If you are planning to hold a baby shower for someone you know or you have been invited to attend a baby shower, here are some tips to keep you on the right track, as well as some ideas to make the baby shower more memorable.

Baby showers are popular with mothers-to-be in many countries. So it is important to remember to pay special attention to any social customs or practices in your country to avoid a social faux pas.

Traditionally held by a close friend of the new mother, baby showers are now also helped by relatives, neighbors or colleagues from work. The baby shower is normally held at the home of the host, and she would be the one to shoulder the expenses for the food and other items.

Normally a baby shower would take place a month or two before the birth of the baby. Formal invitations are not required; however they lend a nice touch to a baby shower. Invitations need not be expensive. They could be handmade with store-bought stationery.

Choose pastel colored invitations, write a little message and directions to the venue, and send them to the guests three weeks in advance.

A baby shower should be held during the weekends, as it would be most convenient for guests to attend. It could last two to three hours or even longer if everything is going well with the guests.

During a baby shower, guests would bring gifts for the baby. The most appropriate gifts are of course baby items such as baby clothing, booties, diapers, feeding bottles, bibs and baby blankets. Present gifts in neutral colors so that the gifts will be suitable for either a boy or a girl.

These are everyday items that would be very useful. Having the baby shower before the birth of the baby will give ample time for the mother to buy the items that were not given as gifts during the baby shower.

The number of people to be invited of course depends largely on the venue. Sometimes a small number is invited before the birth while a larger group is accommodated after the birth of the baby. And remember there is nothing wrong in having a baby shower to celebrate subsequent babies.

The host should pay special attention to food and drink as well as conversation to ensure that everyone has a good time. The host could have games to break the ice, but this is of course not necessary.

Having a theme too would add more life to the baby shower. The theme could be incorporated into the invitations, the food and drinks as well as the decorations. Again, decorations need not be expensive, just use your imagination.

The host should always be present during the party and should be the one attending to the guests. She should be there to welcome guests when they arrive and thank them when they leave.

It would be nice if the host could provide a book for guests to write messages to the mother to be. Another alternative is to have little cards for guests to write the well wishes to the expecting mother. The cards could then be inserted into a special photo album together with photographs taken on that day as a special memento for the mother.

Having a baby shower is a wonderful experience not only for the mother-to-be, but also for the host as well as the guests. A baby shower is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to share in the joy of the arrival of a new baby.