Baby Shower Decoration ideas
Pastels rule the baby world. Soft pinks and blues, yellows and greens – and animal patterns galore. A soft-colored rose or gerbera daisy in a bud vase at each place setting doubles as a party favor at the end of the party.

Create a baby baby-themed garland using small plastic trinkets like giraffes and elephants, miniature trucks and plush finger puppets. Attach your trinkets to colorful string and affix around the room. Or hang a clothesline and attach onesies to it with clothespins.

Baby Shower Favor ideas
Send guests home with a grown-up but fun party favor. Fill a pretty coffee mug or small, decorative bowl with bejeweled refrigerator photo magnets, votive candles, tea bags, mints and mini chocolates. Wrap the container with sheer cellophane, tulle or tissue paper and tie with a satin ribbon.

Who should host a baby shower?
Anyone but the expectant mother (and father). A baby shower can be thrown by friends, relatives and/or coworkers. To keep parties small and intimate, coordinate with the mother-to-be's friends and family and have each group throw her a separate shower.

How far in advance should you host a baby shower?
Typically, you want to hold a baby shower 4 to 6 weeks before the baby's due date. There's a good chance that the baby will be born before the due date, and having the shower earlier means it's easier for the expectant mother to move around and enjoy the party. That said, don't forget to send out baby shower invitations at least 3 to 4 weeks before the shower so the guests have enough time to RSVP. Get organized with Evite's baby shower checklist -- this tool is sure to make your baby shower planning run smoothly.

Who should be invited to a baby shower?
Consult the expectant mother and father to find out who to invite. Be sure to ask if they would prefer a single-sex or co-ed shower. If you already have a baby shower location and budget in mind, tell the mom-to-be the maximum number of guests you can accommodate. Or you can ask her to make a list of people she wants to invite, and let that help you determine where to host the baby shower. The number of guests can impact your cost greatly, so check out our baby shower budget estimator to establish your budget.

Should a baby shower be held only for the first baby?
Traditionally, a baby shower was given for the first baby and for a subsequent baby only if the sex of the child was different from the first. Today's showers, however, are not just about giving gifts; they're a day to celebrate the birth of a baby. If you want to throw a baby shower for a second, third or even fourth child, there's no reason not to.

Focus on tricks, tips and treats the mom-to-be will relish and remember.

• Collect baby photos of your guests before the party, assign a number to each, and see who can match the adults to their younger selves the quickest. • Baby showers bring out the kid in everyone. Buy hula-hoops, jacks, crayons and construction paper, and draw a hopscotch board on your driveway with chalk. • Buy 15 flavors of baby food, peel off the labels, and test everyone's taste buds. First prize? More baby food, of course. • Ask guests to bring five pink or blue note cards with their favorite mum secrets. Assign topics to get everyone thinking: simple, healthy snacks, potty training advice or tricks for getting baby to sleep through the night are always appreciated. • Pass out miniature notebooks, divide guests into pairs, and ask each to compile a baby best-of list, based on their own little ones or childhood favorites. Lists can include everything from the best baby CDs to kid-friendly eateries and favorite toys. • All mothers know you can never have enough onesies. Buy plain onesies in various sizes, and ask guests to decorate one for the baby. Provide paints, markers, rubber stamps and stamping pads, and a needle and thread for embroidering.

Keep the baby theme going with baby-size food. Mini quiches, tarts and tea sandwiches are all suitably sized main dishes.

Pair your entree with a fresh salad featuring baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and small, flavor-packed pomegranate seeds. For dessert, serve petits fours and mini cupcakes.

For nibbling throughout the party, put out bowls of tiny snacks like pastel-colored candies, olives, assorted nuts, grapes and raspberries.

Featured Baby Shower Recipes from Epicurious.com

Miniature Crab Cakes with Tomato Ginger Jam

Baby Greens with Roasted Beets and Potatoes

Miniature Almond Cakes with Sugared Cherries and Kirsch Cream

Virgin Strawberry Margaritas (serves 1) • juice of 1/2 lime, freshly squeezed • 1/2 cup fresh strawberries • 1/2 tsp sugar • one strawberry (for garnish) • whipped cream (optional) Add lime juice, 1/2 cup strawberries and sugar to blender. Blend on high until smooth. Pour into cocktail glass. Garnish with remaining strawberry, and top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

Baby Shower Gift Ideas

Find unique baby shower gifts like a Newborn Essentials Gift Set.

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