Posts Tagged ‘baby shower favors’
Remember when you were a kid and you used to get those really cool little gift bags at birthday parties? You know what I’m talking about: those bags filled with party favors like tiny hair brushes, Chinese finger traps, paddle balls and maybe a little bit of candy? Yeah, it was awesome how those little 2 cent pieces of plastic would make you smile.
Unfortunately, when we grow older we eliminate the gift bags from our parties and replace it with promises of free beer and wine. And while that has its pluses, sometimes you just sort of pine for the simplicity of tiny party favors that you used to receive. Luckily for all of us, the idea of party favors have not totally gone the way of the buffalo as grow older. Party favors are still alive and well at baby showers.
While baby shower favors are not a new thing, they have hit a bit of a renaissance in the past few years. The expansion of internet purchasing habits in has led to full sites dedicated to nothing but baby shower supplies and gift. If you go to these sites you’ll see pages upon pages full of baby shower favors. And here’s the shocking thing: they are things you will actually like and use. Let’s be honest, as much as we thought those gift bags were cool, did we ever really use those paddleballs or temporary tattoos? No, they just went into some draw and were thrown out during spring cleaning. Baby shower gifts, on the other hand, are actually things you’ll like and use, like candy, candles, lip balm and soap. Plus, they won’t break it three seconds like the birthday favors.
Did I mention that these baby shower gifts are darn cute too? Oh yeah, because us women love the idea of cute things baby shower sites are stocked with the cutest gifts you could imagine. Love owls, monkeys and frogs? Well, good news: there are favors just for you. I even found a cute little soap bar that is shaped like a giraffe.
The best part about all of the baby shower gifts is that they can be personalized. You can get names and personalized messages printed on everything from the soaps to the candy. I know it seems like a small thing, but like the old 2 cent pieces of plastics, these baby shower favors will surely bring a smile to your friends faces.
Author Kimberly Green loves the nostalgia that baby shower favors provide.
Sometimes I feel like, as a woman, drama is something that I just have to deal with, no matter what. In my years on this earth I’ve learned that no matter what the situation, no matter who the players, drama is just going to find a way to slip into just about any situation and make it, well, dramatic. Never fails, trust me. It doesn’t matter if something has been planned so meticulously that there is a 99% chance it will go off without a hitch, that 1% will find a way to produce at least some drama.
With that said, there are a few times, very few and far between, where, for some reason, everything just sort of works out drama free. When this occurs it’s the most shocking thing in the world. You can’t really enjoy it, though, because the entire time you expect it to fall apart. It’s not until afterwards where you can bask in the beautiful, drama-free experience that just occurred.
For example, a few weeks ago I was put in charge of finding some baby shower favors for my friends’ upcoming baby shower. Personally, I hate being put in charge of getting stuff for other people’s parties because, like clockwork, something always happens to make the process that much harder. Typically it happens like this: about halfway through my search friend either changes her mind or decides that her original idea needs expanding on. This usually leads to either more work on my end or some hurt feelings.
So when I was able to track down and purchase baby shower favors quickly and get instant approval from my friend about what I was about to purchase, you can believe that I was still mildly skeptical. I assume it’s like how Chicago Cubs fans feel when their team is going to the playoffs. You want to believe that everything is going to go ok, but frankly you fee l in your heart of hearts that it’s all going to fall apart.
So it wasn’t until after the baby shower that I finally felt secure that the favors I picked out would work. They did, everyone loved them, especially my friend. She loves owls so I was able to track down some awesome owl themed favors which were met by oooo’s and awes during the event. When I got into bed that night and thought back I realized I did the impossible: I got through an event without drama. If I could bottle and sell that feeling I would.
Kimberly Green hopes that shopping for other supplies is as easy as shopping for baby shower favors.
As with any party, the success of your baby shower is going to hinge on one simple thing: are your guests enjoying themselves? Most of this enjoyment will stem from the idea that their interest is being kept. For the most part your set: chances are everyone will enjoy themselves during the meal. Heck, everyone loves to eat, especially when it’s free catered food. Have you ever been to a bad office party when it’s catered with good food? Didn’t think so.
No, the true test of any baby shower occurs after the meal is served. This is the point where everyone will be full and truly need to be entertained to enjoy themselves. This entertainment usually comes in the form of baby shower games- specialized games that were developed to relate to the overall theme of the party: babies. These are games that are supposed to keep the attention of your guests, make them laugh, and let out that competitive nature that is inherent in women.
Besides the obvious baby connection, most baby shower games have something else in common: whimsy. These are not serious games, these are games that are, in a way, designed to highlight the more humorous (or gross) sides of having a baby. Take for example one of the stranger games in the baby shower arsenal: the melted candy bar in the diaper game. For those of you who have never played it, well, the description of the game is pretty much in the title. First you place a candy bar in a specially made diaper (umm, a clean diaper of course) then you melt it in a microwave until it looks like, well, you know. Next you bring them out and have guests attempt to figure out which candy bar is in which diaper using smell, texture and taste. Surprisingly, this always seems to be a hit at baby showers, probably due to the gross- out factor.
Continuing on the “whimsical” route, shops and websites offer games like ‘My Water Broke” where guests try to be the first make an ice cube containing plastic babies melt (get it, “water broke”?). Another popular game is the scratch-and-sniff “Who Smells The Stinky Doo”, where guests scratch off a special card and if they are the lucky (?) recipient of a smelly card they win the game.
Sometimes, though, the most popular games are the ones that are the simplest (and cheapest) in the arsenal. One of the most beloved games is one where you try to guess the number of squares of toilet paper it takes to fit around your pregnant friend’s belly. Sometimes money is involved as you can give the mother-to-be a dollar for each square. It’s a basic game, but can always enjoyable.
Kim Green loves to share her favorite baby shower games in the hopes others will have as much fun as she has.
Sometimes, party favors can get a bit, I don’t know, redundant. Remember when you were a kid and you would go to four or five birthday parties a year and each one would have the same lame party favors? Chances are, the unused favors would usually end up either in the trash or put away in some drawer to not see the light of day until the next spring cleaning.
Now that we are all grown up, party favors have gotten a bit more grown up, but at the same time, just as redundant. Whether they are baby shower favors or wedding favors they all seem to follow the same type of pattern: lotions, mints and bubble bath. I can honestly say, outside of possibly the mints if I find them at the bottom of my purse a few weeks later, that I have never used any of them. I don’t take bubble baths, and the lotions usually end up going away in my lotion drawer.
I’ve come to the realization lately that the only way to make sure that your party favors are used is to make them edible. That’s right, food. Or, more specifically, candy. Everyone likes candy and everyone eats candy, especially your friends who lie to you and say that they never touch the stuff (they are the worst offenders, usually). Candy is your surest bet, and it’s usually cheaper than the bulk packages of lotion or bubble bath that you buy from a big box store.
You have two options: you can buy your candy or make your candy. Or, I guess, you can buy candy, open them and then place them in a custom holder, which I guess would make that three options. If you choose to buy your candy, but it in bulk and give your guests a variety of it. Truffles are usually a good bet as they are classy enough to be a parties treat but also cheap enough to buy in bulk. Chocolate covered hazelnut candies are always popular, as are M&Ms (which you can get customized now), and chocolate covered raisins. If chocolate is not your thing, you can go with hard candies, licorice or hard caramels.
Making candy is probably a lot easier then you might think, especially chocolate. All you need to do for a custom chocolate favor is melt chocolate chips over a double broiler, place them in a mold (which you can get at any baking supply store) and then freeze. You can then wrap them yourself and attach a cute personalized note. I guarantee these will go over better than any lotion or bubble bath ever will.
Author Kim Green is always looking for unique and good quality baby shower favors.
In a time where every penny counts and saving money is paramount, there is nothing more terrifying then having to plan a party. I’m sure it’s happened to everyone of us since the economic downturn: just when you have found a way to cut your budget down and save just enough money for that much needed new appliance for your kitchen or break- job for your car, someone comes up with the wonderful idea of having a get together at your place. They ask really nicely and swear it will only be a few people, but regardless of their assurances you can only envision a bunch of money being flushed down a toilet.
You can’t say no. I mean you could, but if your best friend needs a baby shower and your place is the most ideal location, you can’t look into those puppy dog eyes and say no. No, it’s now your responsibility to not only get the food and drinks, but also purchase baby shower favors, games and decorations to make sure the occasion is properly festive.
Fortunately, for both your sanity and your pocket book, there are ways to make a get together like a baby shower not only cost effective but also supremely fun. You just have to be willing to put in a little more leg work and prep time, but if you’re looking to save money it will be more then worth it.
First of all: skip the catering. I know, I know: catering is easy. Let someone else worry about it. The problem is, catering is also expensive. If you have a specialty that you love to cook think about cooking it in bulk for the party. Know a great recipe for enchiladas that you’re sure everyone will love? Make a hundred of them and serve them with beans and rice for your meal.
If you are really pressed for time and want to go the catering route, skip the professional catering services and get catering services from places like PF Chang’s or Claim Jumpers. They are usually reasonably priced for their services.
For the actual baby shower supplies such as the decorations, games and favors, your best bet would be to do a little looking around to find the lowest prices possible. If your internet savvy (and have time to wait on shipping) you should try looking at websites like Amazon.com or Half.com to compare and contrast prices. You can usually find amazing deals (up to 80% off) at some of these overstock sites, though be wary of shipping costs which can cost more than the actual products.
If you would rather buy the products in person, try looking at places like Target, Wal-Mart or K-Mart, as these big box stores have started offering high quality party supplies at great prices. Smaller boutiques can offer a better selection (and sometimes a better quality) but they can also cost a lot more.
Kimberly Green is always on the look out for great gifts and other baby shower favors.
Posted in Baby Shower Stuff | Comments (0)