It's totally normal to feel a bit apprehensive about your baby shower. But the party doesn't have to suck. In fact, your baby shower can be quite fun if you follow these tips.
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Baby showers don’t have to be awkward, uncomfortable affairs. Here are some tips and tricks to actually having fun at your own shower.
1. Make it co-ed Instead of the men enjoying a “diaper party” in the basement with beer and chips, while the women sit upstairs sipping mocktinis, throw a coed party instead. You’ll appreciate not having all the attention on you and having your partner to lean on if things get to be a bit too much.
2. Hold a separate one for friends and for relatives If you don’t think Great Aunt Alice will be into the DIY crafts or the NSFW games you want to do, then plan two showers.
3. Make it three hours—max All that socializing is exhausting. Set a three-hour time limit on the shower so that the afternoon leaves guests wanting more instead of covertly checking the time on their phones.
4. Serve lots of alcohol Sorry, this is for the guests, not for you. But greeting guests with glasses of prosecco or signature cocktails can help break the ice.
5. Make an anonymous tip box labelled “unsolicited advice” Please redirect all preachy know-it-alls in that direction (they don’t have to know it’s the place for “unwanted advice”).
6. Pick a convenient location It’s lovely if cousin Milly is offering to host the shower at her house, but if she lives an hour away that’s not going to work. Pick a venue that’s close to you so you don’t spend half your day in the car. You also want to make sure the location is somewhat central for your guests. You’ll be upset if people can't attend because the country club you chose was too far away.
7. Buy yourself a new outfit for the occasion Find one that makes you feel cute and not like a beached walrus.
8. Hold it somewhere with A/C Three words: Pregnancy hot flashes.
9. Ban all TMI birth stories The last thing you need to hear about at your baby shower is someone’s third degree tear or their marathon labour. Promise them that you’ll happily trade war stories—after the baby is born.
10. Chip bar Finger sandwiches are great, but what you really want (in addition to all those cute crustless sammies) is a table full of salty chips for guests to snack on.
11. Ban bottles and diapers Do not make anyone drink out of a baby bottle. Or guess what’s in the diaper. No one wants to do that.
12. You don’t have to open gifts If you don’t want to open gifts in front of everyone, don’t. Just make a pile and open them at home later. No one wants to watch a sweaty pregnant woman open gifts for two hours.
13. Have a pregnancy craving station Pickles, ice cream sundaes, watermelon—make sure the host has a whole section of food dedicated to your cravings. Trust us, everyone will want to indulge with you.
14. Designate a gift giver Trying to fit all those gifts into your tiny car (this is a peek into your future) is a headache you don’t need after a long day. Instead, have a close friend or family member be your gift handler: they can pass all gifts to you to open, keep a list of who gave you what, deal with all the wrapping paper and handle getting all the gifts back to your house.
Read more: 18 baby shower recipes The dos and don'ts of planning a baby shower
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