they will be required.
- Select and order the cake if no one will be making one. If you will be decorating with flowers, select and order the flowers.
- What do you want to do at the party? Eat and open gifts? Party games? Will you be doing any baby gag gifts?
- What kind of party favors will make the guests think of the mom-to-be?
- Finalize the guest list.
- Pick up any paperware, party favors, party games, balloons and decorations that you will need.
- Finalize the food plans.
- If carless or elderly guests will be needing a lift to the party, see if you can help them find a ride.
- Pick up any items that are not being delivered to the party location. Tables and chairs, cake, flowers, etc.
- If needed, put out tables, chairs and settings. Set-up where the food will be served.
- Decorate the location and wrap the party favors.
- Don't forget to have at least one camera, if not many in order to capture the moment. Better yet. See if you can also get a video camera.
- Keep track of which guest gives which gift so that the mom-to-be can send out proper thank-yous.
- When the big party day arrives .... Eat, drink and enjoy! You've earned it.