Baby shower questions
 

My sister and I are giving a baby shower for my DIL. It has been years since I have been to a baby shower. Years! Do they still play games? Do the ladies expect a thank you favor? If so, any ideas? We are having it in a small restaurant.
It will be our first grandchild and I am so excited!
Thanks!
Laurel

The ones I have seen of family and friends are where the roll of toilet paper or ribbon is unrolled to a guess amount of the mom's tummy at it's widest. Baby food taste test. BAby bingo. Depending on how many are going to be there. Since it's going to be at a small restaurant note that on the invites the importance of an RSVP. Couple friends had a formula taste test also. That could be kind of a long game though.

The last ones that I attended at a restaurant did not do games as space was limited. They did set out a stack of disposable diapers and Sharpie so the guests could write funny sayings on them like "This one's For You, Daddy"' etc.

The last baby shower I attended in a restaurant had only one game - guess the baby's name. Had to wait for the baby to be born to find out the winner, announced on Facebook. I did get a favor, a small scrubbie made from nylon net, blue for the sex of the baby. That was really enough. By the time we ate, visited, and watched the mom-to-be open the gifts, we were ready to go home.

I agree games in a Resturant can be difficult but a round or two of baby bingo wouldn't be out of the question

You can check pintrest baby shower pins and get tons of games

and yes, a small thank you gift was given out. also a bit bigger gift was given for the games that we played. baby bingo was a big one everyone liked. search the internet for good thankyou gifts.

I think in a restaurant setting the games might be a bit much. Favors for guests are definitely the norm these days.

For fun you could do plain white baby t-shirts and have some fabric paints available for guests to write their thoughts to the new mom. For one SIL, we used decorations/paper goods with baby hands as the theme. Favors were home made decorated sugar cookies in small hand shapes placed in celophane baggies available at craft stores. I've received small candles in pink/blue (if gender known) and a couple of candies; small decorative soaps.

Don't make yourself crazy and enjoy being Grandmom! And not trying to pat myself on the back...but made it a point to have special grandmom favors of 'grandmom' picture frames or the like for the grandmom's attending....especially for those first time grandmoms (although even the ones that have several grands liked the grandmom gifts as well).

I assume that you are picking up the check for the restaurant. My 2 cents, visit with your guests and keep it simple. Games in a restaurant? That could be annoying to surrounding tables unless you have a private room. Plus, you are taking up table space and time. Please be generous in tipping the waitstaff. You are, in a sense, renting their space. I, personally, hate games. But I have endured too many showers over the years. I prefer to visit and enjoy the company of my guests. I never expect a "party favor" but I don't want any more stuff. I don't even care about attendance prizes at Guild unless it is a good one!

Sandy

One Shower I attended had the Cut out Sugar Cookies in the Foot print frosted in multi colors of pastels - Parents didn't know the sex of the Baby and wanted to be surprised... Most babies wear the same things anyways- Diapers and onesies or the undershirts, gowns and 1 piece items for a while anyways.. The invites were folded like a Receiving Blanket... and 1 of the games was to guess how many Diaper Pins were in the Baby Bottle... and wearing big men's work gloves trying to diaper a babyDoll in a Real Diaper using Diaper pins.( it was timed ) . Everyone had a Great time.. Mini Cupcakes with Pastel Frostings too..

I absolutely HATE, HATE, HATE games at any kind of shower. Much rather just visit and watch the honoree open gifts.