Baby celebration that's not a shower

filaw

Hi all!

Not sure if this is the best place to post this.  I was hoping I might find some brainstorming ideas here.

One of my girlfriends is pregnant.  She's the first in our group of friends.  A mutual friend and I asked her if she wanted a shower.  She said she'd love to celebrate the coming baby, but that she would like it to be co-ed, and that she doesn't want people to bring gifts (so no shower part).  She says she's quite okay with buying her own baby stuff, and she doesn't want anyone to feel obligated.

How should I make it clear that this "yay baby" party is *not* a shower, and people shouldn't bring gifts.  I know there are probably people who will *want* to do gifts and maybe bring them anyway?  How do we do this so that no one ends up feeling uncomfortable?

DancingLikeTheCrackers17

I don't know if you or her are religous, but I know friends who have had what was called a "baby blessing party (or something along those lines)".  Basically, they asked for no presents (for them it was their second girl so they didn't need anything), but instead to write the baby a letter of blessing.  Lights apps were served, and they each took turns reading their letters.  The most touching one of the night was the one that the father of the baby helped the older sister write to her soon to arrive baby sister.   One aunt and uncle live out of town and couldn't be there, so they framed their letter and mailed it in time for the party.  The grandma is making a scrapbook of the letters including pictures of the evening for the little girl to see someday.

filaw

Oh, that's a lovely idea!  Thanks.

lsgarver

It's all in the invite.  In our group of friends, we all feel that each baby should be celebrated so we did a "sprinkle" for one girl's second baby.  She wanted to make it clear that this was not a typical shower that no one should buy typical shower gifts and that this was really just about celebrating the baby.

I made up a cutesy little rhyme about the mama to be having everything she needs but celebrating the 2nd little one like any baby deserves (here's a blog post with the invites, not sure if you can read all the words or not but it might get you started).  People brought gifts like diapers and shampoo or no gift at all and no one felt awkward or put out.

During the party, have a few activities, help conversation flow and do other things to fill the time where gift opening would normally take place.  One suggestion would be to ask everyone to bring a baby photo of themselves (or give to you in advance).  You display them with numbers have guests guess who each baby is.  Have a big reveal at some point where each person claims their photo.  It gets people talking and would have an activity that brings the group together like gifts but without the gifts.

If people do bring gifts, set them aside and the parents-to-be can open them later.

filaw

The poem you wrote is adorable.  Thanks for posting that!

Adjudi-Kate

Just had to say to lsgarver - the beehive cupcakes in that blog post you shared are the cutest things!! What a great shower idea.

DancingLikeTheCrackers17

That bee theme is gorgeous!

lsgarver

Thanks!  I had so much fun preparing for it!

OP, I was thinking that it would also be a good idea to be as guy-friendly as possible.  If you keep out some of the cutesy stuff, it will seem more like a party than a shower and the women will be less likely to feel like they have to bring gifts or watch gift opening.