Did you know baby showers began hundreds of years ago? Yes, the modern baby shower began as small gatherings of close friends of the parents of the newly arrived child. It was common back then to have friends visit only after several weeks had passed after the birth as a precaution against the spread of disease. Those friends made gifts and brought them to the child.

Today, although they can still be held after the baby's birth, baby showers are usually planned prior to the baby's arrival. Traditionally, showers were only given after the first baby, but today, the rules have changed. A baby shower can be planned for any child, regardless of their birth order, by a friend or relative of the baby's mother. Every baby is a chance to celebrate!

As with other events, the planning for a baby shower is the responsibility of the host. The expectant mother is available in the role of consultant if need be, but the bulk of coordination lies in the hands of the host. Details such as the venue, date, time, invitations, guest list, theme, decorations, and menu are all handled by the host. In most cases, the host's home is also used as the venue for the celebration, allowing for a more personal and comfortable environment for all.

Baby shower invitations can range from simple as a personal phone call to customized invitations from top-of-the-line stationery stores. The decision on which to use is based on the geographical closeness of the guests, their preferred ways of communication, and the size of your guest list. Regardless of the method chosen, the invitations must be made or received at least a month ahead of the baby shower. This allows the guests enough time to make arrangements in their personal schedule to attend.

As is tradition, every baby shower has to have baby shower games. They help everyone take the edge off of meeting new people, and can be a lot of fun. Do a quick search online and you'll easily find a lot of fun and entertaining shower games to bring your party to life.

As with any great party, be sure to have favors ready for distribution to your guests. You can purchase baby shower favors, perhaps even have them customized, or you can go the time-honored route of creating the favors yourself. A quick trip to the party supply store near you is sure to produce some easily-found items you can use: tin cans, candies, chocolates, and chinese to-go boxes. Your only limit is your imagination.

For refreshments, cookies and pastries shaped like babies, pacifiers, ducks, and baby blocks will go well with fruit slush placed in baby bottles as drinking glasses.

By planning a shower well, you can make sure that all your guests will remember your event for ages to come. Best of all, mom and baby will know how much you care!