Like I have mentioned before my friend Karin and myself are expecting together. We are planning to have our baby shower together. I don't have contact with many of my school or previous work employees, so that will take some of the edge off. Karin was suppose to find out what she is expecting this week. I hope it is a boy too. I had a baby shower for my 1st pregnancy. It was held by my work colleagues. So what goes into planning a baby shower? I don't like the embarrassing games so I won't be participating in any of those.

Baby Shower Planning and Etiquette

Set the Date

A baby shower is a time to celebrate new life and share advice on parenting. Get ideas for invitations, decor, food, and activities -- plus gift suggestions for the new mom.
Anyone from a family member to a coworker can host the event, which is usually held during the last two months of pregnancy. Some couples, however, hesitate to stock a nursery before the child has arrived, and some like to hold out until the baby can be the guest of honor. Ask the couple if they would prefer a pre- or post-birth shower.

Pick a Host

It is said that the mother or sister of the mother-to-be should not host the shower, since it will look like she is soliciting gifts, but this is an area in which etiquette has relaxed. As with bridal showers, baby showers today can certainly be coed, so the father-to-be and his friends can join in the celebration as well.

Showers for Baby Siblings

Traditionally, etiquette holds that a shower for a mother expecting her second -- or third or fourth -- child is a smaller party than the one given in honor of the first child, and includes only immediate family and very close friends. After having their first child, a couple is generally assumed to have most of the items they need, and their friends should not feel pressured to buy gift after gift. But if it has been several years since the birth of the first child, or if the couple already has a boy and knows they're having a girl (or vice versa), they will certainly need some new things.

Get the Word Out

Although a phone call can be sufficient invitation, written ones are more in keeping with the momentousness of the event. Invitations should be sent at least three weeks in advance to an intimate number of friends and family members. The parents-to-be can help make the guest list so that no one is forgotten. Also, decide if men and children will be welcome. Traditionalists prefer a women-only event, while modernists believe that the father should be invited.

Pick a Theme

A party theme, although not necessary, can bring a greater sense of festivity to the event. Inventiveness and thoughtful touches can make the party great. If you opt not to have a theme, a simple, bright decor scheme and flowers are particularly appropriate for a celebration of birth. Remember to keep decorations to a minimum; all attention will be focused, anyway, on the belly of the mother-to-be.

Choose a Menu

Shower horror stories tend to center on intricate yet tasteless finger foods. Rather, rich, full-bodied options set the right tone for an event celebrating the start of a rich, full life. Keep last-minute work to a minimum by choosing foods that are easy to prepare and can be eaten out of hand at room temperature -- cheese-and-vegetable tarts, grilled-chicken salads, homemade pizzas, fruit or green salads. There's no shame in potluck, either, particularly if each guest brings a dish for which she or her local gourmet store is famous.

Let's Play a Game

Gift opening is the main event, but another activity can enliven the gathering. It can tie into the theme (bingo for a polka-dot-themed party), serve as a way to educate the mom-to-be, or simply provide entertainment. Try this activity: Guests write their favorite names for boys and girls on slips of paper that are dropped in jars for the parents' consideration.