WHO'S PREGNANT? IT'S PARTY TIME

A baby shower is one of the most memorable experiences of a woman's life, especially if she is having her first child. It's an event where whoever plans it gathers all her friends and family together for what may be the last time before she gives birth.

If you are the one planning the baby shower there are many things you can do to make it special for the mom-to-be and the guests. You will be rewarded for your time and effort with a day filled with love and happiness for all.

Here are some tips that are guaranteed to pull at everyone's heartstrings and make the day unforgettable.

One problem with baby showers is that some guests may not know each other. This can cause people to segregate into small groups instead of miingling. It can be hard to get activities started when your guests aren't being social, so you need to do your best to make sure this doesn't happen.

Before the great event, make up some name badges for each guest. Write their first name and their relationship to the mom-to-be. This will really help people start conversations with each other.

A fabulous way to start the festivities is to dedicate a poem to the mom-to-be. There are places on the internet where you can order a custom-written poem for anyone you please. Be sure to pick the best reader at the party, someone who is not afraid to get up in front of a group, to read it. This willl set a wonderful, sentimental tone for the entire event. A poem written just for the the mom-to-be is a gift she will love and cherish forever. In fact you can order the invitations in rhyme also!

So now that you have everybody talking, laughing and getting along marvelously, you should think about serving food and drinks. The best baby showers are the ones that have healthy, delicious and natural food. Women these days love anything that is tasty and good for them. This way you won't have all the guests whining about how fattening every bite will be. Another bonus is that healthy recipes are usually fairly cheap and easy to prepare and also look decorative and delectable.

Depending on the dynamics of the group you are expecting and the number of people attending, you may choose to play some games. One nice activity you can include is to have a card for each person to write a message on for the mom-to-be. Whether they are a guest who has had a child and has advice or someone who is yet to experience it but has words of encouragement, the words will be appreciated. The cards can all be put together and tied with a ribbon, forming a pack for the mom-to-be to read any time she likes.

You could also ask each guest to bring along a photo of themselves as a child and everyone can try to guess who's who. This is sure to get everyone laughing and having a great time.

Yet another idea is to have each guest bring a small crystal stone that can be put into a lucky bag. Every crystal has a different purpose or meaning, so each person can buy a stone to represent what she wants to give the mom-to-be for the journey into motherhood. An example may be "I am giving you rose quartz, which is for your heart, to help you maintain a loving state when your child throws a tantrum at the mall." The stones go into the special bag like lucky charms.. Whether you believe in the healing properties of crystals or not doesn't matter. It's the thought that counts and stones are decorative, pretty and inexpensive.

Have a sheet of paper on which each guest can write their name, address, email and phone number before they leave so you can send them some photos. You should also give the list to the mom-to-be so she can more easily send thank you cards to everyone for the gifts she receives.

Needless to say, someone has to be assigned to be the "secretary" during the opening of the gifts, writing down what each person gave so the mom-to-be can refer to the gift in her thank you note.

Even moms-to-be who already have children love a celebration to signify the individual births of each baby, so don't presume it's no big deal to them. Planning a baby shower means you are responsible for making the day memorable and special for everyone.

Copyright (c) 2007 Dee Smith Articles

Successful baby shower secrets revealed.

Dee Smith invites you to learn more about giving a great party. http://www.rhymeshop.com

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