Throwing my firend a baby shower?

Question

Im throwing my best friend a baby shower at the end of july

What kind of things should I get for this and what soft of things to you suggest would be fun. shes 18 it's her first baby and shes having a little girl, theres going to be a lot of people there about 40 guests. any ideas would help

Thanks

Answer 1

Throwing the shower is enough, you don't have to get her a gift. To feed 40 women and provide prizes for games will run you a decent amount of money. Usually the shower is the gift since it will cost several hundred dollars.

If you still want to get her something, get her a nice snuggly baby blanket. Just a small token gift so she has something to open from you.

Answer 2

Here are some ideas:

DECORATIONS:

Place candles in baby food jars.....they make great candleholders!



Make "pacifiers" out of 2 wintergreen lifesavers and a jellybean.  Use vanilla cake frosting to hold them together and place them out in candy bowls for your guests!!

If the name of the baby is knows....write each letter of baby's name on a diaper and hang all the diapers from a clothesline! (use permanent markers!)

You can also hang baby clothing from a clothesline at the shower.  Having little pairs of booties, pajamas, onesies, caps, and mitts will be an adorable touch to the shower.....especially if the room has very high ceilings!!

If you are having a sit-down meal.....use pacifiers as napkin rings and cloth diapers as placemats!!  Another great napkin ring idea is using colorful links you can purchase in sets!!

Use a watermelon to make a baby carriage. Cut the watermelon lengthwise about 1/3 from the top and across about 3/4 of the watermelon.  Next cutdown to form the cover for the baby carriage. Cut the watermelon into chunks (or balls) and then fill the carriage with the cubed watermelon and other great summer fruit!  Carve wheels out of the leftover watermelon rhine and attach those to the sides of the watermelon with toothpicks. Also carve a handle out of the leftover rhine and attach this to the top with toothpicks, too!!  You'll be amazed at how real you can make this look!!

Create a diaper cake or order one for a unique centerpiece that can also double as the hostesses' gift to the new family!!  

Decorate the center of tables with baby care supplies (lotion, bath, baby oil, wipes, massage oil, etc....).  Purchase nice ballons and then use the baby care supplies as weights to keep the balloons from flying away.  

If you are having a ducky or ocean themed baby shower.....make Blue Punch and float rubber duckies on top!!!  (Or freeze little fishies in icecubes and have those floating in there!!)

The weekend before the baby shower....gather all the hostesses and willing friends together and create the decorations!  Rent a great movie and everyone can get down to business!  Have construction paper, glue, hot glue, pipe cleaners, glitter, streamers, markers, crayons, paint, scissors and any other crafty items you will need on hand!!  A pre-party gathering that will get everyone excited for the celebration the following weekend!

A lot of larger cities have services available for "lawn decoration" rentals.  Google "Lawn Decoration" in your hometown and see if you have one!!  A lawn stork or baby carriage is incredibly cute and will help guests find your home the big day, too!!

Another great decoration that doubles as a gift to the new parents....STORYBOOKS!!  You can ask each guest to bring a copy of their favorite childhood storybook or the hostesses could, collectively, go in for these.  They can be set up around the main rooms to help decorate.....or placed all together in a great wicker basket in a visable location...if you go with the basket add a stuffed animal and a great blanket, too!!

If you are having a sit-down meal....place cards are a nice, upscale touch and a great opportunity to emphasize your theme!!  Be creative when doing placesettings.  If you have a ducky theme....find a way to put guests' names on rubber duckies!!  If you are having a Noah's Ark theme....find a way to assign an "animal" to each guest.

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MENU IDEAS:

Hot Pizza Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz) of cream cheese, softened

1 tsp of italian seasoning

1 c. (4 oz) of shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 c. (3 oz) of shredded parmeasan cheese

1 can (8 oz) of Pizza Sauce

2 tbsp of chopped green pepper

2 tbsp of sliced green onion

Breadsticks or a crusty bread (warmed is especially nice!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cream cheese and italian seasoning. Mix well. Spread in the bottom of a 28 x 18 dish or two 5 x 6 dishes. Combine cheese. Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture over cream cheese. Spread pizza sauce over cheese. Top with remaining cheese mixture, peppers and onions. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbling around the edges!  Yummy!!

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Cucumber Sandwiches

Cut each sandwich bread slice into 3 circles. Spread each with 1/4 tsp softened margarine or butter or 1 tsp. whipped cream cheese. Place 2-3 thinly sliced cucumber slices between 2 bread circles. You can make these prior to the shower....but be sure to cover them thoroughly so they don't dry out.

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Strawberry Sparkle Punch

3 Liters of Sprite or Ginger Ale

1 1/2 Gallons of Cherry/Limeaid Sherbet

Two 8oz packages of Frozen Strawberries

Thaw strawberries and place them in a punch bowl with the sherbet. Add chilled Sprite or GingerAle. Mix it to a slushed consistency.

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Activities/GAMES

Baby Shower Bodysuit Decorating

Bodysuits are one thing the new parents will need lots of!!  A great activity is to have guests at the baby shower decorate bodysuits!!  Purchase enough bodysuits and fabric paint for each guest attending and set up the "creation station" in a location that will not be needed during the rest of the shower!!  (This will allow the bodysuits to dry without them having to be moved.)  When the shower is over...offer to wash the custom bodysuits for the new parents, making sure to follow the directions on the fabric paint bottles.  For large baby showers....purchase a wide range of sizes so these creations will be a part of baby's first full year!  

Suggestion:  Cover the table being used with a plastic drop cloth covered with an old tablecloth that is no longer needed (the one with gravy stains on it from last Thanksgiving??).  5 Tubes of 1.25oz Colored Fabric Paint should be enough to decorate 10 Bodysuits (when used sparringly).

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Letters to The Baby

As the guests walk to the table where the gifts are being placed.....have a special station set up on the side of the gift table. At this station have cute baby themed stationary laid out with some nice pens. Beside the stationary have a card out asking each guest to take a few moments to write a note to the new baby. When the guests have finished writing their notes, have a tray or basket provided to place them in. Once all the guests have written their notes....the hostess can then choose one or two, at random, to be chosen for a prize (this could be your shower's door prize). When the shower is over these notes can be placed in a scrapbook or album to be enjoyed by the parents now and by the baby years down the road. Sweet and sentimental and sure to be treasured by the new family!!!  

Suggestion: I would advise that these notes not be read in front of the crowd....your guests may not want their letters shared aloud for all to hear.  These are their special words to baby and the new parents so allow these words to be just for them!!

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Scavenger Hunt For Useful and Unique Baby Items

After the gifts have been opened....surprise the parents with a scavenger hunt for these fun and unique items!!  Before the shower you will want to hide these items in rooms that won't be accessed during the party. Have the clues written on parchment paper rolled up and secured with ribbon. The first clue will be handed to the parents (or mommy) the remaining clues will be hidden with each item as it is found.

Item #1: Clue"In the crib you thought baby would sleep.....but there will be many nights you'll be up with baby watching TV. In your comforting arms she (he) will want to be cuddled. Underneath this gift you can both be huddled. There is something for baby and something for mom. Something for daddy....and something for all." (now the hostess will add a clue revealing where the gift is hidden ie: hidden in a room at the top of the stairs, take a sharp left, open the door, it is there!!). Hidden in this room could be a Moses Basket with A Soft Throw blanket and A DVD of a television series mom or dad really likes and a CD to dance with baby to that mom or dad likes!!)

Item #2: Clue: "There are so many items that the book did not heed.....so many items you will not know you need!! At 2 in the morning baby's teeth seem to come....or those irksome gas bubbles that just aren't any fun! A delictable dessert.....not edible at all....has been prepared for your baby....has been prepared for you all. It is full of those items you will definately use....and some extras of items you won't want to lose." (Now the hostess will add a clue revealing where the item is hidden...ie: "Go to the kitchen and open the door that leads to the place where our food is stored." Hidden in the kitchen pantry will be a diaper cake loaded with all those little items mom and dad will need....but not neccesarily think of until baby is fussy at 2 am (gas drops, infant tylenol, teething gel, soothing bedtime lotion, extra pacifiers, extra batteries for the mobile and other baby items, tooth and gum cleaner, all those little neccesities that you can think of that will be used by mom and dad!!)

Item #3:  Clue:  "This final gift is one for the future....he (she) may write books or learn to tie sutures. A beginning of something that could grow into more, a gift of possibilites....of opening doors." (hostess adds a clue as to the location of this gift.....ie: "On the livingroom mantel there has been hidden an item that is attached to the visable ribbon."  (the hostess could have ribbon that appears to just be shower decoration ribbon.....but is, in truth, ribbon cascading down the mantel (blue or pink?) that is actually attached to an envelope that is hidden behind something on the mantel like a picture frame.) What will be found is a savings bond  

Answer 3

I just threw one last month.Make sure you start planning early.Choose you location and secure it so you can send out your invitations at least six weeks in advance.Don't be afraid to ask people to help you.Start thinking about a theme now.Ask the mom how she plans to decorate the baby's room, or a specific color scheme she'd like to have.That helps a lot.Most baby showers last from two to three hours, so make sure you plan at least five fun games even if you don't get to play them all,Start buying the gifts for the game participants now.They don't have to be anything really expensive, just things like beach bags, or a pedicure kit.Make sure you have enough gifts.It is very embarrassing to run out and not be able to reward a game participant , because you didn't  count accurately.We played baby bingo which you can buy at any party store, We made up a word game using the mom, dad, and siblings names.We asked the participants to make up as many words as possible out of the names in five minutes.We rewarded first through third place.Manage your time well.No game really should run past 15 minutes.You want to give your guests time to eat and give the mom enough time to open her gifts and cut the cake.If you can stay calm and keep from getting off task, your party will be fun.

Answer 4

Make sure you have a lot of seating. I paling my bff's in sept. and she's having like 40 people too. and cold drinks and veggie trays.  I think "diper cakes" are a really fun center pieces. There fun and unquie and the mom can accualy use the dipers! Play games (although I'm at a loss to new ones that arn't lame) and have you register at wal-mart that way the guest will know that items that she wants and they can go online and shop or in the store.

I hope this helps

Answer 5

What my husband's Aunt did for one of the games at my baby shower was buy a package of plain brown lunch bags (You can get them at $ stores). She used about 10 bags (I think you get 25 of them in a pack) and bought small baby items and put one in each bag. The bags were passed around and everyone had to write down what they thought the item was (Put #'s 1-10 on the bag). Whoever got the most right one a prize and I got to keep all the baby items.

2-3 games is plenty. People get bored and stop after that. They would rather visit with other people they may not have seen for a while. Everyone thinks they need to "Entertain" the whole time. They will entertain themselves.

Answer 6

for games you could make up a cramble words (but the words have to be baby stuff for example: r l l o s t e r: that spells STROLLER.

you could buy new born baby diapers and put different types of chocolate (smash them on the diaper make it look like doo-doo) and make them guess what kind flavored chocolate are they. and time it.



for other things did you pick a theme yet? if you did then start with that.if not then pick one.go with your friends fav. color---you know the things she likes--?

i hope i help a little.... :)