| Finding gifts for your guests is a
fun and essential part of planning for a baby shower, but it can
be hard to figure out where to start. Every party is different,
but some factors, like party theme and cost and where to buy the
needed items, are important for every shower planner to consider.
Shower favors and prizes should match the tone of the party. Therefore,
themed showers should have some theme-based prizes and trinkets
to be given away. This not only lets your shower guests and honoree
know you’ve put thought into the event, it also ensures that
the shower runs smoothly by keeping the purpose of the function
in mind. Prizes and other small items in a variety of shower-related
themes are generally easy to find, and using items that are sweet
but simple, like small stuffed animals, can make shopping easy on
the planner and the wallet. An easy way to stick to your theme is
to package small, unthemed items in themed bags.
Budgeting is essential to planning a good party. Over-spending
can put a damper on the fun, at least for the person who is doing
the spending. If gifts and prizes add up to $20 per guest, it’s
easy to spend hundreds of dollars on favors alone. But it’s
easy to create cost-effective gift bags, and they can even be in
keeping with your theme. Everyone, new mother or not, can enjoy
a little pampering, so gathering together small items like lotion,
soaps and other bath items into a gift bag can work very nicely.
These kinds of items can often be purchased in bulk and then parceled
out one piece at a time into individual bags. Adding or substituting
other small items, like candy, bubbles or even a printout of the
new mother’s baby sonogram can change the theme of the gifts
or add a personal touch. Personal thank-you notes, poems about children
and mothers and other thoughtful but very cost-effective items can
also be used to create a well-planned but inexpensive guest favor
bag.
For some, watching expenses isn’t necessary. In that case,
other, more involved options for favors open up. Gift cards can
be a lovely way to thank guests for their time. One “adult”
gift idea would be to include a note with the gift cards encouraging
them to buy lingerie, luxurious body wash, candles and other “baby
making” supplies. Or, if your shower is mostly mothers with
young children, include a note indicating that the card is to be
used for “Mommy only” purchases, like comfy pajamas,
fuzzy house slippers and a good book. Since many baby showers have
exclusively female guests, this is a good way to start a dialogue
about the trials and joys of being mothers or the possibility of
having additional children in the future. It’s also a cute
way to make all the guests feel included in the joy of the honoree’s
pregnancy.
While it’s nice to consider what your guests like or don’t
like when buying gifts, it is key to focus on the shower honoree.
Buying favors that are reflective of her tastes, or even your own,
can make the gifts into cherished mementos. If the shower is not
a surprise, asking the mother-to-be about her thoughts on favors
can make her feel extra-special and involved. If it’s a surprise
party, try to think like the honoree, or ask her sisters, mother
or other close friends for advice. There’s no need to limit
yourself to one gift-bag plan, however. An assortment of options
– different scents, colors, and flavors of items within the
bags, or even a variety of similar but different favors –
can make things a little more interesting for everyone.
Finding favors for a baby shower should be fairly simple, though
unusual themes may require a little bit more searching. Many towns
have stores that specialize in party supplies, and bookstores, gift
shops and card stores often carry a small variety of favor-type
items. Dollar stores can be a great place to find small, inexpensive
and cute items to place in bags or even to stand alone as gifts.
Making gifts can also be fun, but it can take an unexpected chunk
out of your wallet, so plan and shop around before deciding to go
that route. Online stores are one of the best options for purchasing
party supplies, as almost anything you can think of can be found
somewhere.
|
