Ideas for Baby Showers | The New Home Ec

We had a baby shower for my friend yesterday, and it?s one of the most fun parties I?ve ever planned. I co-hosted with some of my best friends in the world. We shared responsibilities, bounced ideas off one another, and had a lot of fun in the planning and prep.

The party itself was fun but went all too quickly! Which, I think is definitely the sign of a great event. The decor by Hoosier Party Girl was simply amazing. I had a blast planning the food, featuring a yummy chocolate fountain. And, the afternoon went smoothly with a great group of friends.

Here are a few photos from our party and my tips for hosting an awesome baby shower:

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  Decorate Simply

  Don't spend a lot of money on decorations you'll throw away after the party. Go with small bursts of color, simple decor, and items the mom can use later (like a diaper wreath!). For my sister's shower a few years ago, we featured table centerpieces like classic toys, teddy bears, and balls ? all things my nephew played with for years.

  /the-new-home-ec/2012/08/19/how-to-host-the-perfect-baby-shower/#decorate-simply

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  Serve in Baby Items

  Cheesecake in a baby food jar, chip dip in a toddler bowl, and cupcakes served on baby blocks all make for a fun, creative way to serve party food.

  /the-new-home-ec/2012/08/19/how-to-host-the-perfect-baby-shower/#serve-in-baby-items

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  Include Nursery Decor

  If you know the theme of baby's nursery, see if you can feature it. Punkin 2.0 has a few owls in her nursery, so we used owls in our theme ? and now she has a few more!

  /the-new-home-ec/2012/08/19/how-to-host-the-perfect-baby-shower/#include-nursery-decor

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  Skip the Games

  Let's face it, baby shower games are kind of a waste of time. They're awkward, silly, and not fun at all. We had a few as a backup plan, but we spent our time crafting for baby instead ? with onesies, felt,double-sided iron-ons, and a few printed patterns as examples. (Jennifer clearly won crafting yesterday with this awesome shirt!)

  /the-new-home-ec/2012/08/19/how-to-host-the-perfect-baby-shower/#skip-the-games

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  Consider Mom's Cravings

  Most of our menu was based on cravings or food the mom-to-be had tweeted about over the last few weeks. When her husband went out on a late night cheesecake run, I began searching for recipes. I found a recipe for cheesecake in a jar, and immediately knew I wanted to try baking them in baby food jars!

  /the-new-home-ec/2012/08/19/how-to-host-the-perfect-baby-shower/#consider-moms-cravings

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  Celebrate

  A baby is a cause for celebration, and that just screams champagne. I had Perrier for Mom, but the rest of us enjoyed champagne over cotton candy ? a super fun party drink perfect for toasting mom-to-be! Fill a wine glass with pink or blue cotton candy, then pour champagne. It will instantly melt into a sweet, bubbly punch.

  /the-new-home-ec/2012/08/19/how-to-host-the-perfect-baby-shower/#celebrate

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  Provide Inspiration

  I see a baby shower as a way to support the mom-to-be ? to remind her that she has friends and a support network to turn to when the baby is home. Advice cards are a really common baby shower activity, but we chose to use the diapers leftover from the wreath craft to provide tips & funny sayings to keep her smiling through diaper changes in those first few, exhausting weeks.

  /the-new-home-ec/2012/08/19/how-to-host-the-perfect-baby-shower/#provide-inspiration

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  Choose a Simple Favor

  Each of our guests took home a bottle of pink nail polish on a cute owl printable ? a super simple thank you gift that matched the theme. I also love this idea from my cousin. For her son's 1st birthday, she filled baby food jars with blue & white M&Ms. Cute, simple, and inexpensive!

  /the-new-home-ec/2012/08/19/how-to-host-the-perfect-baby-shower/#choose-a-simple-favor

How to Make a Diaper Wreath

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More from Heather:
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More on Babble.com:
8 Steps to an Awesome Birthday Party

Source: http://blogs.babble.com/the-new-home-ec/2012/08/19/how-to-host-the-perfect-baby-shower/

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