Winter is a time for snuggling by the fire. For many parents, it also means snuggling a new little life. Even when a baby is due in the spring, winter can be a wonderful time to throw a baby shower. Often, people have more time off work and school during winter holidays, allowing a more varied guest list. Additionally, many homes are already decorated. Trees, stars, and candles make lovely backdrops to a winter-themed baby shower. Let’s look at a few ideas.
Guests
One of the best reasons to have a winter baby shower is guests. Often family and friends travel long distances to be “home for the holidays." This means that college roommates, high school friends and cousins that may have moved halfway around the world have a greater chance of being available to celebrate the new baby. Get a list of hoped-for guests from the mom-to-be. Even if some of her long-distance friends or family can’t make it to the shower, they can still participate with an online.
Themes
Winter showers lend themselves so well to so many themes. Of course, there is the ever present “New Year’s Baby" in his top hat and sash. Christmas Carols sing about babes born in winter. The radio is full of “Baby It’s Cold Outside," or “Santa Baby." If you are less inclined to top forty, then just look around. Snowflakes and frost make a lovely shower backdrop with glittery decorations and sugary snacks.
Invitations
There are two ways to invite guests to your shower. You can choose paper invitations and mail them to each guest. Or, you can go digital and send out Evites. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. There are dozens of lovely paper invitations that are simple to fill out. If you prefer custom printed invitations, there are plenty of designs available to choose from. Both options also give you the opportunity to include printed thank you notes for the mom-to-be. While you are hand addressing the invitations, address envelopes for the matching “thank you" cards. Then put them aside with a pad of sticky notes for the party. But, paper invitations can be expensive. Plus, you have the added expense of postage for the invitations, the RSVP’s and the “thank you" notes. Add to that the hours needed to address all of the envelopes and you have a major investment in both time and money.
A greener alternative is using evites. You can choose from a wide range of pre-designed digital images, or create your own. Sending the invitation is as easy as adding each guest’s email address. There is no postage and checking the RSVP can be done anywhere you have access to your email. There are even services that can help you keep track of guests and send reminders just before the party. In many ways, it seems ideal. But, it means that, unless you print off the digital image, there is no invitation to add to the baby’s album. Plus, evites can easily get lost in the pile of email most people get every day.
Gifts
Especially if your guests live far away, it is important to use a digital gift registry. It helps in several ways. First of all, it gives everyone access to what the Mom and baby really want and need. It also prevents guests from giving duplicate gifts that put Mom in an awkward position. After all, if you get five baby swings who’s do you keep? Great Aunt Martha’s or the one from your college roommate? Using an independent online registry allows Mom to shop across brands and stores and gives the guests just one place to look for gifts.
Winter newborns have different needs than summer babies. Be sure that the gift registry includes items for the colder months, especially if the baby is born into a frigid environment. While there are some adorable newborn winter coats , they aren’t very practical. Until you have tried to thread a screaming, newborn baby’s arm through all that fleece-lined puffy down, you have no idea how bad things can be. Instead, consider a breathable car seat covers designed keep newborns warm without the drama. Also, newborns use blankets as a place to play while on the floor. They are a choking hazard in cribs. Newborn sleep sacks are an easy way to keep the baby warm and still give the baby room to kick and move.
Decorations
For a winter themed baby shower, there are several ways to go. You can create a glitter-filled icy wonderland, or you can go with a homey, rustic look. Both looks have a plethora of options available including snowflake cake toppers and backdrops to rustic banners and straws. With either theme, consider building a “diaper snowman" by creating concentric sized “cakes" of diapers and stacking them on a cake round. Decorate with a baby hat, mitts and socks and you have an adorable centerpiece that will come in handy once the baby is born.
Food
Keep with the cold weather theme in one of two ways. You can keep your guests warm inside and out with hearty dishes such as a warm apple torte or baked pears. Or you can go glittery with strawberries dipped in white chocolate and rolled in glitter sugar. Or offer pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate and rolled in pink or blue sugar depending on the gender of the baby.
Weather
One of the trickiest parts of planning a winter baby shower is the weather. So, make sure that you plan as much as you can. Round up friends or family that will plow or shovel any snow from walkways or the driveway. Scatter salt or sand on any place that even looks as though it might become slick with ice or snow. Even so, make sure that the Mom-to-be has door to door service. The last thing anyone wants is for a pregnant mother to slip on an icy patch and go into early labor.