When planning a baby shower it is ordinarily the special touches that add warmth to the celebration. Not only can your baby shower run much smoother, but your mother-to-be and guests will enjoy your "attention to detail".

 

To add a festive touch, simply spot helium balloons outside your front door to greet your guests and the expectant mother-to-be. Another idea is to spot a sign on the lawn, advertising the upcoming arrival. You can find many delightful signs that can be either purchased or rented at party stores.

 

As your baby shower guests arrive, be sure to take the time to introduce them to each other. If you're putting together a seating arrangement, place people who know each other or have common interests together. This will help keep everyone comfortable and avoid the awkwardness that can occasionally happen when guests have never met.

 

Help create a relaxed and pampered atmosphere for mother-to-be and a relaxed way to and from the baby shower. Arrange a trusted driver to pick her up and drive her home.

 

Your expectant mother-to-be will want to remember her baby shower and have something to look back on. Ask a baby shower guest in advance to be the designated photographer. Have them take a picture of each guest with the expectant mother. You could take this idea a step further and after developing the pictures, place them in a keepsake photo album for the mother-to-be.

 

Another idea that your expectant mother will greatly appreciate is assigning a gift recorder to keep track of who gave her which gift. With all the excitement and wrapping paper, she's bound to forget who gave which adorable gift. You could also take this idea further and create a baby shower game. When your guest begin to arrive have each of them jot down their name and address on an envelope. Put the envelopes in a bowl and draw names throughout the baby shower. When their name is pulled they will win a prize. In the meantime, your mom will have all her envelopes addressed and prepared to mail once she has filled out her thank you cards.

 

Depending on the style or type of shower you are hosting, you may have the expectant father and other male friends and relatives in attendance. If this is the case try to stay away from anything too girly when picking your invitations. Look for neutral decorations and create games for both male and female.

 

A simple way to add warmth and closeness during a baby shower is to have each person come up and present his or her gift to the expectant mother-to-be. While she is unwrapping her gift she is able to introduce the guest to the group and share some small story about how she knows them. This is a marvelous way for everyone to get acquainted with one another and maybe even share some laughs over the stories being told.

 

You can let your expectant mother realize how special she is to you and your guests by surprising her with a small keepsake from her baby shower. It can be something as easy as her invitation framed nicely for her to take home.

 

When you plan your next baby shower, keep all these ideas in mind. They are easy ways to add warmth and love to your celebration.