When I was a kid I remember at birthday parties everyone was always given a favor bag to take home at the end- this makes sense to me and was normal...
But I have never, ever been to a bridal shower or baby shower where they have given out favors. I also have never given out favors at any of the bridal or baby showers I have previously thrown.
My friend and I are co-hosting a baby shower for our BF next month and last night as we were shopping for decor, balloons, etc. we noticed lots of different things for putting baby shower favors in.
Do people actually do this in the midwest??? Or are me, my family, and most of our friends out of the loop?
If you have done favors for a baby shower, what have you done?
Thanks for your input ladies!
Re: Shower favors...
Mr. Sammy Dog

The candy bar is on the top of the place setting. Tiff is a circles and dots person so I kinda had to design these myself. The poem in the center says,I?d like to say, though I?m not here,
Thank you for the gifts so dear.
My closet was empty, my belongings were few,
But that?s all changed now, THANKS to you!
With love, from Baby Kael
Then it had his name and due date on the top also. The back looked similar to this...
My mom is hosting a baby shower on Sunday and she is doing little pink organza bags with some candy inside (jelly beans I think?). I think favors should be edible. I hate getting little junky trinckets that just clutter up my house.
Super cute!
We do have really nice prizes to give out for the games. I got the Nordstrom Rack groupon in December and couldn't find anything for myself so spent all $50 of it on shower prizes- 2 Nordstrom tote bags, 4 Burts Bees products, and 2 pair of socks.
I've given out both favors and prizes at the showers I've thrown, but I'm originally from OR, so if it's a regional thing, that might be why. I don't think I've received favors at any of the showers I've attended here in MN (besides ones that I've thrown), but... I'm not sure...
For a baby shower I threw, I gave little candy boxes (rubber ducky theme) filled with jelly bellies and chocolate-covered berries.
For my sister's wedding shower, we gave out little gift bags with chocolate truffles (locally made in Portland, OR), a small candle, and a classical music cd (just happened to have a big supply of them on hand through my sister's job). Kind of a little "relaxation" package.
For the wedding shower my sister threw for me, she gave out hand-made earrings as a shower gift. She's a beader, so she just whipped out a bazilliion earrings and gave them as shower gifts--those were a HUGE hit! But I don't have that kind of talent.
I've also recieved tiny potted flowers as shower favors/prizes before, and those were fun.
So yeah... I think favors are fun little extras if you feel so inclined, but if you skip them, nobody will notice or care...so only do them if they're fun for you
I did hand out favors for the last baby shower I threw, but I don't know if I've always done that.
I got a bunch of seed packets for Black Eyed Susans and Jack in the Pulpits, then the guests had to predict whether she was going to have a boy or a girl, depending on their answer they received one seed packet or the other. You could also do baby's breath seed packets. It certainly didn't cost a lot and it was fun.
I would recommend avoiding Baby's Breath, because it's actually a pretty invasive plant. See: http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/babys_breath.htm
But black-eyed-susan and jack-in-the-pulpit are both native to Minnesota, so those would be better options... from an ecological perspective
jack | born 9.13.12 at 40w4d | 9 lbs 12 oz | 23 in
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