Gifts, games and guests. There was the requisite oohing and aahing over tiny onesies and baby books, and a lot of laughter. Of course, mingling was a little trickier during the shower I threw over the weekend. But we are talking about a virtual baby shower, after all.
As many of us remain wary of socializing in groups, Zoom and other virtual meeting providers continue to play host to baby showers and other celebrations that feature decorations, ice breakers, and even cake and mocktails. If you’re throwing a virtual baby shower for an expectant mommy, here are some ideas to get you started.
Send invitations…
You can mail invitations or go paperless with an evite, but think ahead about the type of information you’ll want to convey when you invite guests to your virtual shower. Include registry links and the mommy-to-be’s mailing address, since your guests won’t be bringing gifts in person. Also, now is the time to give any special instructions. Do you want guests to dress up in pink or blue, or download a special virtual background? Are you planning a specific theme for the event? This is your opportunity to communicate any planning information to attendees.
Get fancy with decorations
Decorate on the big day with a virtual background or more traditional options like balloons, streamers or tabletop decor. Just be cognizant of how to make your decorations fit onto the screen; you may want to do a practice set up ahead of time to be sure.
Also, get the daddy-to-be involved in decorating the room where your guest-of-honor will be sitting. Send decorations, diaper “cakes” or swag for the new mama to wear (sashes, ribbons, even floral crowns) to their house ahead of time, and voila!
Plan a timetable
Make a tentative shower schedule in advance to keep things lively. Allot a certain amount of time for chatting and for games, and plan on an event that is roughly one to two hours, depending on the amount of guests who are attending. Any longer, and your attendees may get antsy in front of a computer.
Bring on the games and activities
There’s a new industry abound for virtual baby showers, and sites like Etsy have plenty of games available for purchase, including Baby Shower Jeopardy and Baby Shower Friendly Feud. For more options, here’s a list of 50 baby shower games, many which can be played virtually. Or email guests any printable games ahead of time.
Discuss whether to open gifts
Chat with the mommy-to-be ahead of time about whether she’d like to open gifts at the shower. If so, make sure guests understand they should send gifts in a timely fashion, or drop them off in a contactless manner so they’re ready before the party begins.
Cake and cocktails?
Skip the food and drinks altogether, or ask guests to share their favorite mocktails or desserts onscreen (and then email the recipes!). If there’s any special food or non-alcoholic drink the expectant mommy likes, make sure someone in her household has it on hand for the shower!
Adjust expectations
While a virtual baby shower can be a wonderful celebration, in some, very obvious ways, it may fail to live up to pre-pandemic parties. The host, attendees and expectant mama should all adjust their expectations to meet our new reality. You may be sans hugs or a Costco sheet cake (take heart, Costco shoppers!), but the well-wishes and love for the new mommy and baby remain the same. And, most importantly, the baby’s long-awaited arrival is still the greatest celebration of all — shower or not.
Which items do you really need on your baby registry? Here’s my complete guide.