How to Decorate A Place for Low Cost Baby Shower

An invitation is as simple as picking up the phone and verbally inviting the mom-to-be’s friends to your party. Invitations can also be sent by email and there are many web sites on the net offering free e-vites. If you have a budget to mail out invitations, clever invitations can be constructed from colored paper or by making a collage on paper of the themes that match the party. For instance, if the theme is ducks, it is quite simple to make a template in a duck shape and cut out multiples of its form out of yellow construction paper and write the information on the duck. A simple tip: no matter how cheap or handmade the written invitation sprinkling a bit of glitter inside the envelope always enhances it!

At the very least, every baby shower should have balloons. It might also be a good idea to drag out the Christmas lights and string them around the party area to make it look as festive as possible.
It is also easy to make a hand-made banner or sign welcoming the mother to her baby shower using construction paper and a good set of markers. This kind of sign can also be constructed letter by letter using aluminum foil.
Construction paper can also be used to cut out motifs for the party, such as ducks, stars, hearts or pictures of angels. These can be pasted on the wall and also larger versions can be used as placemats. You can also try the old “daisy chain” trick we all learned in grade school, which is to make an “accordion” of folds of paper, cut out a motif, and then unravel the chain to use as a banner.
If you can’t afford a caterer, then get your guests to cater the party for you by assigning them each a dish to bring to your buffet. You can also delegate responsibility by assigning them each an item to bring: for instance, one guest might be responsible for bringing extra chairs, another might be responsible for procuring a videocamera, another ice for the party and so o
Some guests have been known to arrive at showers with laundry hampers filled with well-washed used baby clothes that take the child to the age of five. Another option is to fill a toy box with similar items.
Perhaps the cheapest and most traditional present, is a box of disposable baby diapers. A new mother can never have enough of those!

How to Decorate Party Favors for a Baby Shower

Party favors for the guests serve can serve two purposes. Sometimes they are presented at the door or during dinner as a way of raising enthusiasm for the event. Other times they are given to the guest just before she departs as a way of thanking her for her participation.
To raise morale for the event, you can “go traditional” and hand out party hats, kazoos and firecrackers (the kind you pull apart to reveal a party favor, not the kind you buy to light up the sky.) However it is nice to put hand-held firecrackers, called Dazzlers, on the cake instead of candles.

A nice idea is to hand each guest a T-shirt with a picture of the mom-to-be or catch phrase printed on it. Guests change into this item after they arrive at the party. You can also put Mom’s pic on tea towels, diapers or other objects. If you are handing out clothing as favors you can always pin the goods on a clothesline that is strung across the room.

A unique way to identify guests at a party would be to create baby necklaces, similar to the kind that are worn by babies at the hospital. These kinds of beads, which have letters on them, can be purchased at a supply store. The idea is that the necklace boasts the name of the guest and is worn during the party.
Suggestions for party favors for guests to take a way with them include:
* A picture frame * Miniature puzzles * Engraved pencils or pens * A lace hankie tied with pink or blue ribbon * Small stuffed toys or beanie babies * Baby necklaces * Candies stuffed inside a baby bottle * Candies tied in pink or blue netting * Chocolates * Plastic or metal pacifiers that can be worn as a necklace * A gift basket full of beauty products * A bud vase (also used to decorate the tables) filled with baby’s breath * A ceramic angel * Potpourri tied with pink or blue ribbons * A pink or blue candle * Cookie cutters that suit the theme of the shower (hearts or stars) * An engraved silver spoon
You can put these items in little diaper pails or baskets that are decorated with pictures of the mom. A nice touch is to add an engraved glass or a piece of cake to the equation. One innovative idea would be to make a CD with a picture of the Mom on the cover and show all of her favorite songs.

If you are a techno mom you can now find little USB devices that look like things like pacifiers or diaper pails online. You can give your guests a digital memory of the party and also they can use the remaining space on the disk for their own purposes.