Even though restrictions have been mostly lifted in Texas, not everyone may feel comfortable hosting or attending an in-person event this Spring. There will also most likely be out-of-town guests invited who wouldn’t be able to make the trip regardless of the pandemic.
I know from first-hand experience that a soon-to-be mom doesn’t need to feel deprived of a baby shower because she is fearful of germ exposure. My own virtual baby shower was last May, and it was honestly fantastic! I also threw one for a good friend and attended another one in the Fall. From those parties, I put together a list of some best practices to make any type of virtual shower as successful as possible.
How to Make it a Successful Virtual Baby Shower:
- Mail invitations, even though it’s a virtual event.
- Keep the guest list small.
- Ask beforehand what guests are gifting and include them in a slideshow.
- Select a game that’s conducive to being played online.
- Mail some decorations to the mama-to-be.
Invitations
What’s a party without pretty invitations? Even though this event will be virtual, that’s no reason to make it any less official. Include the date and time, registry links…all the regular pieces of info! The new mom will want to have an invitation to include in her baby book, too.
Small Guest List
The main reason why my virtual baby shower was so successful is that there were only 14 people on the Zoom meeting. We were able to have a large conversation and not be confused as to who was speaking or whose turn it was to do something. It felt more intimate and special this way and also kept the digital commotion at bay.
Gift Slideshow
Since an integral part of a “shower” is showering the guest of honor with gifts, it’s a bummer that she won’t get to experience that aspect in real life. It’s a nice touch to ask the guests to email the host with what presents they purchased from the registry and to include them in a slideshow. It’s as simple as screen shots of each gift and adding the giver’s name to a slide.
Game
Shower games can have a bad reputation, but I personally love a baby shower that has me guessing how many times Justin Bieber says “Baby” in his song by the same name. Virtual games add a layer of difficulty, but there are still plenty of options. At my shower, we played a game where you had to guess the name of the nursery rhyme based on emojis. There are free ‘game board’ options online, but if you want to personalize it a bit more, there are also inexpensive automatic downloads available for purchase on Etsy. Add the game board image to your slideshow, and voila!
Decorations
Assuming the mama-to-be will be alone in her home on the day of her shower, jazz her space up a bit by mailing some decorations ahead of time. Just a simple “Mama to be” or “It’s a boy!” banner can make her virtual shower set up feel special. It also helps to have a nice background so her significant other can take photos.
While businesses are opening, vaccines are being administered, and a bit of normalcy is upon us, the virtual celebration doesn’t have to fall by the wayside. Virtual showers are a great idea for out-of-town friends and family, and to keep pregnant and vulnerable friends safe. With these tips, you can easily throw a perfectly lovely virtual celebration, whether it’s a baby or bridal shower or something similar, this Spring.
