Baby Shower Gifts
You don’t want to send baby shower guests home empty-handed. But you also don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on party favors. Good news: You don’t have to! Diane Warner, author of “Diane Warner’s Complete Book of Baby Showers,” has a few creative, do-it-yourself ideas to say “merci” to your mama-to-be’s guests.
Easy to Make Baby Shower Gifts
■ Baby Bottles Filled With Candy
Purchase small plastic baby bottles and fill them with candies such as jelly beans. Tie a ribbon around the top of each bottle.
■ Lollipops – Baby Shower Gifts
Place one large lollipop at each place setting. Tie a ribbon around the neck of each lollipop.
■ Miniature Flower Pots
Fill miniature flower pots with plants or flowers and wrap them with fabric, tissue paper, or tulle netting and tie them with a ribbon.
■ Mugs With Flowers – Baby Shower Gifts
Purchase inexpensive, colorful mugs and fill them with flowers or a plant. Tie a bow around the handle of each mug.
■ Paper-Chain Necklaces – Baby Shower Gifts
Make a child’s paper-chain necklace for each guest. Place it in the center of the plate. Ask the guests to wear their necklaces during the party.
■ Party Crackers – Baby Shower Gifts
Crackers are novelty favors created out of crepe paper, tissue paper, and a cardboard toilet-tissue tube. Wrap candies, mints, or any small novelty-type gift with tissue paper and stuff it inside the toilet-tissue tube. Then wrap the tube longways with a piece of crepe paper (or gift-wrapping paper). Tie each end tightly with a colorful ribbon.
■ Mini Cowboy Hats
Fill miniature cowboy hats with trail mix, wrap with tulle netting and tie with a narrow ribbon. (You can make your own trail mix out of M&Ms, peanuts, and raisins.)
■ Rubber Duckies – Baby Shower Gifts
Place a rubber ducky in the center of each place setting and tie a ribbon around its neck.
■ Helium-Filled Balloons
Prepare plenty of pink and blue ribbons. Tie long strings of them to helium-filled balloons and let them float up to the ceiling. After they have served as room decorations, give them to the guests as they leave the party.
