You've Come a Long Way Baby: Modern Baby Shower Ideas

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Celebrate baby, mom, and dad with these modern baby shower ideas.

Author: Elizabeth Barboza

Have you attended or hosted a modern baby shower?  A lot's changed!  Back in the dark ages of the 1990’s, a baby shower was a very different kind of occasion.  They were, well, a bit “blah” in the originality department.  If you were a hostess, you’d basically head down to the big-box party store for any and all inspiration.  You’d walk the baby shower aisle, perusing the myriad of matching party décor sets and choose one that was either way too cute to pass up or one that was priced right.  From this choice, all remaining party decisions would be made.  Essentially the plates and crepe paper streamers would direct the party’s theme and mood.

This is not the same as it is these days.  Modern baby showers are personable, detailed and gracious, as well as showcases of extreme creativity.  Gone are the bubble gum pink and sky blue teddy bears.  So long to the explosion of rattles in sunny yellow and mint green.  See ya, menagerie of pastel zoo animals.  Hello clear, bold colors.  Greetings non-traditional décor and themes.  Howdy men.

Modern Baby Shower Inspiration:

• Hostesses are looking to the mommy-to-be’s interests and hobbies for their party planning inspiration.
• Even baby’s nursery decor can pop up in the shower’s implementation.
• It’s all about personal touches and memorable details.
• Let’s say mom-to-be was born and bred in Texas and baby's room is decked in western cowboy decor. The shower hostess could use that affection as the jumping off point for all party planning decisions.  Maybe even incorporate the famous song lyrics about stars being big and bright in Texas.
  
  
  

Modern Baby Shower Prep:

• Printables are all the rage right now in the party world.
• Hostesses are designing “brands” or “logos” and using them on everything; from invitations to straw sliders, from cupcake toppers to water bottle covers, from food labels to frosted cookies.
• While the initial time investment to create the “brand” may be substantial, once the hostess has it ready, the application to all things party related is endless.

Modern Baby Shower Décor:

• Decorations have become an eclectic mix of found and handmade pieces.
• Streamers and pop-up honeycomb centerpieces are gone.
• Nowadays, hostesses are filling mantles and tablescapes with items from around their homes and home décor shops that convey the party theme or over all color scheme.
• There is almost an atmosphere of objects being merchandised as a means to create inspiring and memorable vignettes.
  
  
• Our Texas star hostess could gather metal and ceramic stars then group them on a mantle.
  
• Star shaped serving ware and red, yellow and blue linens could grace the food tables and additional tabletops around the venue could showcase more star shaped objects, coupled with smaller floral arrangements and framed printed blocks of the party “brand”.
• A star themed garland, spelling out the child’s name, could be the perfect personals wall décor to spruce up the room!
  
  
  

Modern Baby Shower Guest Books:

• Guest books no longer have to be bound or be just about documenting attendance.
• Guests these days are asked to add wishes to a decorated tree, or to tuck notes of advice into bird cages and even to sign large wooden blocks that will later adorn the baby’s nursery shelves.
• Think off-the-page.  For instance, the Texas star hostess could use a large metal star for guests to sign.  Attendees would pen their name and well wishes with a paint pen, then the star could be hung in the baby’s room.  What a sweet reminder of support for the new mommy to see when she is up for the second or third time during the night to calm baby.

Modern Baby Shower Entertainment:

• One word.  Men.  Shower hostesses are including the men more. 
  
• The dads-to-be and their buddies are joining the ladies in celebrating the upcoming birth. 
  
• Their presence does require a few changes to the traditional shower plan … namely to the food and games.
  
• Shower food can no longer be dainty and light.  It must have impact and heft.  Crust-less chicken salad sandwiches are gone, making room for stacked turkey-ham-bacon clubs.
  
• That means the Texas star hostess should bring on the bar-b-qued ribs, laden with homemade sauce.  Or use bottles of her favorite store bought brand and give them away as a memorable parting gift!
  
  
  

• Games should also have a makeover if the men are invited.  They should be more neutral and competitive, less about labor and delivery words and catching people crossing their legs.
  
• The following three examples would be fun for all.

1. Shower Gift Bingo: Guests fill in a bingo grid with possible gifts the new parents will receive and as they open the gifts, the grid holder blacks the corresponding square out.  The first person to get bingo wins.
2. The Newly Parent Game: Have the parents-to-be sit back to back with dry erase boards on their laps. Ask a parenting related question and have them write their answer down.  Hopefully their answers match.  Try questions like, who is more likely to sleep through a crying baby? Who will be the stricter parent? What will the baby’s first word be? When will the baby start to walk?  If the dad-to-be is clueless about baby development, his answers to questions related to that topic should prove to be very entertaining.
3. Guess the Baby Picture: Have guests bring a baby picture of themselves. Assign each photo a number and display them throughout the venue.  Have guests write guesses down and whoever has the most correct wins.

Modern Baby Shower Thank You Gifts:
The modern hostess is gracious.  Every guest leaves with a token of appreciation for coming to the shower and supporting the mommy-to-be.

• Gifts usually follow the party’s theme and are a lovely reminder of the time spent with family and friends.
• Bagged flavored popcorn for a “She’s About to Pop” theme is a cute idea. 
  
• Or how about sending guests away with seed packets tucked into a small ceramic pot after a garden inspired party.
  
• Homemade bar-b-que sauce in mason jars would be a great gift for the Texas star shower.  If homemade sauce is not an option, find a store bought kind that is either Texas made or has some baby reference to it.
• Gifts do not have to be expensive or elaborate.  Just tied to the theme or mood of the shower itself and, for the greatest impact, it should hopefully be useful.