Decoration

What's a party without the decorations? There is no better excuse than a new baby's arrival to really unleash your creative side. The hardest decision you'll need to make is what theme you d like or perhaps, you're not keen on a theme at all?

Remember there are no rules when it comes to baby shower decorating. Just keep the mood light, fun, exciting and joyous.

But you do have some options and could do:

• Cute.
• Classy and elegant.
• Gender specific-this only works if the mother to be has shared her special news with the guests.
• Novelty such as a bear, truck, dolly, bee or duck theme.
• Colour specific such as white, yellow, pink, blue or green.

Decorating the tables

• Sprinkle baby related confetti over the tables. Confetti is available from speciality supply shops.
• Intertwine plates with ribbons, bows and streamers.
• Use colour coordinated plates, serviettes, cups and cutlery. There is a huge range of choice available for matching sets.
• Use an appropriately decorative tablecloth to drape the table. Keeping the colour theme consistent always looks good.
• If the guest of honour is having a girl, you could scatter rolls of musk flavoured Lifesaver lollies on the table. Or make necklaces out of ribbon tie with a few lifesavers threaded through.
• If she's having a boy you could use a needle and thread and sew together a few jelly babies on a blue ribbon and make every guest their own edible necklace.
• Place large bunches of flowers and/or foliage in vases on the tables. Lilacs, hydrangeas, magnolias and frangipani look wonderful.
• Use recycled baby food jars and small votive candles as centrepieces.
• Large vases or bowls filled with water and a toy duck or two look really cute.
• Bunches of balloons always look festive. Check out the range at one of the large haberdashery stores; they have helium options as well.
• Tie pink/blue ribbons to the back of each chair.
• Ask each guest to bring a photo of themselves as a baby and attach it to the back of their chair.
• Before the baby shower, make some biscuits with cut-outs which relate to babies or children. Decorate them with white, pink/blue icing and wrap in cellophane and ribbon. Give one to each of the guests as they leave.
• Ask every guest to bring along a baby toiletry item. Place a basket in the middle of the table and watch the pile as it grows. For guests who don t have much money to spare for a separate gift, this is a sensitive option.
• If the baby is being born close to Christmas, you could ask each guest to bring along a special ornament. Similarly, if the baby is to be born around Easter there are a world of choices. Drape these on a tree or branch inserted into a floristry oasis and decorated pot.
• If the parents to be are financially stretched, you could place a couple of money boxes or piggy banks on the tables. Contributing in this way is a personal and practical way to offer support.
• Little tins filled with mints or sugared almonds are a lovely memento for guests to take away.
• A compact mirror or egg shaped soap wrapped in cellophane would be special gifts for guests.
• Buy a bunch of patty cake papers and fill them with pink and white marshmallows/blue jelly beans or a little toy doll in each one.
• Ask all the guests to bring along a meal which can be frozen for the new parents to use when the baby is born. Do your homework first though. Freezer space is crucial for this to be a success.

Decorating the room

• Arrange to have a potted pine tree or similar positioned in the room. Attach luggage labels to the tree so the guests can write their hopes and wishes for the new mother and her baby. You could arrange to bring pens, stickers, glitter and other decorating bits and pieces so the labels are uniquely individual.
• Another option is to hang soft toys, dummies, rattles and baby paraphernalia to the tree. The mother to be can take this home with her as a practical memento.
• Streamers, balloons, banners and bunches of tulle tied into bows transform a room from boring to brilliant!
• Set up a miniature clothes line and peg up baby singlets, all in ones, booties and nappies. This looks fabulous and the guest of honour can even bring in the washing and take it home.
• Place a (new) cane washing basket in the middle of the table and place the presents in it. You may need to reposition seats so everyone can still see each other!
• Make a baby garland with the words Welcome little one or Welcome Baby on it. Printed off letters on A4 paper and pegged to string are simple but effective.

Decorating the Mother to Be

• Make a sash for the new mother out of wide white/pink or blue ribbon. Get creative and write Mother to be across it.
• You could do the same for the Grandmother to be , Aunt to be etc.

A useful baby shower decorating idea

Have a guest book which everyone signs as they enter. Before the shower, ask everyone to think about their best baby raising tip and request that they write it in the book. They could also suggest websites, blogs and phone apps they have found really useful. Present it to the mother to be as a memento of the day. Include everyone's contact details so they can be easily contacted when the new baby has arrived.

You could also ask all the guest to bring along their favourite, easy to prepare recipe. These can come in very handy in the early days of baby care. Collate them altogether in a book and present them to the new mother.