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How Much to Spend on Baby Shower Favors: The Complete Guide
Baby shower favors are a great way to show your appreciation towards the people who support you in your life’s new chapter. But if you are hosting a baby shower, you have the added pressure of thinking of decent gifts to buy that your guests will actually use and love. How much should you spend on baby shower favors?
While you can spend as much as you want on baby shower favors, many worry about either spending too much or too little. As such, knowing how much to spend on baby shower favors is vital when preparing your celebration.
As a rule of thumb, it’s best to set aside about $2 to $5 for each person you’ll give favor to. There are some websites online that sell pre-labeled baby shower favors for less than a dollar per item, so it’ll be easy to make a memorable gift box for your guests as they leave.
How Much to Spend on Baby Shower Favors – A Beautiful Gesture
Most of the time, guests don’t expect to leave a party with anything except good company and a bit of refreshment.
When it comes to baby showers, giving away baby shower favors is considered to be almost tradition. Offering parting gifts to guests as they leave, even if it’s just a memento of the wonderful party, will make them know that their presence was appreciated by the mom-to-be.
First, you’ll have to consider how many people you’re going to invite. If your list is especially long, it might not be cost-effective to buy them individual gifts of $5 each.
Therefore, you can maximize your financial resources by buying a gift that’s on sale or by including something handmade, like cookies or mini flower cakes. Here are some other ideas to consider:
15 Baby Shower Favor Ideas Your Guests Will Actually Love
Baby shower celebrations are among the sweetest and cherished events of a mom’s life. Therefore, when choosing a token of thanks, they need to be both memorable and affordable. You’ve probably heard this a lot when it comes to gift-giving, but oftentimes, it’s the thought that counts!
Here are some fabulous baby shower favor ideas that your guests will actually love and appreciate.
- Mini-lip gloss
- DIY sharpie mug
- Handmade mini body butters
- Handmade desserts; i.e., marshmallow pops, cookies, brownies, etc
- Chocolate and candy boxes
- Honey jars labeled “Mother to Bee!”
- “Baby is Blooming” seed packets
- Pink or blue nail polish that reveals your baby’s gender
- A bottle of mini champagne (or sparkling grape juice)
- Smalls plants in pots and label it with “Watch Me Grow”
- Cute candles
- Keychains and bookmarks
- Personalized bath bombs and soap
- Dream catcher car fresheners
- Mini Nutella jars
- Scented body wash
Baby Shower Planning 101: Tips on How to Plan a Baby Shower
Typically, one of the mom-to-be’s close friends and/or family host the baby shower. They don’t usually get too involved in the planning; after all, she (and her baby!) are the special guests. Regardless, it’s best to discuss certain important details with her, such as the venue, the guest list, and the theme if so desired.
If you’re the person who’s hosting the baby shower, then you might be worried about making everything ‘perfect’ for both the mom-to-be and your guests. But don’t fret, with a little bit of patience and time, you’ll be able to wow both of them with your baby shower.
Choose a Time and Date
Fairly straightforward, but extremely important. The months before and after the baby is born are hectic, both with baby preparations and baby care. Thus, it’s recommended to discuss the time and date for the baby shower four to six weeks before the mom’s due date.
This is primarily because she’ll most likely crave some shut-eye instead of entertaining guests after the baby is born. Plus, she can get some much-needed emotional support and a dose of fun at her baby shower event.
On the other hand, it also isn’t uncommon to host a party after the baby is born. In fact, it’s often easier as the shower can double as a meet-the-baby party. Plus, now that guests definitively know the size and name of the baby, choosing gifts won’t be a shot in the dark.
Saturday and Sunday afternoons are the most popular days for hosting baby showers for obvious reasons. If the mom-to-be prefers to keep her weekends free, consider hosting on a date most of your guests are available to come. It’s worth the effort of checking with the guests you really want in attendance before setting your date. That way you will ensure all the guests you really want to attend will be there.
Choosing a Location for Your Baby Shower
The location you’re going to choose depends on three factors: the mom-to-be’s comfort, the number of guests, and the weather. Here are some ideas to consider:
- In the privacy and comfort of your, or the mom-to-be’s, home. This way, you have free reign in the kitchen, and everyone knows where the bathroom is.
- The mom-to-be’s favorite restaurant or café.
- If you have the means, a private party venue where you can pay staff to arrange almost anything you need.
- A scenic outdoor location nearby, like the park or a spot on the beach.
Choose a Theme for Your Baby Shower
This step is optional. If you’d rather without a theme, that’s perfectly fine too! But if you think it’s something the mom-to-be would love, then it’s something you should at least consider.
If you want, you can ask her what theme she prefers. If she left it up to you, choose something that reflects her personality.
For example, if she’s a Marvel or DC fan, maybe you can make it superhero-themed. You can also choose a fairytale theme, a princess theme, or even a jungle theme if you prefer. The options are endless!
Once you’ve chosen a theme, it’ll be easier for you to organize decorations. You can even add the theme to your registry to get themed items for your baby!
Create the Guest List and Send Invitations
After deciding on a theme and where you’d like the baby shower to be held, the next step is creating a guest list. The number of guests you invite should heavily depend on your budget and the venue you’ve chosen.
In the past, baby showers were strictly for ladies only. But times have changed, now! Ask the mom-to-be who she’d like to invite and you can go from there. Find out from your guests if they’d like to bring their male partner or male friends along. You can even invite your grandparents if you want to!
It’s also best to follow up two or three days before the baby shower to make sure everyone has received their invitation. If you’re planning on a theme, you can remind them of what to wear and what to bring.
Food and Drinks
A party isn’t a party without food and drinks! Both can be decorative, especially when it comes to desserts. If the baby shower is held at a party venue or cafe, the staff can help you select the food and drinks available.
At home, the best way to keep your guests happy and full is by organizing a simple buffet spread or barbeque. If you wish, you can ask your guests to bring a dish to share. Healthy homemade drinks are a must. Prepare lemonade, tea, coffee, punch, or ‘mocktails.’
You can ask the mom-to-be how she feels about carbonated drinks or alcohol, but if you have little kids over, it’s best to scrap that idea altogether.
Consider Adding Some Baby Shower Games
Baby shower games are a clever way to make the occasion even more fun and unforgettable. It’s optional, of course, but it’ll make things fun and exciting! You can raise the stakes by adding prizes for those who win.
There are a ton of games to play with guests. For example, “Guess that Baby!” wherein you ask your guests to bring a picture of themselves while they’re babies, and the person you’ve selected to play will need to guess who the baby in the picture is.
You can also play “What am I?” by writing a baby item on a card, pin it on the back of the person who’s guessing, and have them ask the others yes and no questions until they identify the item.
Help with Mom-to-Be’s Baby Registry
The baby shower is the ideal time for your guests to bring the mom-to-be gifts from her baby registry. If she hasn’t finished her list yet, you can lend a helping hand and join her in her search for the perfect baby registry items for guests to buy.
Your guests might even ask you what they should buy for her and her baby. You can respond by telling them they’re not obligated to buy a gift, but it’s appreciated if they decide to do so. You can send them her baby registry and tell them they can choose a different gift outside the registry if they prefer
Conclusion: It Depends on Your Budget
How much you should spend on baby shower favors depends on you and your budget. You can get beautiful favors premade and ready to distribute, or you can make them yourself with a little cost if you’re willing to put a bit of work into it. We hope you found our guide on how much to spend on baby shower favors useful and insightful. Remember, anything is possible in the realm of baby shower favors!
Good luck!