Surprise baby showers can be a lot of fun. You can get the dad-to-be along with other friends and family members in on planning just how to set up the surprise and how to get the guest of honor to the shower at the right time. When considering a surprise baby shower, be considerate of the new mother's schedule and circumstances. If she is working all day, a nighttime baby shower may not be as enjoyable as going home and putting her feet up to rest a tired back. Think about having a weekend baby shower under those circumstances.

One way to make the party a surprise without all the worry of will she fall for the ploy of getting her there is to plan an evening or afternoon out, but then secretly have it set up as a baby shower. You can tell her all the women at the office would love to take her to dinner, but then have each person surprise her with a gift at the restaurant. This is a great way for a small group of people to shower her with gifts. It is also low key on the planning and easy on the budget.

Beyond surprise baby showers, a baby shower can have a theme that goes beyond the traditional pink and blue with a stork décor. You can have a baby shower with virtually any theme and in any location. Chapter 3 explains in detail some of the themes you might use for a non-traditional baby shower.

Who To Invite

Before you can decide where to hold your baby shower, you will need to know how many people you are having and who they are. You really wouldn't want to have the shower in a formal museum setting if you are planning on inviting extended family including small children. Your budget may also dictate how many people you can invite and mean selecting only the people closest to the new parents.

Traditional baby showers were for women only, and it is still common to have these events limited to women. However, in order to make the new dad feel a part of things, he will often attend at least part of the baby shower. It is acceptable to have the father-to-be show up at the end to help load up the car with all of the goodies showered upon the baby and to say hello, and even help with the gift opening. However, he may feel a little uncomfortable sitting in a room of women giggling and talking about their labor and delivery experiences, so he may opt to attend only if the shower includes other husbands, fathers and brothers.

Family only showers are another option, especially if you have a very large family and want to include children. Children, especially those anxiously awaiting a new cousin, will enjoy being a part of the festivities but you must accommodate them with appropriate activities or they will be bored, even unruly, and can spoil the event. Be sure to have plenty of games and activities in which they can participate. (See chapter 6 and the appendix for game ideas.) Be considerate of the guests of honor in deciding if you should invite children to the shower.

You don't necessarily have to have more than one shower if your group is small enough. You can combine co-workers, family, men and women if you have the space or plan on renting space. Since everyone on the invitation list has the mother-to-be as a common friend, the group will natural blend. Chapter 6 also includes good games for breaking the ice and getting people who don't know each other mingling, laughing and having a good time.

If the timing doesn't work out to have one larger shower, or if you truly don't think the two mothers-in-law can be in the same room, you can hold separate showers. Co-workers may invite his mother to the shower they are hosting, while a shower with friends from the neighborhood can include her mother.

The most important factor in deciding who to invite to the baby shower is to make sure the mom-to-be's best friends and closest family are included first. Then open up your guest list to anyone who may want to wish the parents well with a small celebration and gifts. They do not have to be particularly close to the guests of honor, but have an interest in their new family. Have Fun!