Throwing a Baby Shower - San Antonio,TX

Even people who don't like games like Bingo. You can get baby shower Bingo cards pre-printed online or you can hand out a blank Bingo sheet for people to write in the words in the boxes. The words are items that you think the mommy-to-be will get as gifts. Then as she is opening the gifts, people can put a marker or X on that box. It keeps everyone interested as she is opening gifts, especially larger groups. Then when they get a bingo, they get a prize. Have several prizes so that there can be winners the majority of the time that she is opening gifts. The prizes don't have to be expensive. They can be fun things you find at the dollar store, etc.

Please do NOT play the "Guess what flavor baby food by tasting" game. This was done at my shower and I gagged and almost vomited when I tasted the jarred ham puree. This can be a fun game if you cover up the labels and guess by just looking at the color:)

For a centerpiece or main display you could make a diaper cake, they are so neat. You roll newborn/size 1 diapers and tie with ribbons and then stand them up on their side and make layers. Tie each layer together with more ribbon. We have always done 3 layers. You can use receiving blankets, bibs, or wash cloths to separate the layers. Then you buy any little thing off the registry, usually pacifiers, little hand toys, socks, etc. and tie those to the ribbon layers so they hang off the side. You can top it with anything, a toy, cute hate, etc. They are a huge hit and you don't want to take them apart, although you eventually do. =)

Depends on who you are inviting and the level of friendship of everyone, but I've heard of moms doing a "mom blessing" Having others bring a word of wisdom or encouragement serious and funny to share with the new mom.

In throwing a few showers and going to many I will tell you what I have found.
1. Don't do lots of games. People like to visit and see all the gifts not play silly games. If you want to do a few there are some that are easy and don't take up too much time like sticker on the plate. After everyone has their food have them check under their plate and whoever has the sticker gets a prize. Or I had a shower where on the invite it said that if you wanted to have your name up in a drawing for a prize bring a package of diapers along with a gift. Then the mother to be gets lots of diapers and the woman get a chance to another prize. Or you can fill a baby bottle with candy (like m&m's) and have everyone guess how many are in the bottle....winner gets a prize.

2. Finger foods are the best. Like cookies, chips & dip, mini sandwiches etc. One girl I did a shower for was having a boy so for the drinks I did Sprite and had blue ice cubes. You freeze blue Kool-aid. So the Sprite has a fruity taste to it and it looks really cool in clear cups. I themed whole table in blue too. Like blue frosting on the sugar cookies, blue serving dishes and blue candy.

3. For prizes I also themed everything blue. Like blue candles, blue bath salts, blue nail files, blue bath & body works soaps. etc.

Anyways I guess the best thing is one or two games then let everyone visit, eat and see the gifts.

Well in all my experience with baby showers most moms love the social aspect of it more than the games but if you want to do them then keep it simple and keep it to one or two games like guessing the exact date of the babies birth etc. Another is not necessarily a game but tell everyone to bring a bunch of change or dollar bills and buy a piggy bank and try to fill it up for mommy and you can turn that into a game somehow if you like. But mostly tell the people coming that the things that the mom would like most are money, diapers, wipes, towels, formula (if not brasetfeeding) , one time we were able to get one mom an entire years worth of diapers but make sure you get them all from the same place so say you get too many size 1's then she can exchange it for a size 2 etc. Going for anything that will save her money is your best bet. Cute little outfits are expensive and can only be worn once or twice so straw clear of those. Gift certificates are always good, a card with an offer to babysit with a gift card to a local restaurant is a wonderful choice, also a day at the spa for mom is a great and appreciated thing for after baby comes or you could just make her an at home spa basket and either babysit or make sure hubby is willing to make sure she is not interupred. Put candles a relaxing music cd. Bath salt scrubs lotions etc. Buses your imagination. You can do it all depending on how many moms are coming. Have a pre baby shower meeting and discuss what the options are and make sure people are getting helpful things not cute things,(but those can be sprinkled on the side for fun!) there are so many things that you can do that are mor helpful than just nice for showers. Hope I gave youany ideas that were helpful.

I throw all the baby showers in my family. Do about 3 games and get fun prizes for the winners. You can find great games just by googling it. Do finger foods like chips and dip, vegetable tray, drinks. I make zuccini bread and devilled eggs. Not the greatest combo, but everyone loves my food. Good luck! Oh, and don't forget the cake...gotta have cake!

I am throwing one for my SIL next month and I found out the theme for her nursery and I am basing the shower off of that, that way I know she will like the theme:) You can find tons of shower games online, about three games at a party always seems to work well. We are doing the game where everyone gets clothespins and you can't say baby, due, etc. Any time someone says that and someone else catches them, they get one of the offender's clothespins:) Whoever has the most clothespins at the end wins. This is a nice game bc it gets people interacting immediately. We are also doing the game where you take a string and wrap it around mom's belly. Then you pass the spool of string/yarn around and everyone cuts their own piece and you compare everyone's string to the one you did. Whoever's is closest wins. She also wants to do some game of putting different food in diapers and tasting it and guessing what it is, seems gross, but hey if she likes it, cool! I have to research that one online. I think the key is having everyone talking and laughing as soon as possible. Then cut the cake and have present time. My MIL is having some mexican food catered, but I have also done it with finger foods and it worked awesome. The dollar store has great little gifts you can get for the games, little candles etc. Also, it is good to make some little favor that everyone can take with them, like a small candy bag, or some little nick nack from the shower. On the invites don't forget to include where mom is registered. I was on my third invite and realized I had forgotten that small detail!! That is all I can think of now, mostly have fun!!

One thing that my friend did that I liked was everyone at the party drew a number and made the baby a b-day card corresponding to that # (ie if you draw a 5 that's for their 5th bday). Kind of neat b/c the adults had fun making the cards with markers/glitter etc and a Great Aunt drew #18. She probably won't be around when he's 18 and it's really cool that he'll have a b-day card from someone who cared about him. You can easily get extended family/friends who couldn't come to participate too.

Also, you can get something like a white table cloth and sharpie markers and have everyone write down on the table cloth one hope, dream, wish, or something they love about the baby. Then you can use that table cloth every year for the bday party (I saw this done w/Thanksgiving by writing down one thing you're thankful for and it turns out really cool).

As far as things to avoid, just make sure the pregnant or new mommy is comfy with the time (don't have a 5 hour party if she's going to be miserable and tired). She should be comfy. the party is supposed to be a fun celebration so know you're group and decide if they are the game type people or if just hanging out with snacks and chit chatting is enough. Keep in mind alot of preggos do not like any "guess how big I am" games (ie TP around belly) so try to find out before doing that kind of thing if it's going to result in a crying mom. Also part of the fun is opening presents, but time can be an issue. Also, some cultures open presents in private.

There are tons of games online. Also, try non baby related ones like guess how many jelly beans in the jar.

Food can be sooo simple or as fancy as you like. Veggies with dip, finger sandwiches, cake and icecream. Lasagna, chicken...even BBQ or grill outside if the weather's nice. Or you can go all out. Depends on the type of party. Know the mom and see what she wants. I prefer at someone's house and laid back, but that's who I am. My sis is more of a formal fancy party thing.

One little thing to think about; if you keep the food simple with finger foods only, it's easier for people to eat (they won't need a table and can just hold their plate and mingle) and you save on having to buy utensils. Along those lines, I also made beautiful cupcakes (again avoiding people having to sit down and eat, etc.) and used my Wilton cupcake tree and they turned out beautifully. The theme was butterflies so I found some edible rice paper butterflies to put on each cupcake and it turned out fabulously. (I found them on Etsy.com, fyi) We didn't do games because none of us likes the silly babyshower games :)

I just threw on for a friend and we had a Scrapbook table. We bought the book and all of the stickers, papers and such. We made a bunch of the stuff (frames, templates and the like) before hand and them brought all of our tapes, scissors, pens, templates and punches and told everyone to make a page or seven and now the mom to be has a great start to her baby book. It was fun and we got most of the stuff on sale at Hobby Lobby. She loved it and people made great pages. She also gets all of the leftovers to do her own stuff. It was fun.

As for Food, I went wild, but the most popular were the chocolate dipped pretzel rods ( half dipped in semi sweet chocolate and the rolled in pecan, wanut, pistachio and candy bits respectively) it was easy and I put each flavor standing in differen cups that I lined up..it was pretty. The desert pizza was a huge hit...Pizza crust sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and baked, then topped with cheesecake filling (premade by Philly in the cream cheese section) and topped with sliced fruit, strawberried, oranges, kiwi, grapes and blueberries. It was very impressive looking for the ease of it, and apparently deliscious as it was GONE before I got to get a piece! I also dipped strawberries and orange slices. Use the mini morsels or chocoalte chips, melt in a one cup glass measuring cup (easy to dip the pretzel rods). fill the cup 2/3rd of the way full, add a dash of oil and put in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time...pull out and stir (a chopstick works well) each time, then back in. You will add chips after about 3 times and keep stiring. Another 2 or 3 rounds at 15-20 seconds should get everything melted. Good Luck!