Host a UNIQUE Baby Shower- 10 Tips

My first baby shower was more than 13 years ago. I can remember the excitement I felt as the afternoon of the big even drew near. My mom and sisters rented a cozy little hall and decorated with my Noah's Ark nursery theme in mind. My family worked hard to give me a party that was special, and it was.

Since my own baby shower, I have had the privilege of planning five showers for sisters and friends. I have attended many more. Let's face it, trying to plan a party that is different from all the others the momma-to-be may have attended can be a daunting task. (I mean, how many of us can all say that we have played some of the exact same games at most of the baby showers e have attended?) Mommas-to-be deserve a special day, one that is truly unique to them.

Recently, Twittermoms and Tiny Prints have asked mom bloggers to share 10 tips to planning a unique baby shower. I have compiled a list of ideas that I would use if ever I was asked to plan another baby shower. (I do hope someone asks me, as I LOVE planning parties!)

1. Throw the momma-to-be a slumber party theme shower. Invite guests to arrive in pajamas, rodes, and slippers. (This way momma can be comfy too!) Ask them to bring any gift which suits the theme- bedtime story books, sleepers, bedding, lullaby CD, etc...

2. Want a gift that's truly unique? Have closest friends and family decorate a quilt block prior to the shower. This can be done in fabric ink. Then, if you have a seamstress in the group, ask her to embroider the blocks. Once all squares are embroidered, put all the squares together in a baby quilt. (This one requires time and someone with the ability to sew and quilt.)

3. Consider throwing the momma-to-be a shower at the spa. Momma can get a relaxing pregnancy massages, and then everyone can get mini manis and pedis.

4. Have all guest write in a journal for the momma-to-be. Entries can be letters to the baby or the momma.

5. A baby's first year scrapbook would make a wonderful gift! New moms and dads take lots of photos of the baby. Even so, there is little time usually to do much with those photos. (New parents struggle to find enough time to sleep, let alone do anything crafty!) A scrapbook filled with pre-made pages makes it so much easier for the new parents to showcase all those thousands of pics they took.

6. Shower games can be fun for the guests, but make sure to consider the momma-to-be when planning the games. If she does not want games, perhaps you could consider having some prizes that can be given out randomly throughout the shower. I attended a shower where the only game was a page of trivia questions about the momma-to be and the daddy-to-be. A timer was set, and if it went off while the momma-to-be was opening your gift, you were given a trivia question to answer. If the answer was correct, you were able to choose a prize. (Really, it was made that everyone was able to answer their question correctly because one you read the question aloud, others were offering answers to be sure you won the prize. I liked this game! It was fun, and I learned a lot about the new parents-to-be that I hadn't known before the shower.

7. When thinking of food to offer, opt to go for some of the momma-to-be's favorite foods. My cousin loves Italian food, so when her sisters hosted her baby shower, all the food was Italian. Additionally, all the prizes for the guests were Italian themed as well.

8. Prepare a slide show to be running throughout he shower. Gather as many photos as you can of the momma-to-be growing up. Guests will enjoy reminiscing with the momma.

9. If the parent-to-be have a stand-alone freezer, ask each family of guests to bring a homemade dinner which the parents-to-be can freeze and then thaw later after the baby arrives. This can be a lifesaver to new parents in those busy fist weeks!

10. Keep momma-to-be relaxed the entire day! Offer he a comfortable place to sit, and make sure that should any problems arise, she is completely unaware of them. Be sure to have someone keep track of who gave the momma what gift to, as this will make it so much easier for her to writer thank you letters later.

Finally, HAVE FUN!

A great resource for invitations, thank you cards, and birth announcements is Tiny Prints.

{About Tiny Prints:}

Tiny Prints helps you get together, keep in touch and share your love—one little card at a time. Tiny Prints was started in 2003 by three friends and a dream. With a shared a love of babies and an affinity for beautiful paper, they set out to create a stationery company that would offer the experience of a local boutique with the ease of an online retailer.

Specializing in the celebration of all of life's special occasions, we're thrilled to offer a fresh selection of exclusive designs, from birth announcements and baby shower invitations to personal stationery and more, delivered with the best customer service you can find online or in stores. Stop by our blog Tiny Talk and follow us on Twitter @TinyPrints to discover news, trends and creative inspiration for social stationery, family celebrations and so much more!

Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tiny Prints blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 Tiny Prints Gift Code plus 25 FREE Tiny Prints Greeting cards (valued at $149.75). For more information on how you can participate, click here.