Putting a Twist on the Traditional Baby Shower

Written by Penny Warner

Luckily, baby showers never go out of style. Instead of hosting a plain old party, here’s a guide to throwing a baby shower the family won’t forget. It all starts with a creative theme…

Welcome to the Family Tree Baby Shower! Host a shower for the soon-to-be newest family member and welcome him or her to the family tree.

Invitations

Draw or photocopy a picture of the family tree. Cut out a leaf for the new baby and write the party details on it, then stick it to the tree. Ask guests to dress in “Family” or “Friend” T-shirts, with the name of the family lineage on the back. On the front, write the baby’s name (or last name), and the connection each family member or friend has to the baby, such as “Baby’s Aunt Susan” or “Baby’s Cousin.”

Decorations

Using a Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kit, fill the party room with helium balloons to match the gender of the baby – pink for a girl, blue for a boy - or both if you don’t know the gender. Set out photos of family and friends and have everyone bring family albums to share. Showcase any family crests or heirlooms. At the table, set out place markers and draw lines on the paper tablecloth linking the relatives by their connections. Collect long-loved teddy bears from everyone and arrange them in a basket as a centerpiece – with a new one for the new baby. Tie a single helium balloon to the baby’s new bear.

Games and Activities

First Best Friends: Have the new mom guess which teddy bear or stuffed animal belongs to each friend or family member.

Beautiful Babies: Ask players to bring their baby pictures, and then have the mother-to-be try to guess who’s who.

The Family Tree: Sit in a circle and have the first player state how she is related to the new baby. The second player must repeat how the first player is related – however she wants to state it, as long as it’s accurate – then add her relationship. The third player does the same, and so on around the circle. For example, you might hear, “Jodie is the baby’s second cousin, Kathy is engaged to the baby’s mother’s brother’s son, and I’m the baby’s maternal grandmother.” When the game reaches the new mom, she must repeat all of the relationships mentioned before. By the end of the game, she’ll know her baby’s relationship to everyone at the party – or be totally confused!

Black Sheep: On index cards, write down interesting facts about family members. For example, “Great Grandma was a silent movie star,” and “Nephew Luke was a romance writer.” Then make up a few stories that aren’t true, such as, “Great-great Uncle Bob used to be a rodeo clown” or “Aunt Jean was once a dancer.” Have the new mom guess which ones are true and which are false.

Refreshments

Have everyone bring a favorite family dish, along with the recipe and some of the ingredients. Ask each person to talk about the history of the dish, where it came from, how it’s been passed along, and so on. For a centerpiece cake, draw the family tree on a sheet cake using tubes of frosting, with the new baby leaf featured prominently.

n Favors, Prizes, and Gifts

Send guests home with new group photos and decorative frames. For gift ideas, suggest something from the family heritage, such as a blanket, photograph or saved baby toy.

The party planning and decorating expert for Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kits, Penny has more than 25 years of experience in the party planning industry and has authored more than 50 books – including 16 specific to parties. Additionally, Warner writes a weekly newspaper column on family life, penned a column for Sesame Street Parents magazine and has appeared on several regional and national TV morning programs. Visit www.balloontime.com to read more of Penny’s party ideas and to submit your own questions about party planning.