Trying to select just the right gift for new parents can be a daunting responsibility. This is the chief motive most friends and family hold a baby shower for the new mother. There are quite a few ways open for the new parents to be given the gifts they need. One is a gift registry at a retail baby store or online baby websites. The other is for the baby shower hostess to offer to keep track of which shower guest is bringing which gift.

The principal obstacle can be to choose which of the gifts most needed by the new parents that you can afford to pay for. One way to get more expensive or better quality gifts is to have several people or couples “chip in” together and pay for one main gift. This is a really helpful way for parents without previous children to get some of the larger chief nursery items like cribs, dressers, changing tables, etc.

If the new parents already have their nursery setup, then the task of choosing your gift is to some extent easier, but can be just as complicated for those new to the baby shower game.  If the new baby is going to be a boy, what better way to welcome him than with a NY Yankee themed baby shower!

1. Diapers are one of the most popular gifts for new parents. After all, who wants to run out of diapers at 2 am? No one, of course. One way to achieve this type of functionality is to purchase a diaper cake. A diaper cake is mainly designed from diapers – either disposable or organic – with small versions of baby products, toys and clothing items used as decorations. All these “ingredients” are designed into a stunning gift that very much resembles an actual cake. It is one way to stock the nursery and still give a stunning gift at the same time.

2. Baby Gift Baskets are another inexpensive way to give multiple gifts and help the new parents to stock up on baby supplies, wipes, diapers, keepsakes and clothing items. Now a days there are many matching diaper cake and gift baskets themes so that you can give the gifts to match either the decorations chosen for the baby shower or the room décor of the nursery.

3. Personalized baby items, such as blankets or onesies, also make great gifts – if you know the name of the new baby-to-be. When baby outgrows the gift, it will then become a meaningful keepsake for mom to pass down through the family.

4. Every baby needs a much loved stuffed animal to go to sleep with. There are so many to choose from and almost all of them are hypo-allergenic. You can’t go wrong with an adorable stuffed teddy bear or other stuffed animal. It will afford years of joy for the new baby.

5. Baby clothes are also a logical gift. Be aware of the time of year the baby is expected in. Remember in the summer when it is so very hot, most babies are only wearing onesies, diapers and hats. So don’t go overboard on the expensive dresses and playsuits. If the baby is expected in the winter months, then a little more attention to clothing is usual, but again as babies grow so swiftly don’t go overboard on clothing that she/he will possibly only get to wear once or twice.

6. Keepsakes make great gifts. Special rattles, cute nightlights, brush, mirror and comb sets, music boxes, picture frames, all are endearing little gifts for the new baby. If they can be personalized with the new baby’s name, all the better.

7. Crib toys are another great gift idea. Babies love stuff that moves and make sounds. For the crib the sounds should be comforting and less loud than non-crib type toys. No one wants baby awakened during the night by accidentally bumping or rolling over on a noisy toy. Mobiles are great too. In the baby’s early years the basic colors are best – blue, red and yellow. Just choose a theme to match the nursery décor and you will be a hit.

Any of these gift ideas will make your offering very special indeed. Remember, if you want to give a larger gift basket or chip in on nursery furniture or larger items; be sure to let the baby shower hostess know. That way she can let others who wish to combine forces know who to get in touch with.

Kathy Barto
www.fairyliciousdiapercakes.com

Are you admitting defeat as to how to go about making arrangements for your friend’s or family member’s baby shower?  Can’t even think of an appropriate present to give?  Then let’s begin at the beginning, shall we?

Party preparations should begin when the new mom is about five to six months along in her pregnancy.

1.  Make sure with all family members that they know that you are planning the event.  I am sure no one minds giving the new parents two baby showers, but it would be nice if they are not both being held on the same day and time.  So make sure you set the day and time of the event well in advance to eliminate would-be controversy.  Customarily, baby showers are planned for about six weeks prior to the expected due date.  Pick a convenient day and time for those guests who work.  Be sure to add on the invitation if the event is to be surprise.  And, always ask for a R.S.V.P. no later than 30 days in advance of the event date.

2.  Determine how many people you want to invite.  Do you want to include co-workers? Spouses? Children?  Or, do you want to limit invitations to the event to the new mother and her closest friends?  Do you want to hold the event at your house, another friend’s house, a restaurant, or another venue?  Once you know how many people will be invited and where it will be held, you need to set your budget and start deciding your menu.  If you want to cut down on some of the food expenses, consider making your event pot luck and ask everyone to bring a dish – keep track of who is bringing what, otherwise you could end up with a bunch of potato chips and dip.

3.  Are you going to ask that everyone tell you what they plan to bring as a present?  This is a special service the baby shower hostess can perform to help the new parents receive gifts they need and get only one present of each.  I highly recommend that each hostess seriously consider setting up a gift registry and keep track of who is bringing what present.  There are also stores and websites where parents can go and register for the gifts they would like to receive.  As hostess, you can help your guests to find the stores or websites where the parents have listed their favorite picks, thus making sure they will get at least some of the items they really want.

4.  Next you must need to settle on on a theme for the event.  Does your new mother know the sex of the baby?  Knowing the sex can help decide the best theme and decorations for the shower, particularly if the new mom has a favorite color, animal, or already plans to decorate the nursery in a specific theme.  Let say the new mom is going for the jungle theme with the nursery decor.  Continue with that scheme for the baby shower with your invitations and decorations.  You can use a jungle themed diaper cake or baby gift basket as a wonderful centerpiece.  This type of decoration serves a dual purpose; it is both decoration and a functional present.  Advise your guests on your invitations that where applicable, gifts matching the nursery’s decor will be appreciated.

5.  Now that you have your celebration’s date, invitations, have decided the theme and location of the shower; next you need to decide on the menu.  I prefer to cater when possible and use menus that are within the context of the theme of the party.  So name your dishes with your theme in mind and put little cards next to them advising each guest what the dish is.  Example:  for deviled eggs, a suitable jungle theme name could be Crocodile Eggs or Snake Eyes.

6.  Next settle on on the games you plan to play at the shower.  There are some really excellent games available online.  Your guest list will decide the type of games to pick.  If you are having couples than you will want games where one or two couples can be teamed together.  If you are having kids as well, remember to have games especially for them.  And if it’s just the ladies, then the games should be decided on with just them in mind.  Just remember that each game should have a prize for the winner(s).

7.  About 30 days prior to the party, your R.S.V.P.’s should all have been returned and you can see who is coming.  If you are going to track the gifts for the new baby, now is the time you will want to start your list.  If you included an announcement on your invitation about your gift registry, then it would be totally correct to start calling those attending (who didn’t note their present on the R.S.V.P.) and start noting what their gifts will be.  If any guest is still undecided, you can make suggestions based on what the new mom is already receiving from others.  If they new parents are having their first baby and need high-dollar items, you can suggest that several guests might wish to go-together and purchase a more expensive present.

If you follow these simple suggestions, by the time the party date arrives, you will be able to relax and enjoy the event with minimal fuss on your part.  And the new mother will be very grateful for all your thoughtfulness and hard work.

Kathy Barto
www.FairyliciousDiaperCakes.com

Some men may not want to be part of the Baby Shower, and that’s okay. But what about those men who really want to be part of the process? Why should they be denied based on an implied tradition that men aren’t invited?

There are many, many places to get specialized baby shower invitations, as well as places where the new parents can register for gifts. Yes, register for gifts. Doesn’t that make perfect sense? Register at online stores or have your shower hostess track  who is bring what, so you don’t get inundated with same gift or gifts over and over.

Make your event a surprise for the new parents. Hold the shower at your home or another friend’s. Keep everything on the QT and get all the friends and neighbors involved in keeping it secret. Just remember to make sure your invitations indicate that you are giving a surprise party, or someone will be bound to spill the beans by accident.

If the parents already have children, holding a co-ed or family baby shower with other children present will make them part of the festivities. You might even consider having a special present just for the new dad, big brother and/or big sister. Making them feel special will help ease any potential jealousy over the baby getting a lot of gifts and make the new mother very grateful for your thoughtfulness.

Be creative with your entertainment. Remember to include the children in the games if they are attending. Hold races for the kids, bob for apples, have a scavenger hunt. For adults have word games, pictionary or charades. As hostess you can even get several couples to go together and get specific presents for the new baby.

With a co-ed baby shower you just need to keep in mind to keep it guy-and-kid-friendly; so maybe use less frilly decorations even if the baby is going to be a girl. Don’t turn the guys off; you want them to be excited about the big event. The same goes for the kids as well.

Perfect gifts for baby showers are the newest thing in baby shower party decorations – a baby shower diaper cake and/or a baby shower gift baskets. An you can even theme the diaper cake and gift basket to match whether you are using a jungle, animal, Mother Goose, or just about any theme imaginable.

Having a co-ed baby shower brings a whole new level of excitement to the celebration. You can host a dinner, a barbecue, and backyard party for not only parents but their kids. Whether the new parent(s) is single mom, adopting or already has children, a family or co-ed party can be just the ticket to having a truly memorable event.

We do suggest however, that as guys and kids will be attending, that you actually have a REAL cake too!

Kathy Barto
FairyliciousDiaperCakes.com