When you’re expecting a winter bundle of joy, the options for a shower are endless. Regardless of your climate, you can create a winter wonderland for your favorite Mom-to-be. Lets take a look at a couple different options for a winter baby shower.
Ice Ice Baby
Whether you are a fan of 80’s music, or you have a parent who’s a hockey fan, think about a hockey or an ice-themed baby shower. This can be a great option for a couple’s shower, especially if it’s during the NHL season.
Choose an invitation that features the parent’s favorite team. Announce that a new team is being formed with a “new bruiser” on the way. While you are ordering your invitations, go ahead and order thank you notes that match. Then, while you are addressing the invites, go ahead prepare the thank you notes. During the shower, write each gift and the giver on a separate sticky note, and stick it to the appropriate stamped and addressed thank you notes. When you hand the stack over to the parents, you will have saved them hours of work.
Decorate with pennants, flags and other teach gear. If you can find them, hang baby-sized gear from a line ready to go home for the new baby. Serve Hockey-friendly food to play along with the theme. That means pizza, pretzels and dip, chili and other stadium fare. If you serve beer, make sure that you offer alcohol free to the Mom-to-be.
There are plenty of fun games to play with an ice theme. Before the party, freeze a tiny plastic baby in an ice cube for each of the guests. As they get there, place a baby-cube in their drink and see who will free their baby first.
Winter Wonderland
Looking for a classic shower theme, consider a winter wonderland. This frosty, sparkling theme can work equally well for a Mom shower or a Mom and Dad shower. Choose invitations and thank you notes that feature a glittering snowscape. Silver or clear glitter adds that frosty touch. Look for phrases such as “A new snowflake is on the way!” or “It’s cold outside, so let’s warm (Mom’s name) with a shower!”
Decorations can be as simple as dead branches dipped in clear or silver glitter and standing in tall vases. You might also hang paper or lace snowflakes from the ceiling and walls. Sparkly warm weather gear for baby such as a bunting, warm booties and bonnets can make a great banner when pinned to a silvered rope strung across the room. Then these items can go home with the Mama to keep baby toasty.
Think cold weather food for the shower: steaming mugs of hot cocoa or spiced cider, decorated sugar cookies and warm blueberry muffins. But you can also turn other fun foods into special winter treats. Simply dip pretzel rods into white chocolate and then roll them in pink or blue glitter sprinkles. You can also glam up simple large marshmallows by dipping them in caramel and chocolate and dusting them with sugar crystals. If you are having a brunch, why not make snowflake shaped Belgian waffles sprinkled with powdered sugar?
To help out the Mom-to-be, why not provide each mom in attendance with a pre-cut snowflake. Ask her to write her very best piece of parenting advice on the snowflake, then put it in a box for the guest of honor to read later. This Flurry of advice will warm any new mother’s heart.
Cozy Snow Babies
Nothing says winter like a roaring fire in a country cabin. Consider a natural theme for a winter baby shower. This can be a great way to put your guests at ease the moment they walk into the party.
Start with simple invitation. Look for card stock with a natural feel such a craft paper or heavy bond with dried petals embedded in the paper. Another option is to look for a lumberjack plaid paper and encourage your guest to wear their finest flannel. In addition to the information about the shower such as when and where, add simple message of love, or even add a hearty recipe for apple pie or a savory soup.
To decorate your party area, choose simple decorations. Burlap and calico ribbons can add some festive color to the area. If you want to scatter “wooden” signs about the party, simply cut the signs out of foam core board and rub brown shoe polish on the paper to create a “wooden” pattern. Then letter the signs such as “Baby X-ing” or “Chow Bunk this way.” If you know the baby’s name, try spelling it out with wrapped letters. Take plastic, or Paper Mache’ letters and wrap them tightly with brown twine. Then string them on a pink or blue calico ribbon.
There are lots of fun games you can play that go well with a rustic theme. Try printing any writing shower games on brown craft paper. Another fun activity to remind your new Mom of the shower is to have guests sign diapers. Simply put out a stack of diapers with indelible markers and encourage guests to leave the new mom a late-night message to cheer her up when her little bundle of joy interrupts her sleep. The notes can be silly or sweet.
This is a party that you want to serve hearty fare, soups, rustic breads and roasted veggies. IF you’re offering a sweeter menu, think about the country in the winter. Offer “snowballs” by making truffles out of white chocolate and rolling them in coconut. Chocolate dipped pretzels are always a hit, especially when you drizzle the pieces in pink or blue candy melt. Finally, you can set the table with place cards made of edible snowmen. Simply glue together a giant, a large and a regular sized marshmallow with white candy melts. Add buttons made of cinnamon hearts and coal eyes with a dab of black icing. Add a candy carrot nose and a card with your guest’s name and you have a lovely place card.