The Daily Life of Sweetpea[s]

maybe lizard can tell you about a game involving diapers and melted candy bars....eww.

here's shower tip: I think if most of us were honest, we would say that it's boring to watch the honoree unwrap a bunch of gifts....so you can collect the gifts as people come in on a table, just let everyone eat and visit like a normal party, while a couple of volunteers unwrap the presents and display them on the table--then everyone can ooh and ahh if they want to, but if feels more like a fun party. I've seen this done and thought it was a great idea. I actually think it's standard in some parts of the country.
 

Karaoke is always great.
 

WG-never feel pressured to have games!!! Especially a so mentioned melted candy bar game. I have actually helped throw several over the past 1 1/2 years. I think it has always worked to have your food layed out with an area for drinks. Tea, coffee,beer, you know your standard shower drinks. Then you have the cake somewhere sitting pretty. Let people mingle then invite them to eat. Open presents and then cake! I think people love to chat. If you still wanted something else you could buy a small photo album (Kolo has great ones for this) and you can have each guest sign a page and write something. Then if you know a photographer, they could take pictures of each guest with the honoree to be later placed in the book.
I have done these showers with a couple of friends and I think one important thing is how it is decorated. We did one shower where we had red tulips everywhere in inexpensive Ikea vases. Another shower was last October and my friend placed white pumpkins all over my living room with pinecones and a beautiful ribbon around them. My last idea-outsource to friends!!
 

No games are necessary, particularly the melted candy bar one!

A decor/gift idea: ask everyone to bring an unwrapped new or gently used book they loved as a child to build the baby's library and use them to decorate (collecting some beforehand, adding as they come, etc.)
 

Kristen- that is a great idea. We actually did something like that at a shower. Along with their gift everyone brought their favorite children's book so that the baby would have a little library. It was really sweet, because every book really reflected each person's personality.
 

I don't much like games either, so definitely don't feel like you have to have them!

A decor idea that Kellsey did at my shower: have a "clothes line" (a cute ribbon or a dyed-to-match-your-theme cotton clothes line) with clothes pins to hold the clothes that she receives so everyone can see them! For the last shower I hosted, I dyed the line pink and spray painted the clothes pins brown. It was very cute!

An in-lieu-of-game activity: Buy a bunch of diapers, and have people write on the bums in Sharpies. Comments can range from funny to encouraging, with the goal of putting a smile on Mom's face when she has diaper duty 12 times/day.
 

i JUST REMEMBERED.....some of our friends had a "Sh** and Lit" party for our friends when they were expecting their first. People were supposed to bring either diapers or one of their favorite children's books. (It was a couple's shower.) It was brilliant. Probably not for everyone, though.

Kristen's comment reminded me. :)

Lindsay--love that diaper idea!

Perhaps I am the only one who's bored silly by watching people unwrap gifts they've already registered for. For my wedding showers, I hated making people watch me upwrap registered wedding gifts for an hour. ;)
 

I never buy gifts on registries. A new mom registers for a baby wipe warmer, but what she really needs is nipple ointment.
 

thanks, y'all!!! the more i think about it, the more i really don't like silly games. i LOVE the decoration ideas, though--i LOVE the book, sharpie/diaper and clothes line ideas!!!

that really helps. i was feeling like i'd have to resort to total cheesy-ness....

i like the idea of focusing on everyone hanging out and having a good time chatting. i don't want to have to entertain or resort to a male stripper. (just kidding. i don't suppose that's really appropriate....)
 

Oooh, I also like the Kolo book photo/sign idea!!! That will be perfect for this party. I have already asked one of my photo friends to be the designated photog.
 

I don't know, a stripper could make it...interesting.
 

There's a fun activity (NOT a game) using charm as cake pulls. You have sterling silver charms with pretty ribbons on them. The charms are put between the layers of the cake. (Usually you put parchment paper or something else between the layers to keep the charms clean.) There are a couple of ways to do it. One way is for the guests to bring charms for the soon-to-be Mom's charm bracelet. The other way is for guests to pull a charm and keep it as a momento. You can find cake pulls, and more information about them, at www.mycharmedlife.com. I know people who've done it and everyone enjoyed it.

Shari

p.s. For full disclosure, I am friend's with one of the company's owners. We've known each other since college, which seems like just yesterday, but (sadly) wasn't!