Baby showers bring to mind much oohing and awing (obligatory or genuine) as piles of pink- orblue-themed gifts are opened.While it's true that the point of a baby shower is to give new parents gifts that will help them beprepared for their new bundle of joy they are also about sharing the e!citement a new babybrings with family and friends.Whenever guests are e!pected to bring a gift those e!pectations can start to become the centerof attention instead of the event the gifts are celebrating."ere are a few ways to help keep the focus where it belongs# on the thrill and anticipation of awonderful new baby.While new parents don't throw their own shower (it's too much of a direct ask for presents)anyone else can host. $nd though many people might associate baby shower s with a group of women seated in a circlearound a mom-to-be it's fine to throw a shower for any e!pecting or new parent%single mom ordad or gay or straight couples together%and the guest list can be co-ed.&his is also the case for parents who adopt though if the adoption is for an older child don't usebaby-themed invitations. t's also a good idea to include the child's name and age on theinvitation.eep shower guests to close friends and family.&hough a gift is e!pected if a guest attends guests should only be invited to help celebrate theupcoming arrival not for the gift they bring. f a guest is invited to a shower but can't attend thereis no obligation to send a gift though they certainly may if they want to.nclude registry information on a separate slip of paper with the invitation or better yet provide itto guests who reply they will be coming. t is splitting hairs but it keeps the focus on the guestbeing invited to celebrate and not just on their gift.t's okay to have a shower for a second or third child. riginally this was frowned on the ideabeing that parents would have what they need from their first child.But in some cases it's been many years since the last child was born or the first child was a girland now the parents are e!pecting a boy.*or parents who are relatively well e+uipped shower hosts might consider themes that focus onrestocking basic items or treats for mom and dad such as a night of babysitting coupons fortake-out massages or movie tickets.ffice showers are a nice way for colleagues to help celebrate and acknowledge parents-to-be.,sually there is cake and a card signed by the group often accompanied by a group present.mployee guests to an office shower aren't e!pected to bring gifts instead the group getstogether for a group gift usually funded by an office collection.t's important that no one be e!cluded from or pressured into participating. nstead the person incharge should inform everyone that there's an envelope at his or her desk and to makecontributions there anonymously. /ever go desk-to-desk asking colleagues to pony up on thespot.
&he person in charge might check in with the parent-to-be to discover what they need and to seeif their partner might be available to join the party.&raditional eti+uette says that if you thanked someone for a gift in person there is no need tosend a handwritten note. &his is still true but shower gifts have always been and continue to bean e!ception.Be sure to send a prompt handwritten thank-you note to each guest who gave you a gift. t'snever okay for the shower host to ask guests to write their address on blank envelopes to savethe parent-to-be the effort./otes including the envelopes should be personal start to finish. 0ome hosts will e!cuse thepractice by using them to draw door pri1es or as a way to gather mailing addresses for thee!pectant parent in an age of email.2oor pri1es don't make up for la1iness and an address book would work just as well to collectmailing addresses so these e!cuses don't make up for the tackiness of outsourcing the task ofthanking guests to the guests themselves. $nd a final grace note for parents# $fter your newborn arrives be sure to share the newspersonally with anyone who attended a baby shower for you.website is www.dileksbabyshower.com
&he person in charge might check in with the parent-to-be to discover what they need and to seeif their partner might be available to join the party.&raditional eti+uette says that if you thanked someone for a gift in person there is no need tosend a handwritten note. &his is still true but shower gifts have always been and continue to bean e!ception.Be sure to send a prompt handwritten thank-you note to each guest who gave you a gift. t'snever okay for the shower host to ask guests to write their address on blank envelopes to savethe parent-to-be the effort./otes including the envelopes should be personal start to finish. 0ome hosts will e!cuse thepractice by using them to draw door pri1es or as a way to gather mailing addresses for thee!pectant parent in an age of email.2oor pri1es don't make up for la1iness and an address book would work just as well to collectmailing addresses so these e!cuses don't make up for the tackiness of outsourcing the task ofthanking guests to the guests themselves. $nd a final grace note for parents# $fter your newborn arrives be sure to share the newspersonally with anyone who attended a baby shower for you.website is www.dileksbabyshower.com