Baby showers can be a big deal. Unfortunately, baby showers during the era of social distancing can be less than what you might have envisioned for this important milestone event. Virtual events or a reduced guest count will likely be part of most gatherings in 2021. With a little creativity, celebrating your bundle of joy will be just as much fun as an in-person gathering.
The majority of expecting mothers will have their baby shower anytime between 24 and 32 weeks—or six to eight months pregnant. The baby shower date and time will depend on the number of invited guests, time of year, and preference of expecting mother.
Here are some themes that the mom-to-be is sure to love.
Some unique girl baby shower themes include:
If you can gather in-person taking the proper precautions, that is amazing! Here are some ways to ensure that safety still takes precedence.
Many baby showers traditionally take place in someone’s home. With social distancing still on everyone's mind, this might not be optimal. Consider booking a large venue. There are so many unique spaces that are being underutilized at the moment that you might find a magical venue and some room for negotiating. Venues are just as eager to host you, and with baby showers being mostly a daytime event, they can be pretty accommodating. Consider a large rustic barn or even a vineyard.
Masks aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, and if you want to be in person, incorporating masks into the party will ensure a safer event. Consider having a mask decorating station or making a game out of the masks by guessing the baby’s sex (if it hasn’t already been revealed).
In-person is always ideal but might just not be possible right now, so as an alternative, setting up some virtual games and activities will provide entertainment for guests.
In advance of the shower, you could coordinate your virtual backgrounds to something silly or maybe even photos of you each with the parent-to-be.
Games are a great way to break the ice with a group that doesn’t know each other very well as well as with a group that is already besties! The “host” can set these up ahead of time and notify guests of any pre-game downloads or instructions.
Some favorite virtual games include:
If you can come up with a fun theme, try to send some recipe ideas ahead of time so people can have a mocktail, cocktail, or snack while online together.
While many people cringe at the thought of opening gifts in front of guests, baby showers are the exception; the little clothes and books are too cute not to! There are a couple of options: you can send the gifts in advance for the mom or dad-to-be to open in front of the camera or have everyone hold up the presents they bought and send them. Or you can do both.
A couple of days before the scheduled online event, it might be nice to send a little checklist to the guests with reminders of background, recipe card, and technical requirements for game readiness. Et voila, your virtual baby shower will be a hit!
If you are ready to find the perfect venue for your social distancing baby shower or virtual baby shower, browse event spaces in our top cities or use our search feature to search by city, neighborhood or venue name.