So off topic.....baby showers..........

I am giving a baby shower for my niece she is having a baby boy and i was needing ideas for games, food, punches, etc.....anything that you can think of that would be quick and inexpensive (im on a budget and so is the other lady giving the shower with me).  I know some of you are pregnant now and thought i could get some ideas from baby showers you have attended or perhaps your own showers!! Any help would be appreciated!~!



Clarice

A couple games we played at my shower:  my mother-in-law provided rolls of toilet paper.  People had to pull off as many squares as they thought would go around my waist at the widest part (like a belt).  Whoever used the least amount of paper (and the ends had to touch) won a prize. 

Another game I remember: she took two tupperware type bowls, one large spoon, and a bag of cotton balls.  Fill one bowl with cotton balls and sit it on your lap.  Balance the empty bowl on your head.  With your eyes closed, dip the spoon into the cotton balls and try to transfer as many as you can from the cotton bowl to the empty bowl on your head (each person gets one try).  Then pass the bowls to the next person.  It's hilarious because most people won't get any cotton balls on their spoon, but they have their eyes closed, so they won't realize it.  You end up looking stupid when you're carefully moving an empty spoon to an empty bowl on your head, but it's funny for everyone watching. :) 

My girlfriend had a game at hers where each of us were given a piece of bubble gum.  We were instructed to 'sculpt' a baby out of one piece of gum.  Whoever sculpted the best baby won. 

Then there's the classic clothespin game, where everyone is given a clothespin to wear and if you cross your legs or say a certain word, other partygoers can take away your clothespin.  Whoever collects the most clothespins by the end of the shower wins.

As for food, I don't really remember what we had at mine.  I think my mil provided a couple veggie trays, cake, and punch.  That's pretty much what my friend had at hers as well.  I wouldn't put too much effort into food.  People shouldn't expect a full meal.  At least, I've never had a full meal at any showers I've ever been to.     

THanks the cotton ball game sounds hilarious!!! Anything to make us look stupid huh?? LOL  I saw one game online where you freeze tiny babies (craft type plastic babies in ice cubes) and you put each one in a cup and give one to each member of the party and the first one to unthaw they have to say Oops mywater broke and they are the first to birth their baby!! LOL  Im playing that game definitely!! :)  Thanks for all your ideas. 

 

 

Clarice

I would suggest a belly blessing instead of a baby shower.  A belly blesssing is moms to shine. She is moving from one part of her life to another. 

I have been to several belly blessings. Here are some things that were done.

Putting the Mother to be at the center.  Belly blessings are a time to pamper the mother.  I have seen everything from foot bathes, pedicures, and back massages.  This pampering goes on while the rest of the blessing happens.

making of the labor Necklace. Its a necklace of beads from each guest that have meaning to them.  This necklace  is to be worn during labor and later can be used as a nursing necklace.  Several of my friends said looking at the beads while in labor empowered them as they thought of what each bead meant.

Worry jar. This is a small jar with needles. Each needle is put in the jar as the mother has a worry about labor or motherhood.  For examle if she is worried that she want be able to get to the hospital in time, she would put a needle in the jar for that and so on.  After the jar is full of worried its buried for the worries to be forgotten about.

Talked about personal experience and our own mothers.  This was a time when we went around the room.  The mother to be is always at the center of the circle.  Sometimes we'd light candles and other times we'd pass burning sage..which is an air cleaner. We'd share how we've been empowered and sometimes we'd share the names of the women who raised us. 

Observing the Womans spiritual and religious beliefs. One of my friends was a devout Christian.  So we read some stories about women from the bible. We specifically focused on the role Marry played in the birth of Jesus. Another friend was Pagan so we focused on the elements of the Earth for Power. 

The other difference is gifts. Gifts are things a woman needs. here's a list of things that have been asked for in the past.  Maxi Pads, Essential oils, Water hose, wash cloths, extra cloth diapers, laundry soap, batteries ect. 

Food is always very very healthy.  Lots of fruits and veggies. This represent the things the mother needs to grow an healthy child.  The drinks are always left up to the Hostess. Normally guests bring the nutritious food of her choice and to the preferences of the mother. A friend of mine was vegan so we all made vegan foods. 

The final thing is that this event is a time for women to empower another woman into motherhood. Every belly blessing I have been too has been very power for the mother and guests and involved.

What happens and what is shared is totally up to the mother. Its up to the planner to prepare the enviroment for the guest and lead the guests.

HTH.

Denise

I threw my first baby shower about a month ago for my little sister.  We had alot of finger foods and I had the cake made, but it wasn't that expensive.  The shower colors were blue, yellow and green, so I found a lime punch recipe that went over really well.  All it takes is a gallon of lime sherbert, 2 2-litres of ginger ale and a large can of pineapple juice.  Then garnish with slices of fresh lime.  For games, we actually had a 'chugging contest' using baby bottles with larger holes cut in the nipples. 

It's been awhile since I've thrown a baby shower but I have some ideas.  At the last one I threw I did baby bingo.  I put baby items on bingo sheets and as the mom opened presents people would mark the items off their sheets, whomever got bingo first, got a prize.  I scrambled the items up on every sheet so no two sheets were the same. 

As for food, I like to use stuff already made.  I buy pilsbury crescent roll dough, you know in the rolls, then you can do lots of stuff with it.  You can take each triangle, cut it in half, making two triangles and wrap it around little sausages, or put it on a cookie sheet and bake it as one sheet, mix together 1/2 stick of cream cheese and some ranch dressing, spread it on top of the crescent dough after it's cooled, then top with chopped veggies (I put mine in a food processor to get them small)  Also, you can buy frozen meatballs, put them in a crock pot with sloppy joe sauce and let 'em sit until eating time (I heat them up a little bit before putting them in the sauce so they're not still frozen when I got to serve them).

I make a pasta salad using any style noodle you want, low fat mayo, frozen peas (defrosted), onions, canned tuna, seasoning salt and shreaded cheese, just mix.  Not very low cal, but a crowd pleaser none the less.  Also, if you take romaine lettuce, green olives, cork screw pasta, parmesan cheese, fat free crutons, sliced silami (sp),and light ceasar dressing, that one is a favorite at our family gatherings.