Let’s face it, you know nothing about babies. Your presence make babies cry! You can’t tell a blanket from a diaper! This is your first time ever to attend one of these so called events. You know you suck at this, and everyone knows it too, but still you have to go, It’s a test of friendship! So what do you do?

Well, for starters you wipe that frown off of your face, and you put on your “I’m happy to be an auntie smile!’. Then, you go to a shopping mall, and you grab yourself a baby shower gift basket!

Gift baskets contain everything from soft toys, hats, blankets, undergarments, changing pads, sleeping gowns, teething toy, bears, etc.

The great thing about gift baskets is that they are very useful. The people who put together baby shower gift baskets know what they are doing! The things that are included in a baby shower gift basket are exactly the things that a new mother, and an upcoming baby will need.

So you know you’d be getting your money’s worth when you purchase a baby shower gift basket. More importantly, it will make the recipient happy. New mothers need all the help that they could get, especially once the have delivered their babies. The daily expenses of a family always escalates with the addition of a new member. So it is best to give presents that will help to provide for the needs of the new mother, and baby.

Baby shower gift baskets come in different themes. Some of these baskets concentrate on the baby’s bath time needs. Items like: towels, washcloths, comb and brush sets; and of course, the quintessential giant rubber duckies are included.

This puts variety, and a fun twist on the baby shower gift basket idea! So you’d actually have quite a selection to choose from.

These baby shower gift baskets vary in prices, depending on the intricacy of the lay out, and items included in the basket. The average price for a baby shower gift basket is around $70.

These baskets are usually divided into girl themes, and boy themes. The girl- themed baskets usually come in pink, and contain items suitable for a baby girl. While the boy-themed gift baskets offer things that a baby boy will need.

These baby shower gift baskets can also be purchased online. So if you don’t have any time to shop, you can just always order a gift basket online. The selection of these gift baskets are usually displayed online. Also, the items that are included inside is listed along side the picture of the gift basket.

They come in a nicely gift wrapped packaging that includes a ribbon and a card. This allows you to write a personal greeting, and a dedication to the mother. Don’t forget to include well wishes for the baby!

If you’ve purchased your gift basket online, you can just type in your dedication on the net. This way, your dedication will be included in the gift basket that you’ve ordered. It will then be delivered to the specified recipient.

Baby shower gift baskets are a wonderful and thoughtful gift idea because they include a little bit of everything. They are also very meaningful because they provide things that will provide for the needs of a newborn baby.

So become a baby shower superstar, and bring a baby shower gift basket to the party. All your friends will be in awe of you!

You’ve picked the theme, the colors, and cute graphics for your baby shower invitations. Now, it’s time to decide what you’re going to say in the invitation. Deciding on what to write on your baby shower invitation can be a daunting task. Your shower invitation is the first communication guests will have about the baby shower and must include certain important information. It is also a chance for you to get creative and really introduce your theme and tone for the party.

Start with the basics. First, you need to gather all of the essential information that needs to be included in the invitation. Be sure to include the mother’s name, the baby’s name (or gender), the date of the shower, the time of the baby shower, the location and address where the shower will be held, and contact information for whom guests should R.S.V.P. You may also want to include registry information, any baby shower game or activity instructions (should guests bring a baby picture of themselves or a pack of diapers?), and any specific gift instructions.

Next, consider the type of shower you are hosting. Are you keeping it traditional with fun games and finger food? Are you inviting couples or even families? If you are inviting men to the shower, it is essential to word the invitation so that men know that they are invited and welcome. Try to stay away from pastels and unnecessary frills. If you are hosting a baby sprinkle for the second or even third child, make sure your baby shower invitation wording lets guests know if they should bring gifts for a different gender or that the parents only need disposable baby items such as bibs, bottles and pacifiers. Hosting a spa themed shower? Ask guests to bring their favorite relaxation item for the mom-to-be.

Use a poem for your baby shower invitation wording. Poems are a cute way to express yourself and your excitement for the new baby. You have all your basic information, now is your chance to add your own creative flair. Research ideas for verses online and add your own twist to it. For example, if the mom-to-be is expecting a boy, you may want to start your invitation out with “Oh what fun, oh what joy, (mom’s name) is having a boy!” For a girl, you could start the wording out with “A little pink bow on a cute little curl, (mom’s name) is having a girl!” Or, if you’re not sure of the gender of the baby, begin your invitation out with “Ten little fingers, Ten little toes, Boy or Girl? No one knows!”

Wording for your baby shower invitation can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be. Just remember to include all essential information, keep it true to your theme, and be sure the wording for the invitation comes from your heart.

Coed baby showers are becoming more popular as fathers-to-be are getting
more involved with the pregnancy. Baby showers were once a female only
event, but that just is not the case anymore. Coed showers allow dad to be
in on the fun too. It is just another men are getting involved with the
prenatal part of their baby’s life. When it comes to planning a coed baby
shower there are many things that must be considered. Coed baby shower
invitations and favors are perhaps the biggest thing that will reflect the
difference between a female only and coed party.

When it comes to planning a coed party, there are some things that can stay
the same. The decorations and food are generally going to stay the same, as
will the games played. The main changes are in the invitation and favors.
Fun coed baby shower invitations and favors are possible, but there are some
things to keep in mind.

The invitations need to be clearly worded so that guests know the party is
coed. Since most still see a baby shower as a female event it is very
necessary to make sure guys know they are welcome too. Without proper
wording the coed party may turn into all women, plus a dad who feels out of
place. A good example would be to make the verse or wording on the
invitation something that is friendly to both men and women.

Favors for baby showers are often very girly. Candles, soaps and lotions
tend to be the top of favor choices. For a coed party those may not be the
type of favor a man would enjoy. The hostess should take into consideration
what favor items would suit both male and female guests. They can also buy
favors for just women and just men, if that is easier.

These coed baby shower invitations and favors ideas are just a start.
Planning a coed baby shower can be fun. Coed baby shower invitations and
favors are one way to make sure the party is successful. With coed baby
showers becoming more popular there are sure to be coed baby shower
invitations and favors popping up all over the place, so planning a coed
shower will be easy.

Personalizing a baby�s gift is an excellent idea, making the gift distinct and special and grows into a cherished token through the years. When giving or making a gift sooner, before the baby�s due, you are faced with a problem, that is, you are not yet certain of the name and the birth date. An option to consider is by giving a gift certificate for an etching or engraving design along with your gift. This way, when the wonderful day arrives, the parents can take your gift and have it personalized.

Choices for personalized gifts are baby cups, picture frame, jewelry or a cutlery set. There are wide selections of items that can be personalized; all you have to do is look.

A blanket for baby embroidered with the baby�s name alongside the name�s meaning would make an excellent gift for both mom and baby.

Your labor of love gift basket

Gift baskets are very popular today and indeed a wonderful idea which can either be purchased made-to-order or ready-made. Or, you can do it yourself by putting together all baby items that you like for the baby. Here�s how you can make one:

1. Know first the size of the basket that you will use. A very large basket may be difficult to fill, so a medium sized is recommended. Usually, craft stores sell baskets of different sizes, shapes and colors. Shredded tissue paper and raffia make great fillers to be layered at the basket�s bottom, alongside with baby towels and blankets.

2. If you do have a large basket, you can easily fill it up by choosing bigger items as well, such as crib comforters, stuffed bunny or teddy, pillows or crib bumpers.

3. Take into consideration the baby�s gender, what really the baby needs. For a first baby, there will be many things that he will need. Having to look at a baby registry if the mom to be has one, can help a lot, since you will know what the baby really needs. If there is none, you could always ask the mom what else she needs for the baby.

4. Consider having a theme. You can load the basket with everything pink for a baby girl or everything blue for a baby boy, or everything having a �pooh� or a dinosaur design. A bedtime theme basket filled with story books, music CD, blankets, pillows, pajama, musical crib mobile and a teddy bear can be a wonderful idea. Be creative and let your imagination soar.

5. Another way of being creative is instead of using a basket, a baby tub, a diaper bag, a small laundry basket or a trunk can also be used.

6. For a tub, you can fill it with baby bathing accessories, such as soaps, towels, bubble bath, powder, baby shampoo, lotion and bath rubber toys.

7. For the trunk, you can fill it with baby�s keepsake book, monogrammed items, receiving blankets, heirloom items, a picture frame and an inspirational book all about mom and baby. You can also place a little inspirational note containing all your wishes for the baby. This will add a more personal touch to your gift.

8. For the laundry basket, you can fill it with cute slippers, diapers, baby comb and brush, booties, and baby clothes.

The Name Game
Have your guests choose two names for the baby. Now, ask them to write these names on a piece of paper. Ask them to find words that can be made from those names. The object of the game is to make as many words from these names as possible. Give the guests a certain amount of time, as much as may be needed.

Tell the guests that the minimum number of letters for each constructed word should be three. Words that are made of two or less words will not be counted.

Also, ask the guests not to tell the names they have chosen outright, as a twist to the game can be made by having the guests try to guess the original names the players have chosen using the constructed words used.

Example: Michael – Anthony
Ant � hint � mint � minty – lint

Feeding Time!
Put a number of cotton balls in a big bowl, and place another empty bowl in front of it. Players will try to transfer the cotton balls from one bowl to the other while blindfolded. Players will go at this game one at a time. Have them use spoons to do so. Since cotton balls are so light, it will actually be really hard to gauge how many ball you are scooping with the spoons. The winner of the game is the player that able to transfer the most number of cotton balls per thirty seconds.

Rice Bowl
Fill a bowl half-way with plain, uncooked rice. Then mix in some safety pins (the safety pins have to be closed first). Have the guests take turns one at a time at this game. Blindfold the players and set them right in front of the bowls. The object of the game is to transfer as many safety pins to a different bowl in 30 seconds. This is a bit hard too, since the safety pins feel a lot like the rice too.

Baby Guests
Have guests bring along baby pictures of themselves to the baby shower celebrations. As the guests enter the celebration area, have them give these photos to a secretary who will label them with removable tape at the back and note on a different sheet of paper the identity of the photo. Be very careful with these photos as they are very important keepsakes.

Then furnish the guests with a piece of paper and a pen and show the baby pictures to everyone one by one. Have the guests try to guess the identity of the photo and write it down on their answer sheets. Afterwards, reveal the answers to the quiz. The person to get the most number of correct guesses wins the game.

Baby Shower Games
These games are only a few of the dozens of games you could play during the baby shower celebrations. Make sure these games foster friendships and, of course, put your baby in the spotlight. This will surely make your baby shower a lot more interesting and memorable.

There are many that may fold at the thought of drafting their own baby shower invitation wording, but that need not be you. Keep the task simple, and manageable. What you’ll achieve is a truly unique invite that can be claimed by your guests of honor as their own. Here are a few tips that you may find helpful.

First of all, the bulk of your baby shower invitation wording consists of the obvious particulars, namely, answering the questions: a shower for Who, When will the event occur, Where the event will take place, baby registry and RSVP info. It would be best to confer with the guests of honor, even discreetly, to establish this info.

Once the previous items are outlined, you’ll move on to baby shower invitation wording that provides the “OOMPH” in personalizing the invite. It is best to have a theme already established; here is where you’ll have creative license. A simple 2-4 line poem is what you’re shooting for, consider a haiku format or the help of Dr. Seuss if you’re needing a whimsical tone. If you need a creative boost use the internet, and other resources that relate to the theme.

Finally, the design and format of the invitation helps package everything nicely. Your word processor can accomplish this task, or designate that to your local or online stationers. Be mindful that the design of the invite provides a visual on the theme and may also include a photo of the parents-to-be. Knowing that this will serve as memorabilia for the family, this component is the “nice touch” that can secure a few “OOHS and AHHS” from its viewers.

A baby shower is a party given by the expecting mother or the couple’s friends, relatives, or colleagues. People love to invite the friends and relatives, of the parents-to-be to a chosen place. It is quite challenging to plan a baby shower. One task essential to planning a proper baby shower is picking the right baby shower invitations. There are various ideas for people to plan or design the baby shower invitation cards.

Baby shower invitations cards are basically the most common way, to invite guests to the special occasion. These cards come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and themes. There are services that provide personalized text onto the card. People can provide them necessary details that are used, to print or paint their choice of words.

Candy wrappers are a popular way to announce a baby shower. The guest receives a candy bar or some other tasty treat, and the wrapper contains the information for the baby shower. An invitation in a bottle is a more expensive, but fancy baby shower invitation. A baby shower invitation card is inserted into a plastic baby bottle. There are colored papers and other things that are placed into the bottle before it is delivered to the guests. A baby shower magnet with the date of the shower is another great way to invite guests. When they receive the magnet, they can stick it on their refrigerator to remind them of the date of the shower. Many people prefer to order cards that depict personal likings of the mother-to-be.

Themes for baby showers vary in style and design, with hundreds to choose from. Sailing boats for little boys and dollies for girls are few of the popular, picture themes used on baby shower invitations.

Personalized fortune cookie invitation is yet another unique way to invite guests. The invitation is placed inside a personalized fortune cookie that is sent to the guest. Internet provides people a range of baby shower invitations ideas to choose from.

After somebody has won a game, you can prepare small tokens as their prize. These tokens need not be expensive; it can be chocolate bar, candle or anything to remind the winner of his or her successful participation in the game.

When choosing a baby shower game, make sure that you have selected something that will appeal to your guests. Research on the guests’ backgrounds and ages since these are factors in which you can judge if they will enjoy the baby shower game or not.

As much as possible, choose a game that will require interaction among the guests, especially if you the guest list includes family members, and different groups of friends who may not know one another.

After you have considered the people who are on the guest list, you may want to consider the baby shower games listed below.

* Mommies and Babies Game

This game is better if participated by the younger guests. The host will read a list of animals to which the participants will call out the names of the babies of the animals.

To make the game more entertaining, you can pictures of the animals that are in a pile. The participants can choose the correct picture, say the name of the mother and baby animal and mimic the sound of the animal.

* Mother Goose Game

You can have this baby shower game played by all of the guests. Prepare several lines from different nursery rhymes. The host will read these lines to the guests but with an omitted word. The guests will try to guess what is the missing word in the nursery rhyme. The person who has called out the most correct answer wins.

* Baby Item Memory Game

Prepare a tray of baby things that you will show to the guests for 15 to 30 seconds. After that, ask the guests to write the items that they remember. The person who has remembered the most items will win this baby shower game.

* Baby Food Game

Prepare for this baby shower game by purchasing several types of baby food and removing the labels and replacing the covers with opaque paper. Number the jars for reference.

Ask the guests to identify the baby food by smelling or tasting. The person who has made the most correct guesses wins the baby shower game.

* Fun Facts

This is to done only if the guests know, or are at least familiar with one another.

Upon arriving at the baby shower party, ask the guests to write a fact that few people have known. This may be a hidden talent, a previous job, or a movie appearance. They drop the paper in a jar together with everyone else’s papers.

During the game, they will pick one sheet of paper and try to guess who is the person being described.

You can also modify the game by having the host read each of the facts and have all of the guests try to guess the person.

With these baby shower games, you can make your guests interact with one another and you can keep them from being bored. You can make original games as long as you consider the backgrounds, the number and the ages of your participants.

Printed

The first way of using the footprint is to print them on the invitation. You may use a single or both feet as the main design. Immediately, your guests will know that it is a baby shower invitation, just by seeing the footprints. Make the print standout by using a complementary color to the background or the paper color.

As a supplementary to the text of the card, baby footprints can serve as a silhouette background of the text. As a silhouette, footprints are effective as outlines, instead of filled with colors. As an outline, only the marks where the baby�s feet press the ground (balls of the toes and heel and sides of the feet) are highlighted.

For an animated effect use several small footprints in the main design or silhouette background. To make it appear like a baby just walked across the page, reduce the size of the footprints, as the trail moves from the fore to the rear ground.

Embossed

Embossing is a process of creating relief on the paper by using a special tool to engrave the paper. Since this uses a special tool, it is best to leave the manufacturing of this kind of invitation to the professionals.

Embossed footprint invitations convey an elegant mood for the baby shower. Most embossed invitations are monochromatic, that is, they use a single color for the paper and the embossed design. However, some printers have the capability to color the raised portions of the footprint, for an extra fee.

Design and layout can be similar to the printed kind, but it is best to use the footprint sparingly for a dramatic effect.

Stamped

Rubber stamps have been around for ages, and it is widely used in many applications: business, trade, craft and even politics! As the rubber stamp craft is a well-established industry, you can find rubber stamps of baby footprints, of varying sizes and designs. When you have chosen a pattern that suits your intended invitation design, you can then use it to stamp single prints or multiple prints inked in a variety of colors.

For a subdued effect, use the stamp as a seal of approval or a signature of the baby, inviting the guest to the baby shower.

At the party, use the stamps to continue the theme from the invitation. Stamp them on napkins, thank you cards and game prizes for a unified effect.

Cutout

Lastly, use the footprint design as a cutout baby shower invitation. This is a very interesting application as it veers away from the conventional 2� X 4� invitation size. Use the front of the card to announce that there is a baby shower, and the back, for party details and RSVP information.

Carry the cutout theme to your baby shower by placing baby footprint cutouts on pathways, floors and even walls.

Use also footprint cutouts for thank you cards, for a uniformed look.

With such a simple idea, there are many possibilities. Choose the style to fit your mood and use cute baby shower footprint invitation cards today!

Writing a unique baby shower invitation is easier than you think. Just keep these guidelines in mind as you search for the right words to celebrate the mom-to-be.

Is the baby a boy, girl or surprise? The right wording can convey this information in a clever way. The following is a great example of this:

She tells us pickles and ice cream have been her main craving,
But if it’s a boy or a girl, well, that’s a secret she’s saving!
Join us for an appetizing feast in celebration of _____’s baby shower!

Include all the important information

Every invitation should also include the following key pieces of information: time, date, location, host name and RSVP information, and where the parents-to-be are registered.

Remember the theme

Many invitations include gift-buying suggestions in the form of a theme. For example, an invitation for a “Time of Day” shower will include a specific hour of the day for which the guest can buy a gift. A 5 p.m. designation might merit a plate and cup for an infant to use at dinner. The guest who gets “midnight” might buy a lullaby CD to help soothe a baby back to sleep.

Other great themes include Winnie the Pooh, Disney, princesses or two pees in the pod. Make sure you include the theme with in your invite.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

If you’re stuck for wording, ask the guest of honor what she thinks! If the shower is a surprise, ask a close friend or family member. Unique ideas are every ware. You just need to know here to look.