Office parties celebrating birthdays and babies are an American tradition. They are also easy to put together, as long as you know what you are doing.

As offices have become second homes for many business oriented people, the office party has begun to slowly evolve from a standard store bought birthday cake to something more. Now everything from upcoming baby births to anniversaries are being celebrated at office buildings, and birthday cakes and streamers are being replaced by gourmet cupcakes, gift exchanges and even designer baby gift baskets for office baby showers.

While different companies will have different policies on what can and cannot be offered at office parties (some will even allow wine… party down), there are some things to remember when trying to plan the best office party for a fellow employee. Whether it’s a surprise party or something that they will have the final say on, office parties are best done as a temporary celebration, and distraction, that can be quick, fun, and ultimately allow people to get to work quickly before anyone gets in too much trouble. Because these parties must be done within office guidelines, be sure to run each step by a manager, or someone in charge. Make sure your get-together follows the guidelines put forth in your employee handbooks to a t so that no one gets in trouble for it (that would be bad).

Probably the main reason people will attend an office party will be for food. Let’s not kid ourselves, while they like the person you’re throwing the party for, the idea of free food during the work day is usually the main attraction. Since the current economy might limit the amount of food that a company is willing to buy for a said party, the best way to get everyone well fed might be a potluck. While the word “potluck” has gotten a bad rap, work potlucks usually have some pretty good food. If everyone is not up for a potluck then maybe you can have everyone chip in a few bucks for catering.

Once the food is out of the way, you can now focus on the other important part of any office party: gifts. Usually the two biggest office celebrations are birthdays and baby showers. While gifts for birthdays are usually a personal preference, for baby showers co-workers usually like to combine their funds for a “big” gift. This can be anything from gift baskets to strollers to cribs. Make sure you collect the money first and that you get a gift that the mother to be doesn’t already have. This way the party can be a success and the fabled tradition of office parties will have another great entry.

Author Kimberly Green gets the most beautiful baby gift baskets online @ BabyStuffGifts.com

If you’ll be going to a baby shower, think about baby gift baskets to make your gift a special one.

Have you been invited to a baby shower?  Whether it is before or after the blessed event, it can be difficult picking just the right item.  So why try?  Instead, think about baby gift baskets.  Baby gift baskets make fun gifts as the mother-to-be pulls one wonderful item after another from the basket.

As the guest of honor, the mom-to-be has lots of fun.  A baby shower can certainly save the new mom from having to do a lot of shopping.  But for the guests, shopping for a baby shower can be tough.  You don’t want your gift to simply blend in with all the others.  You want the new mom-to-be excited when she opens your gift.  An easy way to accomplish all that is by thinking about baby gift baskets.

Once you’ve got your gift chosen, it is now time for you to have fun.   Very often games will be played at baby showers.   You might end up winning a prize and have a gift of your own to take home!

One popular game has to do with nursery rhymes.  If you read them to your children (or are reading them to your grandchildren) then you’ll probably do fine.   There are many variations of this game.  In one variation, you need to know the name of the rhyme.    In another variation you need to know how it finishes.

In another game, pieces of ribbon are cut with one perfectly fitting the girth of the new mom.  Can you guess which is the right piece of ribbon?

Have you considered a blind taste test of baby food?   Each jar has the label removed and, instead, it has a number.  Then you have the opportunity to taste the food in each jar.   You get a piece of paper with a list of numbers and, next to each number, you write what you think is in the jar.  Of course the one guessing the most right wins.

Be sure to bested and have your memory in tip top shape.  If you were to look into a box, for a few seconds, that is filled with baby items like a bib or baby spoon could you remember everything that was in the box? Quickly write down what you remember seeing and maybe win a prize.

Baby gift baskets allow you to relax at the shower.  Have fun.   Watch the mom-to-be light up as she opens your gift and starts looking at all of the wonderful items inside.

Author Kimberly Green loves mixing and matching items to create the perfect baby gift baskets

Planning a baby shower can seem like a daunting task. With the right information and organizational tools, you can plan a baby shower to remember!

If you were picked to throw a baby shower, create a checklist of everything you need to do, such as:

1. Decide who will be covering the expenses to throw the shower and what your budget will be. Will it be your expense entirely, will a family member be picking up the tab, or will there be a co-host to help with the costs? Plan accordingly.
2. Pick a shower time and date about 1 – 2 months before mom’s due date.
3. Create the guest list.
4. Pick a location that will accommodate the number of guests you are inviting. Will it be in somebody’s home, in a hall, in a restaurant, fellowship area of a church? Will you need extra tables and chairs to accommodate the number of guests you have?
5. Gather information together on baby registries the mother-to-be has registered with so that you can include this information in the invitations. Encourage mom to include large items like cribs, car seats, and playpens for family or groups who may want to go in together and buy a significant gift as well as including smaller gifts like clothing, baby gift baskets, bedding, and bath items.
6. Will there be a theme? If yes, decide what it will be.
7. Plan the menu. Will you serve a full meal or appetizers? Will it be catered or will family and friends make and bring the food to serve?
8. Will there be games? Baby shower games are generally considered optional.
9. Send out invitations at least two weeks before the shower date (include registry information, a map/directions to the location, and RSVP information).
10. Plan and buy or make the baby shower favors for guests.
11. Order the cake.
12. Pick up decorations and plan to spend some time decorating your intended location the day of or the day before.
13. One week before the baby shower, confirm you final guest count. Make any phone calls you need to for those who did not RSVP.
14. If your baby shower needs to follow a schedule, write a timeline prior to the date so you stay on time and organized.
15. Ensure somebody is preserving the baby shower memories with cameras and videos for the mother-to-be.
16. Have somebody keep track, in writing, of gifts that the mother-to-be opens and who it is from for thank you cards. Have garbage bags nearby for discarded wrapping paper.
17. Relax. Enjoy the day with family and friends.

There is a lot that goes into planning the perfect baby shower, but if you stay organized, you can pull it off!

Kimberly Green has planned many baby showers and always goes with the perfect gift – baby gift baskets