Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Shower Time


Okay, I am not a party goer.  I am not a party giver.  But my daughter-in-law is having her first baby - our first grandchild - and so I am going to throw her a shower.   If she knew how much I hated stuff like this then she would know how much I love her.   We are doing it before my daughter deserts me and goes off to the desert for 18 months.   (I didn't even plan that deserts/desert thing - hmmm, maybe this will be a good day.) 

Anyway, this is less of a post today than it is a plea for help.   Baby shower games.   Are they too stupid to play?   Should we just eat, drink and open presents?   Should we open presents and then eat and drink?   What should we have to eat?  I am not an elaborate person.  I don't think I could do "real" food . . . snack food and cake, maybe?    And decorations?   Seriously?   Do I have to?

If games are expected, then which ones?   And I'm talking EASY, people.   Details freak me out.   So the fewer details in games, the better. 

So, this is it, my beloved blogging friends.    Plan this shower for me!!   

 

30 comments:

  1. A few games are generally expected with the winner receiving gifts. One that is fairly standard is guessing the size of mommy's tummy. Everyone looks her over real well. She usually does several turns like a Runway Model so that the entire room can see her from every angle and then you start passing around measuring tapes. If you have several cloth tapes, this will go faster. It is funny. Everyone is wrapping them around themselves and comparing themselves to the One With Child to try and guess the most accurate measurement. Whoever is closest wins. Ta Da.

    If they know the baby's name, you can play a word scramble. This is for all of the brainy guests. Everyone writes the name at the top of a sheet of paper. First Middle Last. Then you give everyone something like 5 minutes to come up with as many words out of that name as they can. It is your own variation of the game Boggle. The person with the most words wins and gets a lovely gifts. Ta Da.

    Finger foods go over well combined with small sandwiches (if you so desire) because they are also an excellent finger food. And, of course, everyone expects CAKE.

    Hope that helps. Just decide to have fun and you will:)

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    1. Cake. Okay, got it. I like the name game. My daughter-in-law is kind of shy and I'm not sure how she'd like the measuring one, but you never know! Thanks, Robin!

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  2. I wish I could help, but I didn't have baby showers. (My husband had one, but that's another story...)

    Good luck!

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  3. The first thing I thought of is Bingo. Have people write down baby items on the card and check things off as she opens gifts. The first to get Bingo wins. That could be done with X, outside ring of squares, full card, etc.

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  4. First begin by having everyone introduce themselves. A few games to start, with small prizes for the winner. Open gifts and then refreshments. You can find all sorts of games and ideas on the internet.

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  5. I hate showers too. I've only been to one very small baby shower back in CA and I actually won a prize with one of the games. You put a bunch of small baby stuff on a tray - pacifier, onesie, plastic keys, diaper, etc. - a whole bunch of them. You keep it covered, then let the guests look at the stuff for 30 seconds, recover it and the person that remembers the most items, wins. My friend Liz just threw a baby shower and her daughter baked cupcakes which were a hit. You can also check Pinterest for ideas.

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    1. I hadn't thought of cupcakes - - good idea! And so is Pinterest . . .thanks!

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  6. Oooo! Your shower will be so fun. I've been to many and just had two thrown for me. I'm not usually a big fan of showers and definitely don't like being the center of attention but both my showers were so fun. A few game ideas:

    Melt candy bars inside diapers and have each guest write down her guess for what type of candy it is. You can combine this with cooking spices. It is pretty hilarious to watch everyone's face when they are looking at/smelling/ even tasting the diaper's contents.

    Cover the labels on a few flavors of baby food and have each guest write down her guess of which flavor is which. It's extra fun when you tell guests to open the bottles and smell and taste the contents while guessing.

    Gift Bingo - as mentioned above - is always a hit!

    If it's a small shower, I've heard of having guests make a customized onsie for baby. All you would need is a few white onsies and some fabric markers or even patterned fabric, some iron on backing, and an iron or two.

    Hope these help! I have lots of other game ideas if you want more. Tell J. hi for me!! So excited to see Baby Limburg!!!

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    1. Erin, that diaper game is gross enough that it should be a lot of fun! haha. I had already decided on the baby food game. Don't tell anyone, but I LOVE Gerbers peaches! And I was debating on the bingo, but think we may do that one as well!

      Your time is growing short! I love baby boys! We have about six preggos in our ward, and all of them except Janelle are having boys :) Can't wait to hold our baby girl!!

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  7. I was going to mention the name game too. I went to one shower where you had to guess the types of baby food. The labels were taken off and we had to guess. The one with the most right got a prize.
    Snack foods like chips and dips are good.
    Now I see you mentioned doing the baby food game.
    I have heard of casserole showers. Instead of traditional gifts, everyone brings a casserole for the mom to just heat up when she gets home from the hospital.

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  8. can not be of much help to you although I did go to one in the states once, long time ago.. I hope you do better bc I can not even remember what happened.. all I remember is that I felt totally out of place.
    good luck !

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  9. I LOATHE shower games!! Skip 'em and chat instead, that's wayyyy more fun. Also, cupcakes are a nice alternative to cake and easier to decorate...or you could just have Frosted cater! ;)

    xoxo

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    1. No way, Lisa - you loathe shower games?!! I would have been shocked if you had said anything different :)

      I loved Frosted orangesicle cupcakes!

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    2. Oh, and by the way, never in a zillion years would I pay $90 for 3 dozen cupcakes!

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  10. oh, don't get me started! I love showering a new baby and parents with gifts - got no problem with that! But games? decorations? no no no -- okay, some pretty flowers and maybe some pretty cups and plates - that's lovely for decorations. NO games, please! Can't we just visit with each other? If I don't know the other guests I'm fine with that because one way or another we all know the new baby. Once the guests have all arrived, going around with just some quick introductions - that's a great idea - but beyond that? I'm with Lisa above - can't we just chat?
    Keep food simple! If you plan a mid afternoon sort of event, you can have some crackers, cheese, fruit plate - maybe some veggies and dip -- if you want more of a lunchtime thing - hey! Pizza is always good in my book. And, yes, a cake or cupcakes - great idea - have the nibblies out , let people mingle, have some drinks around (maybe some wine and some juices , soda sort of thing - not a million choices but a few) -- open presents - fun part - and then have cake -- party planned! and, you know darn well, I do not like parties (but I do like celebrating babies and the hope that represents).

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  11. If you get enough people drunk you won't have to worry about games Judy! ;)

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    1. lol - you know me so well!! can you get drunk on sprite and oj??

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  12. Um.. No but that sounds surprisingly refreshing right now! :)

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  13. It was my daughter who said,"Absolutely no dumb games!" for her bridal shower. I was SOOOO thankful. Sounds like you have gotten a lot of ideas here. I have no suggestions and cannot wait to hear how it goes. But mostly I send blessings for that new baby! Congratulations.

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  14. I hate hate hate showers (and just had a bridal one this weekend). I have developed a fondness for the new trend in "display" showers (nobody wraps gifts, you just stick a card and people can peruse the gift table). Saves time oohing & ahhing over bottles & diaper genies. Congrats on the impending addition! xoxo The Grinch

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  15. If the shower isn't a surprise, then choose the games you'd be willing to do, ask your daughter-in-law which ones she'd like, and decide on no more than three of them. Do you know if the baby is a boy or girl? Will the shower be after the baby is born? I helped with a shower before the baby was born and the parents wanted to wait to know the sex of the baby. It was hard to plan and for people to buy for. Anyway cupcakes and punch and water is fine. Party favors are optional. Here, people just want a reason to get together and visit and eat some kind of goody.

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  16. http://kathrynvercillo.hubpages.com/hub/10-Easy-and-Fun-Baby-Shower-Games
    http://pisforparty.blogspot.com/2011/03/real-parties-pop-baby-shower.html
    http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2012/04/shes-ready-to-pop-baby-shower.html
    http://andeverythingsweet.blogspot.com/2010/07/another-packaging-idea.html
    http://blog.hwtm.com/2010/02/real-parties-oh-how-tweet-baby-shower-part-2-menu-favors-more/

    I like the wishing tree idea in the last link.

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