Holiday Shower

Holiday Time is a Perfect Time! Shower
...a good theme for those winter baby showers,
an Ornament/Decoration Shower 
A perfect time of year to think of the baby's "first" holiday season together If the shower is held before the Thanksgiving holiday, add this to the list to the gift ideas.

Combine this idea with a Cookie Exchange... hot chocolate, 
mulled wine or cider and lots of holiday music. Add potpourri simmering on the stove to make your house holiday cheery. OR... mix some butter, cinnamon and sugar and bake in a slow, 200-degree oven. When your guests arrive, they’ll think of Home Sweet Home from their childhood!

Guests can bring anything that is a seasonal decoration, purchased or hand-crafted, to decorate the tree, interior or exterior of the house. Besides ornaments, other gift ideas include Christmas ball hooks, tree lights, tree stand, storage boxes, candy canes, garlands, tree skirt (this is a great idea for a hand-crafted gift), bread dough ornaments, tinsel, etc.

As each ornament or similar decoration is unwrapped, use florist wire and add it to a wreath that will go home with the mommy-to-be.

BABY SHOWERS
Other Ideas 

Wish You Were Here
...held when the mommey-to-be lives in another city or state away from her relatives and friends
This shower is planned like a regular shower, but without the new mommy!

Hostess:
The festivities will be video-taped, so have a volunteer or two with video cameras to capture the whole event (suggest husbands or friends that are not involved with the shower). Provide scissors and tape dispensers.

Guests:
Ask guests to bring UN-WRAPPED gifts, wrapping paper, ribbon, bows and gift tag. Suggest light weight gifts, such as sheets, towels since everything has to be shipped to the mother. Check with UPS for "ground" shipping -- heavy weights that can be delivered in 8 to 10 days are inexpensive compared to other carriers and the Post Office. 

At the Shower:
The main activity is video-taping the guests wrapping the gifts (but only after the item is covered if the box is printed with the name of the gift). The guest can talk to the Mommy while she wraps, wishing her well, missing her, giving advice, etc. After the gift wrapping, food and/or cake is served, games played, close the video.