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  4. Our Favorite Baby Shower Ideas

Our Favorite Baby Shower Ideas

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By Martha Stewart Editors Updated November 23, 2022
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baby-shower-guests-with-balloons
Credit: Yesi of Simply Lively Photography

The mom-to-be will love everything you've planned for her special day, including games, menus, decorations, and memorable gifts.

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Set the Date

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Credit: Yesi of Simply Lively Photography

If you and your hosts are in the beginning stages of planning your baby shower, you've come to the right place. Anyone, from a family member to a coworker—but generally not the expectant parents themselves—can host the event, which is usually held during the last two months of pregnancy. Some couples, however, hesitate to stock a nursery before the child has arrived, and some like to hold out until the baby can be the guest of honor. Ask the couple if they would prefer a pre- or post-birth shower. Typically, showers are held for first children only, but this is not a rule.

If you don't necessarily want to play the same games and eat the same food that your grandmother did at her shower, don't worry—while many of the old traditions are still celebrated today, modern customs abound, too. A baby shower has many happy purposes, not the least of which is to provide new parents with some necessities. Books, blankets, and clothing are always welcomed gifts. For a handmade touch, consider a contribution to the nursery such as a scrapbook that includes family photographs, heirloom keepsakes, and fill-in-the-blank options for the Mom-to-be to write in.

At the event itself, schedule time for games to play and activities, a light meal such as brunch or tea time, as well as reminiscing and sharing wisdom. Get the best baby shower ideas, including games, menus, decorations, and more. The mom-to-be will love everything you've planned for her special day.

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Get the Word Out

pink baby shower
Credit: Lisa Ziesing of Abby Jiu Photography

Although a phone call can be sufficient invitation, written ones are more in keeping with the momentousness of the event. Invitations should be sent at least three weeks in advance to an intimate number of friends and family members. The parents-to-be can help make the guest list so that no one important is forgotten. Also, decide if men and children will be welcome. Traditionalists prefer a women-only event, while modernists believe that the father should be invited.

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Throw It with a Theme

decorations rainbow baby shower
Credit: Stephanie Williams

A party theme, although not necessary, can bring a greater sense of festivity to the event. Inventiveness and thoughtful touches can make the party great. If you opt not to have a theme, avoid pastels. Keep the décor bright. Flowers are particularly appropriate for a celebration of birth. Remember to keep decorations to a few: All attention will be focused, anyway, on the belly of the mother-to-be.

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Choose a Menu

Louise Roe's baby shower
Credit: Courtesy of Louise Roe

Shower horror stories tend to center on intricate yet tasteless finger foods. Rich, full-bodied foods set the right tone for an event celebrating the start of a rich, full life. Keep last-minute work to a minimum. Choose foods that are easy to prepare and can be eaten by hand at room temperature: cheese and vegetable tarts, grilled-chicken salads, homemade pizzas, fruit, or green salads. There's no shame in potluck, either, particularly if each guest brings a dish for which they're famous.

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Let's Play a Game

Louise Roe's baby shower
Credit: Courtesy of Louise Roe

Gift opening is the main event, but another activity can enliven the gathering. It can tie into the theme (bingo for a polka-dot-themed party), serve as a way to educate the mom-to-be, or simply provide entertainment. Try this activity: Guests write their favorite names for boys and girls on slips of paper that are dropped in jars for the parents' consideration.

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French Countryside Baby Shower

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This shower theme was inspired by the French countryside in summer, where the fields are carpeted in lavender and the sky is nursery blue. Most of the food, which includes potato leek soup, pissaladiere, madeleines, and chocolat blanc for favors, is easy to prepare and can be eaten by hand at room temperature. And the decorations are few—embroidered linens, a tiny arrangement of forget-me-nots, and a few dangling wired wreaths—making planning a breeze.

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All-in-White Shower

tracy taylor ward baby shower mantle
Credit: Judy Pak Photography

The color white signifies goodness, innocence, and purity—all of which describe a baby. Give a white-themed shower, and you will honor mother and child in style. Creating a white theme is simple. Fill a living room or dining room with white balloons and streamers. Ask guests to bring their gifts wrapped in snowy hues. Glass and white porcelain dishes for serving complete the theme. The only centerpiece needed is a towering white layer cake, and a candy bar where guests can nibble on sweets and bundle their favorites in swatches of white tulle or muslin to take home as favors.

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Baby Shower By Mail

baby-shower-martha-stewart-0302133584rt-md110304.jpg
Credit: Charlotte Jenks Lewis

What if the mom-to-be doesn't live nearby? You can still celebrate by instilling the spirit of a shower into a thoughtful care package—a shower in a box. If you like, invite other would-be shower guests to participate and add a theme to the box. Have a wrapping party with all the supplies on hand—colorful tissue paper, gift tags, and so on. When the presents arrive (it's best if it's a surprise), the mom-to-be can open each present and savor the affection with which the collection was assembled.

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Brunch Shower for Baby

The cake table at a Peter Rabbit-themed baby shower.
Credit: Billye Donya

Brunch, by its nature, is relaxed and easy, a perfect setting for a baby shower. Classic baked goods and an egg strata conjure up memories of childhood meals. The recipes can be transferred onto keepsake recipe cards for the mother-to-be and guests to take home.

  • How to Plan a Brunch-Themed Baby Shower

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Flower Power Baby Shower

babyshower_flower_main.jpg

Combining colorful balloons and sweet flower shapes is an ideal way to celebrate the anticipated arrival of a bright and beautiful baby. You can set the party indoors or outdoors, where a sunny day and garden can decorate the shower for you. All that you need are a few special touches.

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Kid-Friendly Baby Shower

baby-shower-martha-stewart-0302134427rt-md110304.jpg
Credit: Charlotte Jenks Lewis

Let the little ones in on the fun! This shower is full of monkey business—ideal for families with siblings eagerly waiting their kid sister or brother. Kid-friendly food and decor make it a festive time for everyone.

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Tea Party Baby Shower

beauty and the beast baby shower tea party favors
Credit: Brklyn View Photography

Something is brewing at this baby shower. Have guests leave their shoes at the door as they step into a room steeped with charm. Decorate tables with cherry blossom branches, and use a low coffee table for the tea service.

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Spa Shower For Baby

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Since the mother-to-be will have little time to spoil herself after the baby is born, now is the perfect time for her and her friends to indulge in healthy spa food, nourishing body treatments, and luxurious bath accessories.

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Co-Ed Baby Shower

mmpa10312_0610_1_babshwr1.jpg
Credit: JONNY VALIANT

To celebrate the motherhood of a woman in a modern way, dispense with the fusty color code, invite the soon-to-be dads, and offer zero-prep-time foods instead of the usual tea-sandwich fare. The result? A party that's cliche-free and easy as ABC.

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Basket of Wisdom

mmpa10312_0610_1_21.jpg
Credit: JONNY VALIANT

The ultimate present for any new mom? Wisdom from those who've been there. Give the mom-to-be a basket of things that you and other mothers have grown to rely on and love, or fill the box with essential items for a new baby, such as booties, a thermometer, nail scissors, and a cotton undershirt. For Mom, include a candy-filled baby bottle and bag of herbal tea.

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Baby Blanket

la1458_1007_babyquilt.jpg
Credit: Anna Williams

Give the gift of warmth and comfort when you give a mom-to-be a baby blanket. Crocheted, quilted, or knitted, all make great gifts.

  • See More of Our Homemade Blankets and Quilts

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Books for the Baby

bookstack-0511mld106104.jpg
Credit: Tara Donne

It's never too early to begin a child's library, and a set of classics—from Peter Pan to Mother Goose—is sure to be appreciated in the reading years to come. To personalize a gift of books, include a set of handmade bookplates: Color-copy borders from clip-art books to make the plates, stack them together, and tie with a bow—or have bookplate images made into rubber stamps.

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Seen and Heard

Storybook with Classic Font
Credit: Seth Smoot

When it comes to gifts, let others buy the burp cloths—you can supply some of the newborn's first sights and sounds. Compile custom CDs of nursing and bedtime tunes. Make scrapbooks to show the baby who's who in her new world: Have grandparents-to-be email family photos and make color printouts and corresponding labels. Then, stick them into books using double-sided archival tape.

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Storytelling Tape

Ribbon Photo Scrapbook
Credit: Damian Russell

Friends and relatives who live far away may not be able to read their favorite books in person to a baby, but they can still share stories in a meaningful way—by making a recording of themselves reading one aloud. Label the tape, and send it with a copy of the book.

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    1 of 19 Set the Date
    2 of 19 Get the Word Out
    3 of 19 Throw It with a Theme
    4 of 19 Choose a Menu
    5 of 19 Let's Play a Game
    6 of 19 French Countryside Baby Shower
    7 of 19 All-in-White Shower
    8 of 19 Baby Shower By Mail
    9 of 19 Brunch Shower for Baby
    10 of 19 Flower Power Baby Shower
    11 of 19 Kid-Friendly Baby Shower
    12 of 19 Tea Party Baby Shower
    13 of 19 Spa Shower For Baby
    14 of 19 Co-Ed Baby Shower
    15 of 19 Basket of Wisdom
    16 of 19 Baby Blanket
    17 of 19 Books for the Baby
    18 of 19 Seen and Heard
    19 of 19 Storytelling Tape

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