Top 10 Inexpensive Baby Shower Gifts

Are you on a tight budget, but have an important baby shower that you dare not miss?  Don’t worry…here are ten items that you can give as a gift, without breaking the bank.

1.Books. Buy baby board books online for less than $5 a pop (shipping included).  Get discounted rates when buying on a bundle.

2.Baby Clothes.  Any new Mom will appreciate a set of clothes as a baby shower gift.  However, if you plan ahead, you can give the Mom-to-be toddler clothes instead of infant sets.  She’ll surely appreciate the vision.  Another tip is to buy off-season, while the clothes are on clearance.  You can surely fit more than a piece for under $10.

3. Engraved Charms. If a silver or gold bracelet is out of your budget, why not give a personalized jewelry charm?  Choose from several shapes, with heart as being the most popular.  It can be used as a pendant or bracelet charm.  Have the baby’s name and birth date engraved at the back of the charm.

4. Basket of Goodies. In dollar stores, purchase an inexpensive woven basket and decorate it with leftover holiday ribbons.  Line the basket with pastel confetti and fill the basket with goodies, like purse versions of lotion, cologne, powder, diaper pins, wet tissues, anything that the baby needs.  Some of these miniature items are grocery give-aways, so the over-all price comes really low.

5. Painted Pots. Paint clean clay pots with pastel colors and use stencils to place simple designs.  Give a set of three to give the Mom-to-be a handy desktop storage for cotton balls, Qtips, diaper pins, etc.

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Source: Top 10 Inexpensive Baby Shower Gifts

Invitations For Your Baby Shower

Create your own:

Computer made

With the Use of graphics program found in your computer, simply make a design for a baby shower invitation then print it out onto card or board stock.  With this option, you can send the invitation in an envelope or send without an envelope similar to a postcard.  Be sure that your invitation will contain all the necessary details such as date, place, time, theme, who is it for, and the rsvp number.  There are a lot of websites offering free invitations that can be printed.

Velum Overlay

One adorable but very simple way of making a baby shower invitation is by using a velum overlay.  You can buy a paper style that attracts you; buy this along with a coordinating ribbon at your favorite craft or scrap booking store.  Buy too, a few pieces of velum. Working on the computer, write down any wording that you would want to appear on your invitation then have it printed unto the velum.  At the top or the front of a craft paper, fasten the velum. The result is a fun and fancy invitation that was also fun to do.

More invitation ideas:

1.    The most practical and easy idea is to buy your ready made invitations at a store that specializes in it, fill up all the blanks then mail them.

2.    You can order professional invitations in online stores or from a party store.

3.    Make your own custom-generated invitation cards at any greeting card store; some offer computers wherein you can design your own invitations.

4.    Make your own using a computer software or through Word or clip art or a blank or pre-printed invitation which you can acquire from Wal Mart, Michael's, office supply stores, Hobby Lobby, etc.

5.    Sending a postcard.

Invitation information:

1.    A phrase or a poem that indicates a baby shower party or simply the words “baby shower”, to make certain that your guests is well informed what they are getting invited to.

2.    Make sure to put the name of the mom to be.

3.    Include the address as well as the directions and the map of the place where the party is to be held.

4.    Date and time of the occasion.

5.    Theme, if any

6.    RSVP number or an email address

7.    The name of the hostess.

8.    Your store registry

Choosing an invitation:

1.    Keep a budget, stick to always.  The market for invitations is overwhelming.  Only spend within your budget, do not get carried away.

2.    Think of a theme and make certain that your invitation gives the guest a hint of it.

3.    Make, purchase or have the baby shower invitation made at least a month in advance prior to the baby shower date.

4.    Before selecting a certain design, as there are so many choices, go through each design carefully, pick out at least five that you like best, then from the five, pick out three, until you narrow down your choices to one.

5.    Spend a lot of time browsing through the web.  Here, a lot of invitations are available in different themes, sizes, colors, patterns and styles.

6.    Know how many invitations to buy or order.  Make a guest list before you order and make sure to order for extras.

Resource: Maria Schasteen is editor of aromatherapy4moms.com, the online resource with articles, tips and recipes from moms for moms.

Homemade baby shower party favor ideas

When throwing a baby shower you are not obliged to give party favors to your guests. But still, it would be nice to hand out a memento of the special occasion. Worried that you might spend a fortune buying ready made baby shower party favors? Then why don’t you just make the party favors yourself.

Below are some creative ideas for baby shower party favors.

1.    Buy baby bottles, baby socks or even cloth diapers (if you can still find one) then fill it up with assorted goodies like candies and chocolates. After filling the items, you could tie cute little ribbons around them. The items would prove to be useful. Some of the guests may even give them back after a few weeks.

2.    If you bake then you can prepare cookies (choco chip, butter, sugar, oatmeal, etc.) in the form of baby bottles, baby rattles. Babies and other baby related shapes. You can package the cookies in colorful plastic or paper wrappers.

3.    As you probably already know, candles are a big bit among women. That why they probably would be a big hit for the guests on your baby shower party. Buy scented votive candles. These candles are usually sold in sets to make them cheaper. Then decorate the candles with ribbons. Colors of course will depend on your personal taste or to the theme of your baby shower. Of course it would usually be blue if the baby is a boy and pink if the baby is a girl. The candles smell great and they would even look great when they are wrapped. Candles are an ideal party favor for any occasion since they mix very well with any theme.

4.    If you have a green thumb and likes plants in general then maybe you can give away some of plants in your garden. All you have to do is buy some small seedling pot. Graft a stem on some plant and plant them into the pot. This type of party favor is symbolic since your gusts would be obliged to take care of the plant just as if they have their own babies. You could also buy coffee mugs or wine glasses and a bunch of flowers. Then put a flower in the mug or glass as if they are flower pots. This baby shower party favor would definitely be a big hit. 

5.    Baby bath items like baby soap, baby shampoo, baby oil, baby lotion, etc. can also be a big hit among your guests because they can be either used for their very own babies or for themselves if they are single. You can also include other bath accessories like sponges, loofahs, scrubbers, small towels, etc. You can arrange the items in mini baskets or hampers. Then tie a ribbon in front of it for it to look cute.

6.    You could baby stuff made of fabrics like cloth diapers and bibs then paint them using craft paint. Make colorful designs such flowers, animals, insects, cartoon characters, cars, clowns, candies, etc. The end product can be use as a decoration or as a hanky.

There you are, six creative homemade baby shower party favor ideas that your guests will surely love. Who knows, you might end up making a business out of your masterpieces. Remember, all you need is some creativity and crazy ideas to make these baby shower party favors.
Resource: Maria Schasteen is editor of aromatherapy4moms.com, the online resource with articles, tips and recipes from moms for moms.

Tips on Choosing the Right Baby Shower Favors

Having a baby is such an exciting part of the married couple’s life. Enjoying a baby shower is twice the fun because the parents-to-be get to share the excitement and happiness that they feel with their friends and relatives.

A baby shower is actually a type of party that the couple’s friends or relatives had prepared. Because it is a party, it entails the gifts, food, and of course the party favors that are usually present in any other party or celebration.

Like any other party, choosing the right baby shower favor can be very tedious especially if it aims to make the event memorable. There are so many baby shower favors that choosing the best can be pretty confusing.

So, for people who wish to know how to choose the right baby shower favor, here are some pointers that can be very handy.

1. Always consider the personality of the mother-to-be when choosing a baby shower favor.

Even if the friends or the relatives are the ones who prepared the invitation, it is still a must to consider the personality of the mother-to-be when choosing baby shower favors.

After all, you would not want to create misunderstanding or misconceptions just because you have chosen baby shower favors that do not fit to the personality of the mother, right?

2. Shop around

It always pays to shop around before deciding on something. This will give you enough time to contemplate and compare which baby shower favor is suitable for the occasion.

Best of all, you get to choose the most affordable, most attractive, and most appropriate baby shower favors available in the market.

3. Use a lot of resources when looking for the best baby shower favors.

Today, there are many available resources where you can find great ideas on baby shower favors.

In print, you can find some great ideas in the magazines and books about baby showers. You can also find some useful ideas in the Internet.

What matters most is that you have plenty of resources where you can get the best baby shower favors for the guests.

4. Ask the other people about some of the ideas used on baby shower favors.

There are people who have already attended baby shower parties, so, their opinions can be a lot of help. You can ask them what kinds of party favors are usually being used in the baby showers or what would they prefer to have on their own baby showers.

5. Consider the baby shower favors that are already tried and tested by a lot of baby shower parties.

These kinds of baby shower favors will be a sure hit even if the personality of the expectant mother had not been considered. This is because for so many events, these kinds of party favors had been appreciated but most people, and the people who will attend on the baby shower will appreciate it, too.

Indeed, baby shower favors can be really tedious but with careful planning and considerations, the baby shower event will turn out to be very memorable because of the favors that the guests have received.

Nothing comes close to ending this wonderful event than to have baby shower favors that would reflect the merrymaking of the delight and joy of all the people who came to celebrate the upcoming arrival of the new baby.

Resource: Maria Schasteen is editor of aromatherapy4moms.com, the online resource with articles, tips and recipes from moms for moms.

Baby Shower Gift

by Maria Schasteen

A baby shower gift is normally given by friends, close relatives or colleagues to the parents-to-be as a gesture of love, affection and congratulations. Giving a baby shower gift is an expression of happiness at the pregnancy and at the nearing birth of a baby. Baby shower gifts add a distinct charm to baby shower party, an important pregnancy celebration.

Looking for the perfect and unique baby shower gift, that is meaningful to baby and mother, can be often hard to come by. Some expectant mothers will provide a baby registry, so their friends and family can shop for a baby shower gift without going through the effort of guessing what the right baby shower gift could be.

Therefore, when you receive an invitation to a baby shower, find out whether or not there is a gift registry. Then choose your baby shower gift from the registry to ensure you will be presenting a gift that is appreciated, expected and needed. A baby shower gift registry makes it much easier for friends and family members to shop.

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Favorite baby shower gifts include the famous “Birthday Cake.” Take a package of cloth diapers and wrap them around a baby bottle until they look like a birthday cake. It’s a very useful baby shower gift, too. It seems, moms can never have enough of these cloth diapers on hand. These diapers are so practical, they will be in use long after baby is grown out of them.

Unique baby shower gifts don’t have to be expensive to be of great value. Unique baby shower gifts are something that mom and babies will cherish for a lifetime. There are personalized baby shower gifts available. A knitted homemade baby blanket will make a lovely baby shower gift. Homemade baby shower gift baskets filled with luxurious and useful items that are not readily available in stores are a great way to pamper mother and baby. One great idea is to make a care basket for the new mom. Choose a suitable baby shower gift that says: “Welcome into a new life!”

Maria Schasteen is editor of Aroma-Essence.com – Nature’s Most Trusted Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oils Store.

Source: Baby Shower Gift