Almost unheard of not that many years ago, baby showers are more than just a craze. This celebration has now become established as one of the premier ways of celebrating a new arrival into the family. Despite the overwhelming acceptance of this as an event, there is still some doubt as to how a successful baby shower should be run. Here are the main rules to follow.
The first and probably the most important rule to observe, is not to hold your baby shower at home! To try and hold an event like this in your own home which you feel has to be absolutely pristine for the occasion and especially if you are a working mum with children can be a tremendous source of stress. Make sure you hold the baby shower at another venue. This not only saves you stress it can also save you money as many experienced mums will tell you!
Organise your event as carefully as you can. Some people believe in organising it like a military operation. A major part of the plan should be the delegation of tasks to as many people as possible. Ask one friend to take care of the decorations, another can be charged with doing the favours. A third can look after the guest book. As long as each person knows what their "job" is and is happy to undertake it, things should run smoothly. Offers of help from invitees and others should be taken up wherever possible. You will find that there are often plenty of volunteers for this type of event.
Choosing a theme is of course very important and really the only limit on ideas is the limits of your own imagination. The important thing here is to find a theme that you think everyone will be in tune with. Start by thinking of "social" themes related to your local community. This can give the event a strong sense of local empathy.
The first and probably the most important rule to observe, is not to hold your baby shower at home! To try and hold an event like this in your own home which you feel has to be absolutely pristine for the occasion and especially if you are a working mum with children can be a tremendous source of stress. Make sure you hold the baby shower at another venue. This not only saves you stress it can also save you money as many experienced mums will tell you!
Organise your event as carefully as you can. Some people believe in organising it like a military operation. A major part of the plan should be the delegation of tasks to as many people as possible. Ask one friend to take care of the decorations, another can be charged with doing the favours. A third can look after the guest book. As long as each person knows what their "job" is and is happy to undertake it, things should run smoothly. Offers of help from invitees and others should be taken up wherever possible. You will find that there are often plenty of volunteers for this type of event.
Choosing a theme is of course very important and really the only limit on ideas is the limits of your own imagination. The important thing here is to find a theme that you think everyone will be in tune with. Start by thinking of "social" themes related to your local community. This can give the event a strong sense of local empathy.
It goes without saying that the better you treat your guests, the more successful the event will be. As in all things, it is often the small details can make such a difference. A key part of this is ensuring that everyone knows everyone else. Introducing someone as soon as they arrive breaks the ice very quickly and the good hostess actively networks everyone at the event, concentrating on helping those who are less forthcoming to meet others in the group. And of course make sure that everyone has a favour to take home.
Last but not least, to make sure that everything goes with a swing, ensure as much as possible that your guest of honour feels just that.
Margaret Erwin is interested in all things to do with helping families with young children. This is particularly the case with young families experiencing the joy of new additions to the family. Baby Showers is her website for providing a really attractive range of baby shower gifts.
