A World of Baby Showers – Baby Showers in India, China and South Africa
Baby Showe
rs are popular all around the world – even in the distant lands of India, China and South Africa. The customs of celebrating Mums-to-be may differ from the Baby Showers that we know here in Ireland but they are all wonderful ways of sharing the joy and excitement of becoming a new Mum.
In India Baby Showers are called 'Godh Bharai' which has a lovely meaning – it translates as 'to fill the lap'. The tradition is to fill the Mum-to-be's lap with gifts, sweets and fruits to bless her and her little one with abundance and prosperity.
The Godh Bharai is usually held at th
e end of the 7th month or in the 8th month of pregnancy. The Godh Bharai is a women-only party with singing and dancing, fun and games and feasting. Gifts include jewellery and money for the expectant Mum, baby clothes and accessories that she will need once her baby is born. Silver bangles are given as they represent prosperity, intelligence, success and strength – all good wishes for both Mother and baby.
As the Godh Bharai is for women only there is normally an amount of teasing and fun but it’s also a great way of giving the Mum-to-be love and support at such an important time in her life.
Baby Showers in China are known as 'Red Egg and Ginger Parties' and are held on the evening of the first or second full moon after the baby’s birth and are big celebrations. They are banquets with 8 course meals and gifts range from little red envelopes full of money (red is a lucky colour in China), prams and pushchairs to baby clothes and accessories. Guests are presented with hard boiled eggs that have been dyed red (to symbolize happiness and the renewal of life) and picked red ginger (which is supposed to balance out an overtired new Mum’s yin and yang with a little heat).
In South Africa Baby Showers are called Stork Parties and are often planned as a surprise for the Mum-to-be. They take place typically when the expectant Mum is about 6 months pregnant.
Baby Shower Ireland Party
Stork Parties are very similar to American Baby Showers due to the high volume of American television programs viewed in South Africa. They are relaxed and informal but they really go to town on their cakes! The cakes made as central pieces for the Stork Party are beautifully crafted and decorated, with several bakeries specialising in them. Even the cup cakes are stunning! In fact Stork Parties are becoming so popular in South Africa they have professional event planners to help organize them.
It's good to know that Mums-to-be are celebrated far and wide – perhaps some of these different Baby Shower traditions will help to inspire you if you are planning a Baby Shower yourself!
Owner of Baby Shower Ireland
http://www.babyshower.ie
Don’t Stress About Baby Showers!
I thought you'd like to read a post I wrote for MummyPages as you'd be surprised about how many people stress about whether to hold a Baby Shower or not! First time Mums-to-be need reassurance and encouragement, especially as the due date draws near and knowing her loved ones, friends and family are all pulling together to make her day a memorable one with a Baby Shower can be a great source of comfort.
Baby Showers are all about concentrating on the expectant mother, expressing love and friendship and bringing happiness into her life at this point in time. Fun, joy and laughter should be the focus . . . so let's banis
h the stress!
Baby Showers have become very popular here in Ireland and the number of Irish women embracing the concept has grown rapidly. This isn't surprising – Ireland has the highest birth rate in Europe and last year 42% of the babies born were to first time Mums. Baby Showers are a way of helping out first time Mums with items they need for their new arrival and although gift giving has long been part of our Irish tradition some expectant Mums stress over being “showered” with presents.
The idea of asking for gifts or expecting to receive them goes against the grain for many of us. It's considered to be greedy. Talk of rampant consumerism also rears its ugly head. Apart from the fact that lots of us love to buy presents for the baby – and the Mum-to-be – I think we are forgetting what a Baby Shower is all about.
Receiving gifts is nice but what makes a Baby Shower really special are the people who gather together to support the Mum-to-be. Celebrating her pregnancy; sharing her excitement about the imminent arrival of an adorable new baby, spending precious time together, givin
g handy advice and offering tips, telling stories and enjoying each other's company are worth more than any gift.
You don't have to have gifts if you don't want to. Hold a Gift-Free Baby Shower and let your guests know on the invitation by telling them the only gift you need is the pleasure of their company. A nice idea is to ask everyone to bring a wish, poem, photograph, letter, favourite quote, memory or blessing that can be put into a scrapbook. After all, Baby Showers create wonderful memories so why not make a keep-sake out of them? What do you think?
Owner of Baby Shower Ireland
http://www.babyshower.ie
New Beginnings, the Baby New Year and Baby Shower Parties
The New Year is an exciting time – especially if you are expecting a new baby! We all make resolutions for the year ahead and the New Year is a blank page on which we can organise our lives, assess the past and look forwards to new beginnings.
This isn't a modern phenomenon. In Boa Island in Cou
nty Fermanagh there are two ancient statues. What's strange about these carved figures is that they both have 2 heads, one facing forwards and one facing back. January takes its name from the Roman god Janus, who had two faces and represented the future and the past. It seems our Irish ancestors had a similar mythology!
Nowadays the Baby New Year represents the New Year ahead and you'll see images of the baby on vintage postcards and magazines from around 1900 onwards. The Saturday Evening Post has some gorgeous Baby New Year pictures that they used every New Year issue.
Of course there are real New Year babies too! Having a baby born on New Year's Day is really special – and what a wonderful way to welcome in the year ahead!
There are even Baby Shower parties that have a New Year theme with cakes in the shape of clocks. Baby shower party supplies for the theme c
an include streamers and bunting, party poppers, balloons and glow sticks. Pink Champagne truffles and Mock Pink Champagne finish off the theme!
If you'd like to try making Mock Pink Champagne here is the recipe:
2 lire bottle of ginger ale
1/2 carton of white grape juice
1/2 carton of cranberry or pomegranate juice
Happy New Year!
http://www.BabyShower.ie
The Giving of Gifts – Christmas Baby Showers
At this time of year we are all thinking of Christmas, our loved ones and gift giving.   We gather our friends and family together at Christmas today just as we did centuries ago, although the gifts given have changed with the times.
In the past the custom was to distribute the boxes placed in churches where parishioners deposited coins for the poor on the Feast of St. Stephen. People also gave boxes containing food, fruit, clothing, and money to the poor and trades people on St Stephen's Day which is why it became known as Boxing Day in England. This inspired the Christmas Carol Good King Wenceslas which was written nearly 160 years ago!
Christmas has become a popular time to hold baby shower parties for those who are expecting Winter babies. It's a good idea to use the opportunity of having all your nearest and dearest close. Christmas themed baby shower parties have pink and blue paper chains and Christmas tree decorations – you can even create a Winter Wonderland with decorative snow, tinsel and glitter.
One Christmas baby shower game that is good fun to play is Name That Carol – it gets everyone singing! Th
ere are lots of carols to choose from but there are a few great Irish ones that you could include. The Wexford Carol is one of the oldest Irish carols and dates back to the 12th century and Curoo, Curro – The Carol of the Birds is another old favourite. Once in Royal David's City was written by Cecil Frances Alexander in Dublin who also wrote All Things Bright and Beautiful.
Traditional Christmas food and drinks can be given a bab
y shower make over to include mulled spiced cranberry or apple juice, gingerbread cut into baby shapes and scrumptious cup cakes decorated with blue or pink frosting. Instead of a Christmas cake you can have a Nappy cake as your centrepiece! You can fill little stockings with baby shower gifts and favours and light little baby shower candles to put in your windows.
Whatever your plans this festive season we wish you a Happy Christmas from all at Baby Shower.ie.
“At My Lady’s Favour” – The Story of Baby Shower Favours
The giving of gifts and favours is a strong tradition here in Ireland and you may think that it is a modern one. However the custom goes back for centuries!
Favours were originally a love token given by a lady to her knight and often took the form of a handkerchief, scarf or veil. We still see this today in the giving of an Irish linen or lace handkerchief to a bride as a lucky token. According to custom the bride saves the handkerchief and uses it to dry the face of her first baby on its Christening day.
In times past brides would sew the handkerchief into the baby's bonnet. If the baby was a girl she would take the stitches out of the 
bonnet when she was to wed and carry the same handkerchief down the aisle herself. These handkerchiefs were passed down generation to generation as heirlooms.
You might have spotted strips of cloth fluttering from the branches of “raggedy trees” around Holy Wells. This is a very ancient custom an
d these spiritual places are often dedicated to Saint Brigid, revered as a patron of Irish women and motherhood. The rags are tokens which represent a prayer to the Saint asking for a blessing or healing. Pilgrimages to the Holy Wells take place on the Saints feast day or Pattern (Patron) days.
Over time favours took on a different form and were given in friendship and as keepsakes. It became the fashion for the cou
rtiers to give favours of sugared almonds or gingerbread at weddings, parties and banquets. By the 18th century European aristocrats were giving favours in the form of bombonieres - a small trinket box made of porcelain or crystal, often decorated with precious stones, which contained sweets or cakes.
Today we give favours at Baby Shower parties as keepsakes to treasure as a memento of the special
time spent together. The original meaning of the word "favour” was “to show kindness to” or “cherish” and I think this is a lovely reminder of what they represent!
We have a charming collection of baby shower favours at BabyShower.ie and if you would like to give them as gifts to your cherished ones please pop over and have a look!
Nappy Cakes and Why They Are a Special Gift
Nappy Cakes have b
een growing in popularity for several years now and BabyShower.ie's Delux Nappy Cakes are something a little bit special! No one knows who invented the first Nappy Cake but over the years we have developed a winner. Unlike other Nappy Cakes out there that look fussy and over crowded, our simplistic and stylish design is proving very popular with the modern Mum-to-be!
Each 2 Tier Delux Nappy Cake is packed with all the products a Mum-to-be will need and have the added benefit that we can deliver them straight to their door or hospital ward when baby arrives. They also make an excellent centre pie
ce at a Baby Shower party.
Our Delux Nappy Cakes include Pampers New Born nappies - making them perfect for new born babies and are a fantastic present for Mums-to-be who use the Pampers Nappies from day one of their little ones arrival. They always receive great feed back from new Mums – who appreciate Pampers quality!
Each Nappy Cake contains:
Pa
ck of Pampers Nappies (size 1)
Baby bottle
Soother
Cosy little booties
Tiny little mitts
Snug little socks
Super soft baby blanket
Essential muslin square
Congratulations sign & Gift card
Did you know that it was Pampers that revolutionised child care 50 
years ago?    Pampers began life when an inventive Mum in the USA, called Marion Donovan (now there's a good Irish name,) created the world's first waterproof nappy in 1946. She sewed a piece of her shower curtain to a cloth nappy, added side plastic snaps to replace safety pins and called her creation a "Boater."
In 1961 Vic Mills, a chemical engineer working for Procter & Gamble saw the potential in Marion’s design and developed it. His first nappies were trialled on his own grandchildren. He named the nappies Pampers – and the rest is history!
The world's first disposable nappy was developed in 1947 by Valerie Hunter Gordon, a housewife in the UK with six children. This of course was in the days before washing machines and dryers and Mums had to spend hours washing cloth nappies. Back then the familiar landscapof the streets of Britain would have been houses, with rows of white nappies flapping in the wind, to dry outside and bleach in the sun.
Valerie's grandfather, Seba
stian de Ferranti had been an electrical engineer and inventor, and perhaps she had inherited some of his genes. Valerie used a combination of cellulose tissue wadding for absorbency, covered with soft cotton wool to protect the skin and old nylon parachutes as waterproofing!
She enlisted her husband, Major Hunter Gordon, for help on his return from the Royal Engineers and her business grew. The name for the company, Paddi, was chosen from a long list by her husband and a group of senior officers – so Paddi came into existence with a little help from the army!
It's uplifting to know that behind each Nappy Cake of today there was an enterprising Mum of yesteryear – that's what makes them so special!
Baby Shower Party Supplies
Themed party supplies f
or Baby Showers have been around since the 1950s and nowadays you can find all sorts of themed Baby Shower supplies in Vintage, Retro or Modern styles. But did you know that the pretty paper cups, plates, napkins and colourful balloons actually owe their existence to the Ancient Chinese and the inventor of the electric motor?
During the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) tea was served from baskets made of rushes which held tea cups with p
aper napkins folded into squares. Sets of paper cups in different sizes and colours with delicate designs were also used. Paper was actually invented by the Chinese about 500 years earlier. The paper cups that we use today were invented in 1908 by Moore and Luellen in New York and were originally sold in vending machines.
Martin Keyes of the Keyes Fibre Company in New Hampshire first invented the paper plate in 190
4. These first plates were made out of pulped surplus wood chips and were intended for pie making. Martin came up with idea after watching workers at a wood factory eating their lunches on strips of maple veneer!
The inventor of the rubber balloon was none other t
han Michael Faraday in 1824.   Faraday was best known for his discoveries of electromagnetic induction and of the laws of electrolysis. His inventions included the Faraday cage and an early version of the bunsen burner but his biggest breakthrough in electricity was his invention of the electric motor.
As early as 1889, balloons were being bought as toys and were being used for festivities. 1912 saw a new development . . . the manufacture of the first balloon that wasn't round!    In 1933 transparent balloons 5 feet in diameter were used by the famous burlesque dancer Sally Rand at the Chicago 
World's Fair but they kept on bursting at an embarrassing moment. A representative of the manufacturing company went to Chicago to see if he could find the trouble's cause. He found it. It was a certain audience member who shot paper clips with a rubber band slingshot!
If you are thinking of having some Baby Shower games at your party you could hold a Quiz and surprise your guests with some of these facts on party supplies!
Our Tips on How to Throw the Best Baby Shower Party
Baby Showers are traditionally girls only affairs and anyone can host a Baby Shower except the Mum-to-Be as this is the night 
when she’s the centre of attention and is indulged and pampered by all her girlfriends. It’s a special thing to do before her lovely little bundle arrives and becomes the new centre of everyone’s universe! It’s becoming more popular for husbands and partners to come along as well but we think girls only is more fun – like a grown up sleep over!
When To Have the Baby Shower?
It's best not to leave it too late to hold the Baby Shower. About a month before the due date is usually a good time as, by this stage, most expectant Mums are bored waiting for the baby to put in an appearance, so getting together with friends is something to look forward to. For a lot of women they may not long have given up work so again it’s a nice chance to catch up with everyone.
Look After the Mum-to-Be!
The Baby Shower can be held anywhere you want it to be – apart from the Mum-to-Be’s house. The last thing she needs is to be cleaning her home from top to botto
m when she should be sitting with her feet up!
Due to the fact that the Mum-to-Be may feel bloated, tired and maybe even a little stressed at this stage in her pregnancy it might be a good idea to make sure someone is looking after her throughout her Baby Shower. Make sure she is sitting in a nice comfy chair and has plenty of food and water or soft drinks to hand. Also keep an eye on her to make sure she is not getting tired. Above all just relax and enjoy it as its such a special time and might be the last time you are all together before Baby arrives!
Should It Be A Surprise?
A big question is should the Baby Shower be a surprise? It’s up to the hostess as to whether to keep it a secret from the Mum-to-Be but whatever you do, make sure she has the date and knows she is doing something as she won’t thank you if she turns up in her tracksuit! If you are keeping it a secret, make sure you ask all the guests to keep it a secret too!
Order Your Party Supplies.
It’s up to you how you want to decorate the venue and presents. It can depend on whether it’s a first baby, how organised the Mum-to-Be is and also what your budget is. Even on the tightest budget you can still organise a great Baby Shower! We have all the things you’ll need to throw the perfect Baby Shower, from themed Party Supplies with matching invitations, balloons, napkins, cups, plates, table cloths, confetti, banners and decorations to Baby Shower Gifts and Favours for your guests to take home as a memento of your Baby Shower party!
Choose Your Baby Shower Gifts.
With regard to gifts, you may want to suggest a collection so that the Mum-to-Be can buy some of the essential items such as a high chair or a Moses basket. Others may like to bring a small gift each like baby clothes, bedding or soft toys. Why not get the Mum-to-Be a gift for herself instead or surprise her with a beautiful Nappy Cake, a wonderful yet practical gift for all new mums and Mums-to-Be. Nappy Cakes are packed full of products that a new Mum will need: Pampers Nappies, baby bottles, soothers, booties, mitts, socks, baby blankets and muslin squares.
Plan Your Baby Shower Party Games!
Don’t forget to plan some Baby Shower party games to entertain your guests! Make sure you have a camera to record the Baby Shower and it’s a nice idea to make a keepsake book where everyone can write a message, a piece of advice or a special memory, then once the photos have been added, its lovely thing for the Mum to have and for her child to look at in years to come. The point is to show your friend how much she and her bump mean to you all.
Organise Your Baby Shower Party Food.
Some Baby Showers consist of a 3 course meal; others go for party food and nibbles. Perhaps another idea is for everyone to bring a dish along with them? That might help take the pressure off the hostess and the expectant mum will really feel showered with love after everyone going the extra mile.
Make sure you make it clear to your guests what you plan on doing food wise, as you don’t want to go to loads of trouble only to find they’ve all had their dinner before they arrived! So include on the invitation the food situation especially if you would like everyone to bring a dish along. Make sure you have plenty of soft drinks and water as not everyone will be indulging in a glass of wine!
For more top tips check out BabyShower.ie or get in touch, we are here to help!
Hosting A Baby Shower
We have plenty of us
eful tips to help plan a great Baby Shower from start to finish and you can find lots of advice on our Baby Shower Party page over at BabyShower.ie. Usually most Baby Showers are held in the last trimester and are organised by the Mum-to-Be's friends and family. When deciding on a date for the Baby Shower it's best to consult with the Mum-to-Be to make sure that it doesn't clash with any prior appointments she may have. Also check that the time of day you plan to hold the Baby Shower is convenient for everyone as some guests may have children at school or work commitments to plan around.
Baby Showers are normally held at the home of the hostess but you could think a
bout other venues such as local restaurants or hotels (see Celebrity Baby Showers). Hosting the Baby Shower at your home has the benefit of a more relaxed atmosphere where guests can play Baby Shower games. Once the venue is decided take care to send out the invitations out well in advance so that guests can attend. If the Baby Shower has a theme you can choose invitations to match or you can include the details about your theme as part of the invite.
If you are hosting the Baby Shower from your home and have quite a few people coming then a buffet or finger foods are the easiest and quickest option. Party food can be bought from most supermarkets but it is simple to make yoursel
f if you want to. There are certain foods that pregnant women are advised to avoid such as soft cheese (brie or mould-ripened cheeses like stilton) and pâté, so it is best to check your menu with the Mum-to-Be. Make sure you have plenty of variety of foods available to cater for all tastes – including a vegetarian option.
Mini pasties, bite sized quiches and vol-au-vents can be made beforehand and frozen until you need them . . . and of course don't forget a selection of yummy cup cakes! Canapés are a good idea and can be made the day before the Baby Shower - these are small slices of puff pastry, bread, pizza or toast cut into various shapes and topped with savoury pastes or garnishes. Fresh fruit and cruditiés (raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, asparagus or celery served with a dip) are also a good standby.
You can incorporate your Baby Shower theme into your
food with themed party supplies such as plates, cups, table cloths, confetti, balloons and banners. A Baby Shower cake decorated to match your theme makes a wonderful centre piece and doubles up as a dessert! Don't forget that not everyone will be wanting an alcoholic drink so include a fruit punch on your menu. You can serve your Punch hot or cold depending on the season you are holding the Baby Shower. Here are some recipes to help!
Cranberry Punch
4 cups fresh Cranberries
2 cartons Cranberry Juice
2 cups sugar
8 whole cloves
4 star anise
4 cinnamon sticks
2 apples, sliced
Juice of 3 Lemons
Juice of 3 Oranges
1 litre water
Add all the ingredients to a large pan and simmer gently until the sugar is dissolved. Serve hot!
Mushroom and Bacon Vol-au-vents
8 vol-au-vent cases
2 tsp butter
2 slices bacon, diced
1 tbsp minced shallot
6 oz mushrooms, chopped
pinch crushed garlic
pinch of chopped fresh thyme
ÂĽ cup good beef stock
2 cups double cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
fresh parsley
Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the bacon and shallots and sauté until the shallots are soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes longer. Add the thyme, stock, and cream, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly before spooning equal amounts of the filling into each vol-au-vent case. Garnish with parsley.
Last but not least . . . have fun!
Using Colour in Baby Shower Themes
Many Mums to Be a
nd their friends have told me that they base their Baby Shower theme around the colour scheme for their new baby's Nursery. Of course you might already know if your new baby is a girl or a boy but there are a range of neutral colours to choose from if you don't! Popular Baby Shower colour themes use shades of Baby Blue, Baby Pink, Pastel Green and Lavender, Pale Yellow contrasted with a warm toned Brown or White. These colours are all reflected in our Baby Shower Party Supplies and Gifts at BabyShower.ie so you have plenty to choose from!
However have you ever wondered why we choose these colours and what effects they have?
In the past babies were dressed in White but in the 1800s new dyes were introduced and parents had a range of colours to choose from. Pastel shades became fashionable around 1899 and the name pastel comes from the pale, chalk like pigments that artists of the times used. Nowadays we know
that colour can change our moods and emotions – scientists have even found that colour can have a physical affect!
Yellow and Lavender are often associated with Easter and represent rebirth and Spring.  Yellow is the colour most often bought for an unborn baby before the sex is known. However you have to be careful when using Yellow. Did you know that babies cry more in Yellow rooms and that wearing Yellow can make them restive? This is because Yellow is a bright, sunny colour that is said to help with intellect and positive thoughts. Being such a stimulating colour it can keep your baby awake. A Pale Yellow tones down this effect and is much softer and calmer.
Lavender is a soothing, muted colour and is said to release the most serotonin in the brain. It can be a good colour to use to relax hyperactive babies. Pastel Lavender was so popular in Victorian times that the decade of the 1890s was referred to as the Mauve Decade!  Paler shades of Lavender including Lilac and Violet are associated with sweet dreams.
Green is the colour of nature, harmony and new life and it has a comforting effect. Have you noticed that actors are often seated in a waiting room called the “Green Room” before a performance? Pastel Green is also thought to relieve stress and to help heal - it's said that those who have a Green work environment experience fewer stomach aches.
Baby Pink promotes feelings of tenderness, love and happiness. It symbolises nurture and is often used in hospitals to create a serene and reassuring atmosphere. If your baby can't get to sleep, trying using Pink bedding!
Baby Blue is another colour than can aid sleep and scientists have found that Blue actually lowers blood pressure. Blue gives feelings of tranquillity, quietude and stability. It's also said to help prevent night mares.
White predominately represents peace, faith, joy, cleanliness and of course, purity and Brown is associated with warmth, security and homeliness.
I am expecting our own little new baby any minute and we have used these some of these colours in our Nursery as you can see in the photo!
Welcome from Niamh!
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- A World of Baby Showers – Baby Showers in India, China and South Africa
- Don’t Stress About Baby Showers!
- New Beginnings, the Baby New Year and Baby Shower Parties
- The Giving of Gifts – Christmas Baby Showers
- “At My Lady’s Favour” – The Story of Baby Shower Favours
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