Many baby showers are held at someone’s home. This could be the home of the mother of the guest of honor or her mother in law. Proud Grammas to be often want to host a shower and will offer their houses. That’s one place to start.

If you don’t have the room at your own home, consider having it out at a local coffee house or tea room. A coffeehouse is a great atmosphere because it’s casual and low key and you can often make yourselves comfortable in a small section of the room. You won’t have catered fare, but if you want to have coffee and pastries without having to pay a rental fee or serve an expensive restaurant meal, this may be the place for you. Just be sure to check it out with the coffee house’s manager. You may even find they’ll make you a special dessert or throw in a little something extra for you.

A tea house is ideal if you can find one. They are rare in some areas and plentiful in others. If you are fortunate enough to live near one, set up your date and you practically have the whole party done for you. The atmosphere at a tea house is cozy and the food is bite sized. Depending on the tea house, you can also order more of a family style lunch or bigger sandwiches. They may even have a full menu you can choose from with heartier fare, but most ladies enjoy sipping tea with small cakes and finger sandwiches. Center your baby shower theme around whatever you are having there to work with.

If none of these options work for you, check out a local community center or historical site. Community centers are there for you, the community, to use. Many charge nothing or just a nominal donation fee. Many historical museums have rooms for the public to use. Aquariums and zoos do as well. You can set everything up and then enjoy the museum or aquatic or animal life too.

Many other venues exist that don’t charge a high fee, if anything at all. Having a baby shower at a restaurant during a non-busy time can almost ensure you the place to yourselves. Have it on a Wednesday afternoon or on a Friday at 11:00. If guests can’t take the time off, choose a weekday time right after work when the restaurant will still be less crowded rather than a Saturday or Sunday.

There’s no limit to the ideas you can come up with when you really start thinking. Don’t forget about beach side clambakes or outdoor parks if your climate allows for it. Set up the feast on picnic tables and play Frisbee and bring all the kids. Don't forget the baby shower favors! It can be a fun day that includes everyone.

For other ideas, ask recent moms at the park or playground where their baby showers were held. You may just hear of a place you never knew existed. It’s worth it to ask for word of mouth recommendations. You never know what may turn up.

Related Articles:

• How To Plan A Co-ed or Couples Baby Shower
• Fun Baby Shower Decoration Ideas
• Cheap Baby Shower Games

• Dig into a diaper cake.  It’s cuter than it sounds.  Instead of flour and sugar, this cake is made from rolled up diapers (cloth is excellent, but disposable works too). These are formed into tiers, and then adorned with baby care items, such as small toys, pacifiers, bibs, bottles, socks, hats, mitts, and more.  You can find instructions all over the internet to help you make the diaper cake.  The best part is that it is easy and practical.  Mom can use everything on the cake.  And no calories either.
• Along similar lines, you could make a baby sock rose bouquet.  Again, you can find the easy instructions online, but really, it is very similar to just folding socks as you would after doing laundry.  You place them on floral wire, and wind green floral tape around the wire to make it look like a stem.  You can place these in a bouquet with other flowers for a very cute, usable, centerpiece.
• String a clothesline across the room where you wish the focal point to be.  From here, hang little onesies, shirts, dresses, pajamas, hats, and other baby clothing with wooden clothespins.  Use diapers to spell out “Baby Shower,” “Baby,” or the baby’s name if possible, and hang these in the center or in an alternating pattern with the clothes.
• Find a small galvanized steel tub, which are available at Amazon and other vendors, and fill it about one-third to half full with water.  Add cute rubber duckies, and maybe a pink, blue, yellow, or light green ribbon around the tub, and you have a very simple, thoroughly adorable, centerpiece.  And mom can use the duckies again.

So far, these have all been budget-friendly, usable baby shower centerpiece ideas.  These are great for practical moms, as well as those who haven’t had time to shop yet!  But if the mother whom you are honoring already has most of her essentials, it is time to move away from the practical.  And what better place to move on to than food?

An edible flower cookie bouquet is a gorgeous – and delicious – centerpiece.  You can order one or you can make your own using pineapple, grapes, strawberries, and melon.  Add some chocolate, and you have a stunning centerpiece that will be a huge hit with all of the guests.

Even if mom is watching what she eats, every woman needs to indulge every once in a while, and what better time than at her baby shower?  If you want to win her heart, get a chocolate fountain.  These make incredible centerpieces because not only do they offer warm, flowing chocolate, they are actually very attractive.  You can make the presentation even prettier by arranging strawberries, cherries, pretzels, marshmallows, pineapple, biscotti, cake squares, and other goodies around the fountain.  You can purchase a fountain or rent one.

The centerpiece can set the tone for the baby shower.  Know what the guest of honor likes and you'll make the perfect decision every time.

Related Articles:

1. Personalized Baby Shower Favor Ideas
2. Bottle Themed Baby Shower
3. Baby Showers A-Z

First off, have pumpkins galore. You can bring in little pumpkin gourds and set them at everyone’s place or make a cornucopia of pumpkins, gourds, and dried corn. To make it baby-themed, place it all in a baby doll carriage or a toy wooden crib as the centerpiece.

Decorate little pumpkins with baby bonnets. Get a bunch of bonnets either as doll clothes or for real babies. You can find these cheaply at discount stores or thrift stores. Place them on top of pumpkins and decorate with baby faces. You can do this with markers or paint.

Another idea is to send out baby shower invitations that have a pumpkin theme. You can make adorable pumpkins out of orange felt and print out your details on the back using computer paper. You can write the theme, “Help welcome Jane’s little pumpkin” or something like that.

Ask everyone to bring a pumpkin themed food for the little pumpkin-to-be. You can have guests bring pumpkin pie, little pumpkin muffins, or decorated cupcakes that look like pumpkins. If you’d rather handle all the food yourself, ask everyone to bring baby food jars of orange foods like carrots and squash. They’ll look cute all stacked together in a big plastic pumpkin.

You can get as spooky or as cute as you want with this theme. You can go with spiders and witches and ghoulish foods, or you can just use Halloween as a jumping off point for color schemes and ideas.

Go with pumpkin orange and black streamers and table toppers and then decide how funky you want to get with the rest of the décor. You can do a cauldron with punch in it and fun “baby finger” appetizers made of bread dough.

Really, the Halloween theme can be anything you would like it to be. You can create a baby shower towel cake with all orange towels tied with black ribbon. You can burn harvest candles and have cinnamon cider mulling.

For baby shower favors, you could do little scented pumpkin candles, lotions, or soaps. You could also bake each guest a plate of pumpkin muffins or bread.

You can sit around telling “scary” baby stories…like how mom will be up all night, never get a chance to shower, and never be able to just run into the grocery store alone again. Ask seasoned mothers to come up with advice to combat these “terrifying” things. It will be really fun and amusing.

Everyone can also come in costume and that will add to the merriment. If you’re having your shower on Halloween, it’s even more fun. If you want, you can hand out masks or costume hats when guests arrive if you don’t want to ask them to invest in their own costumes. Or ask everyone to dress up as a pregnant woman just for fun. It will add to the levity of the festivities.

Make your Halloween shower a day to remember for the mom-to-be by adding lovely touches she won’t soon be likely to forget.

Want more? Try this article for more Halloween Baby Shower Ideas.

First, think about a theme. Then you can collect everything you need based on that theme. Some good ones are rubber duckies, Pooh, Hello Kitty, baby dolls, teddy bears, bunnies, monkeys, zoo animals, Mickey and Minnie, all rattles, trains, cars, puppies, and kittens. Think up your own theme and then plan to get ribbon and toys to coordinate with it. If there are twins coming, why not do two of everything on the wreath? It will look darling.

Here’s what you’ll need to complete one wreath:

• About 20 disposable diapers. You can use cloth diapers but it really is easiest to make this wreath with disposables. The folds in them are easy to maneuver and secure.
• A wire wreath form. You can find them at the craft or hobby store. An 18” frame works best but you can go smaller or larger if you like.
• Ribbon in the color of the baby shower’s theme. Or choose any happy baby friendly color and style. Just make sure the ribbon is sturdy.
• Toys such as rubber duckies, pacifiers, and rattles. You can also use small bottles of baby lotion or powder.
• One bigger toy to serve as the top decoration on the wreath.
• One big bow

To assemble the wreath, clear a space and lay the wreath form down on a table. Take a diaper and place it over the wreath form with the tab sides facing down. Secure it with a small length of ribbon around the middle. Do this for all the rest of the diapers around the form. Every bit of the form should be covered by diapers, so if you find you have gaps add a few more diapers.

Next, add the embellishments. Tie on the toys so that they are evenly spaced around the wreath. Use ribbon to secure them. Add the bow to either the top or the bottom of the wreath. Secure it using either a twist tie or a length of ribbon.

For the final touch, add the large toy. This will be the focal point of the wreath. Secure it to the wreath with ribbon. Stuffed toys and other cute animals look nice to complete the wreath.

The beauty of this gift is that the new mom can really use it. Every time she reaches for one of the diapers, she’ll thank you all over again. New moms go through at least seven or eight diapers a day, so don’t worry if someone else brings a diaper wreath to the shower too. It will definitely be appreciated. To really top it off, bring a baby diaper cake as well!

Diaper wreaths are perfect to bring to the hospital when visiting baby for the first time. They also make nice hanging decorations for the baby shower. Or, the new mom can hang it on her door as a nursery decoration.

Related Articles:

Personalized Baby Shower Favor Ideas

Baby Shower Diaper Cakes - A Gift And Centerpiece All Rolled Into One!

There are boutonnieres that you can make for dad that will match the mom's corsage:  the baby sock flower works well here, as does a simple boutonniere made from a single flower, such as a lily.  A single stem with an elegant green leaf very elegant as well.  While in keeping with the baby theme, they are not so girly that he will feel uncomfortable!

For the baby sock boutonniere, you will need:

• A pair of baby socks. White is great, as is pink or blue
• Cloth-covered floral wire
• Green floral tape
• Small artificial flowers (silk is a good choice)
• Hot glue gun
• Large safety pin or diaper pin

Lay the socks perfectly flat and begin rolling firmly from the toe.  When you get to the leg part of the sock, unfurl the top and fold it over the body of the “rose.”  Use a length of your floral wire and bend it in half.  Twist the ends together, while leaving the closed end in a U shape.  Push the closed end into the socks.  With floral tape, wrap the steam and the bottom third of the sock rose.  Arrange the artificial flowers around the rose and hot glue the boutonniere onto a safety or diaper pin.

If you have a baby shower theme – such as garden, teddy bears, zoo animals, or something of the like – you can find a simple pin for dad that matches the theme.  Wearing a cute elephant or bumblebee pin isn't so bad!  And he can pin it on the diaper bag when the shower is over.

You can find sites that make lapel ribbons (such as those that are worn by those supporting a particular cause).  You can find these in baby blue, pink, mint green, lilac, and other baby colors, and you can choose to have them printed.  You can write the date of the shower, the parents' names, and/or the baby's name or a cute message for the family.  Men can wear these on their lapels or pockets, and it gives them a nice – and not too feminine – reminder of his child's shower.  These typically cost less than $1 each and will also make nice favors for the guests.

Another idea is to find a large safety pin or diaper pink and affix a ribbon to it – similar to those that children win at science fairs and the link. Write “Dad” or a cute saying on the ribbon with a gold fabric pen, and pin it on dad. It is completely simple – so simple, he won't mind a bit.  Another idea is to make or buy a miniature fabric tie and hot glue it to a safety pin. Use blue fabric for a boy and pink for a girl.  Again, you could use a fabric pen to write “Daddy.”

You could also help dad embrace the silly fun that is a baby shower.  Get him a “manly” baby toy that is designed to hang on a car seat or stroller.  Infantino's Dice, Dice Baby includes two fuzzy, multi-colored, multi-textural dice tied to a loop.  You can simply slip a safety pin through the loop and pin to dad's shirt.  The baby can use them, and who doesn't like fuzzy dice?

Many men still feel like they are invading when it comes to baby showers, so go easy on them.  If they aren't up to a ribbon and rattle boutonniere, be kind and give them a simple ribbon printed with their child's name on it or a cute lion button.  If they're willing, though, go all out and get out the curling ribbon and your imagination.

More Baby Shower Ideas:

• How To Plan A Co-ed or Couples Baby Shower
• Personalized Baby Shower Favor Ideas
• Baby Shower Theme Ideas

Whether the guest of honor is traditional and formal or silly and fun, you can find the right corsage to make her shower an occasion to remember.  You can buy a corsage at any florist, but making your own is a very personal way to celebrate the expectant mother.  It is also an excellent way to make the most of your baby shower budget, or lack thereof!

• The classic, elegant mom will love a simple flower corsage.  This is great for those moms who don't want to play baby name games or give out baby shower favors – or for those who just love simplicity.  To make, get a large white lily or calla lily and some baby ivy or baby's breath. You will also need a length of ribbon (pink or blue is great, as is the mother's favorite color), florist's wire, and a pin.  Cut the lily's stem to about 2 inches and twine the ivy or baby's breath with the lily using the wire.  Tie with a bow, and then pin on mom's shirt.  It is very, very easy to make and simply gorgeous.  Remember to keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Roses are another great flower to use, or you could opt for mom's favorite flower and get creative.
• There are also fun and practical corsages that you can make easily, such as the rattle corsage.  You will need a rattle with loops (pacifiers with loops and virtually any toy made to hang from car seats or strollers will work beautifully), curling ribbon, large diaper pin or safety pin, scissors, real or fake flowers, and green floral tape.  Cut your flowers to about 3-4 inches and use floral tape to bind the stems together.  Tape this onto the side of the pin that does not open, and adorn on either side with curling ribbon.  Attach looped pacifiers to the ribbons, and voila! A cute corsage for mom.  And it has the added benefit of being usable: she simply has to take off the rattle, pacifier, or toys off the ribbon, and they're ready for baby.

• You can also make a baby sock corsage that will appeal to elegant mom, practical mom, and silly mom. Choose a few pairs of nylon baby socks with ruffles: pink or blue work well, or you could always go with classic yellow or green.  Turn the socks inside out and start rolling the sock from the toe.  If you do this at an angle, you will have a flower bud shape.  Turn the ruffled part over the roll; this will form the petals.  Use a large safety pin or diaper pin to secure it and pin it to the guest of honor.  You can also add a ribbon to the bottom of the sock bud above the pin for a nice decorative effect.

You can make a bouquet of these baby sock flowers and make the “stems” from floral wire and green floral tape.  Put these in a vase as a centerpiece, and after, mom can use the socks for baby.

Most moms will appreciate these useful corsages, but if you just want to indulge mom for a day, opt for a gorgeous, fragrant flower to make her feel like queen for a day.

More DIY Baby Shower Tips:

1. Top Ten Baby Gift Ideas
2. Theme Baby Shower Cakes
3. Cheap Baby Shower Games

You can have themed food – like Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes for a twin baby shower – but here are some old favorites:

Snacks and Appetizers

Who needs a meal when they have a variety of great appetizers on which to nibble.  Fruits, veggies with dips, olives, cheese and crackers, meat and cheese trays, deviled eggs, and finger sandwiches are always a great choice, and you can easily accommodate for a wide range of tastes.

A fruit pizza is an excellent, beautiful, and unique idea.

You will need:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• ¾ cup of water
• 1 cup of  orange juice
• ¼ cup of lemon juice.

Instructions:

Mix these ingredients together to make your “sauce.”  Cook for one minute and set aside to cool.

Next, use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and roll dough out onto a well-greased pizza or cookie sheet. Bake this for about 8 to 10 minutes at 325° to 350° F and let cool.

Mix an 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese, a teaspoon of vanilla, ½ cup granulated sugar and spread this mixture over the cooled cookie dough.  Top the pizza with your favorite fruits, such as bananas, strawberries, cherries, grapes, cantaloupe, and pineapple. Spoon your orange sauce over the pizza and refrigerate for about 3 hours before you serve.

Entrees do not have to be elaborate, especially if you have a lot of guests. You can make a big dish, like lasagna (either make it a veggie lasagna for non-meat-eating guests or make two), stuffed shells, casserole, or soups. You can then serve the soups in bread bowls for a nice, unique touch. Broccoli cheese and potato soups are good options for winter showers. In the summer, you can always stick with the finger foods or grill burgers and hot dogs for ease and convenience.  It's also a good way to get the guys at the shower!

For Dessert

Cakes and cookies related to your theme are always great. If you want something a little different, though, try renting a chocolate fountain.  The mom-to-be will love it – and you! Supply dippers, like strawberries, banana chunks, pretzels, cherries, marshmallows, angel food cake, and more.  On a similar theme, you can make stuffed strawberries.  Mama is sure to love that too.

To do this, you will need:

• Fresh strawberries
• Vanilla
• Powdered sugar
• An 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese
• Shaved chocolate.

Sounds good already, doesn't it?

Instructions:

• Cut the stem and base of each strawberry after washing and patting them dry.  Next, stand the strawberry up on the flat part you've just made and cut an X into the top, going about ¾ of the   way down the strawberry.  This is where you will put the filling.  Mix the vanilla (1 teaspoon), sugar, and cream cheese together.

• If you have a pastry bag with a star tip, you can use that to stuff the strawberries.  If not, use a sandwich bag with a small hole cut into one of the bottom corners.  You then use it just like a pastry bag.  Once the strawberries are filled and arranged on a platter, drizzle melted chocolate over them and enjoy.

Look for new ideas and recipes online, and remember to incorporate the mother-to-be's favorite foods into the celebration.

Here are some more great baby shower theme ideas:

• Eco-Friendly Baby Shower Favor Ideas
• Sports Themed Baby Shower
• Baby Carriage Themed Shower

What if you’re the one thinking about throwing a baby shower for a second- or third-time mom? What should you know?

You can relax if you are in one of these positions. There are no set rules that you have to worry about. Just keep some general ideas in mind.

It is not required that anyone throw a baby shower for a mom who is not having her first child. The thought behind that is not to be cruel, but the idea that she probably has all the equipment she needs from the first shower. That being said, most people involved in the life of an expectant mom want to throw a shower. If you’re the new mom, don’t expect to get a second or third shower. But if you’re the one who wants to throw one, go ahead! It’s perfectly wonderful if you want to throw another shower. Especially if you did not host the first shower, you’ll have a great time planning the foods, baby shower favors, and theme of this one!

If you are a second- or third-time mom, you’ll definitely want to register, but you should only announce your registry if someone asks you. In other words, don’t go making a formal announcement to friends and family saying where you’re registered and what you’re asking for. They may feel awkward if there is no shower planned. They can still choose to buy you a gift off the registry, but you are not required to.

The reason you want to register is so that you don’t get three high chairs when you have a perfectly good one from your first child. Repeats of expensive items can be a sticky situation. The person who gave it to you will want to see it in your home and may feel badly if you returned it because it was a duplicate. If this does happen, just be honest. If you’re returning it, tell them so and maybe even ask if they’d like to come and pick out something else for you.

If you’re hosting a shower, go right ahead and do everything you would for a first-time mom. You will find that games involving how naïve a first-time mom is won’t really work, but other games will. You can still have a lot of fun with it, and if the first child is old enough to come, often you’ll want to include them so they can get excited about the new baby too.

All rules are out these days, and with blended step-families, there may be a second time mom who didn’t get a shower (at least from your family) the first time at all. So you may be throwing a first time shower for a second time mom!

When in doubt, ask the new mom what she’d like. She may not want any attention drawn to her, especially if she’s an older mom, or she may be up for anything. Plan your party around her wishes, and if you’re very close to her, don’t feel you have to make it a surprise.

If you're looking for more unique ideas, try this article on Baby Shower Themes For Gifts.

This is one situation where you’re going to want to use your best judgment. You probably know the person pretty well if they have volunteered to throw you a shower. If it’s your mom or sister, you know what they like best and how they would feel about getting a gift. Most people host a shower out of pure joy and to welcome a new baby. There’s really no reason you have to give a formal gift. But you should always, always write a formal thank you note. A letter is even better. You can detail how much it meant to you to have the shower and all the wonderful memories you have of it. You might include a photo of you and the host in the envelope as well. Emails are out for this type of thank you. Do it with a hand written snail mail card.

If you’re still wavering on the whole gift thing, think about how you’d feel if you were the host of the shower. If you’d feel like the guest of honor should do something formal to thank you, then follow your own lead and thank the hosts. You can simply gift them with a pretty candle wrapped up in a pretty package. Or you can bake something like thank you cookies and tie it up in a lovely wrapping. Be sure you include a note of thanks and make your package look elegant and not like you just threw a few cookies in a bag.

Other ideas include giving photo frames so the hosts can put a picture of the new baby in it once he or she arrives. It can be a cute baby-themed frame or you can go with an elegant pewter frame that says “Thank you for my baby shower” along with the date it was held. It’s completely up to you how ornate or simple you want to go.

If the person throwing the shower is a good friend of yours, you may want to take her out for a manicure or lunch shortly after the shower. Spend some time alone with her before the baby is born and thank her for your shower. If it’s your sisters and you all want to go out shopping for the day, that’s great too. Spend some together time, but also be sure you treat for lunch, a movie, or at least coffee at the mall.

Thanking your baby shower host is a personal choice. There simply isn’t a correct answer to this question. If you feel a thank you note is not adequate, then definitely go out and purchase or make a gift. You might also opt to give the host something that says what the baby will call her. For instance, you might give her a frame that says, “Nana” or “Auntie” on it. It will serve the purpose of thanking her and also telling her what the baby will call her one day.

More Baby Shower Articles:

• How To Plan A Co-ed or Couples Baby Shower
• Baby Carriage Themed Shower
• Train Themed Baby Shower
• Cheap Games for a Baby Shower
• Baby Shower Ideas

Door prizes can be anything from candy to candle favors. You can make them yourself or go out and buy them. The whole reason to give them out is so that guests will get involved and mingle. Often there are people at the shower who have never met each other. There could be coworkers of the mom, family, friends from college, friends from old jobs, so it can be really nice when everyone feels comfortable enough to get up and laugh and play games.

One way to do a door prize is to have a bowl of items on a table for guests to take when they arrive. It could be hard candies, small chocolate bars, diaper pins, or anything else. Make some kind of mark on one or two of the pins and when you call everyone together, give prizes to the people holding the marked items. This can add an element of surprise to the festivities as guests didn’t know it was coming.

You should try to offer prizes that would appeal to everyone. This can be a bag of goodies like lotion, small shampoos and conditioners, hair products or other toiletries. You can raid the travel aisle at discount stores for some good ideas. You may want to put together a travel pouch of goodies for ladies to win. That way the next time they go on a trip, they’re all set. You can also do a few $5 gift certificates to coffee houses. It doesn’t cost you much and it’s enough to get a coffee and maybe a muffin.

Try to make the prizes fun so people want to stay involved. If the prizes are ho-hum you may find people’s attention wandering.

You might have chocolates personalized with the date of the baby shower or just “Beth’s Baby Shower” and give those out as prizes. Or you could have small bottles of wine or champagne for the ladies to take home.

Whatever you decide to do as door prize activities and the prizes themselves, remember, you don’t have to spend a lot on this to make it fun. A bag of individually wrapped candies can go a long way. You aren’t there to offer luxurious prizes, but instead to honor the mother to be. So keep it in perspective. If it’s starting to become a source of anxiety for you, lighten up about the party planning. Everyone will have a great time and if they see you relaxed, they’ll be relaxed too.

For great sources of baby shower favors, look online. Why spend your time running from mall to mall trying to find just the right baby-themed items? You can find everything all in one place online.