Girls Just Wanna Have Fun! Celebrate with a Baby Shower, Gender Reveal, Sip and See or Weanie Party

10/17/2020

This post may contain affiliate links which help support our blog efforts.

Few occasions in a person’s life are more exciting and celebratory than a pregnancy and the birth of a child. In fact, if you ask any mother what the most exciting day of her life was, she will most likely forgo her wedding or graduation day and without hesitation cite her baby’s birth as the number one best day ever (we can easily understand why).

Of course, we are not living in typical times. The coronavirus pandemic has put many in-person celebrations on hold, including baby showers, gender reveals and any other in-person events of that nature. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still celebrate.

Here’s a look at the history of some of the key celebrations surrounding pregnancy and childbirth, how they’ve come to be the occasions we know and love today and how you can celebrate these exciting milestones with your loved ones.

Cin Cin! Cheers! Skol! Salud! 乾杯/! Santé! Mazel!

BABY SHOWER

While baby showers seem to be a relatively recent concept in history, they actually date back pretty far—all the way to Ancient Egypt, Greece and India. Yep—for thousands of years, cultures around the world have been hosting baby showers, although they didn’t go by that term, of course. Interestingly, many of these ancient celebrations were held after labor and birth.

During the Victorian era, women would gather for afternoon tea parties to celebrate mothers-to-be, which very well may be where we got the idea to host modern-day baby showers during the day time instead of having them be an evening affair. This wasn’t a universal practice however—these celebrations were typically reserved for the wealthiest and noblest of families.

It wasn’t until after World War II that baby showers started to look the way we know them today. Close friends and family would gather a few months prior to the mother’s delivery day to shower her with gifts for her new baby (hence the name). These were typically only reserved for first-time mothers and were held at the woman’s childhood home.

What if you want to celebrate your second, third, or fourth child? Having a "sprinkle party" is perfect. A "sprinkle" is just that – less extravagant and more modest. Instead of a lavish event showering the first-time Mom with tons of gifts. It’s a low-key gathering where she is "sprinkled" with a few special things for her and baby.

How to throw a virtually baby shower:

Throw themed Zoom video celebration.
Send virtual invites via Minted or Paperless Post.
Send your guests a themed background that each guest can upload before the call. Minted has you covered offering free images. Don't forget to send them think link with instructions on how to do that.
Provide the mom-to-be some simply decor items like balloon signage.
Mail or drop-off pretty packages complete with sweet treats, signature drink-kits along with pretty plates and napkins. All to be enjoyed by mom and guests during the virtual party.
Don't forget to hit record!

BABY SHOWER THEME: FLORAL

Party design with floral inspiration

Gorgeous floral paper invitation

Floral party supplies

Signature edible floral cocktail

Zoom backdrop

Zoom backdrop + guest

BABY SHOWER THEMES: FRUIT

Fresh and fruity styled baby shower by Studio DIY

Fresh paper invitations

Bright party supplies

Signature citrus fruit cockail

Zoom backdrop

Zoom backdrop + guest

BABY SHOWER GIFTS: snuggler+book set, new mom handbook, e-design service

Plush creature + book

Cool mom handbook

Nursery design services

Baby Shower Box

Gender Reveal

You’ve probably heard of a gender reveal party—and may have even been invited to one. Typically this type of celebration happens in place of a baby shower (although some people have both!) and centers around finding out the gender of the baby-to-be. Usually the parents-to-be are also finding out for the first time alongside their friends and family. It didn’t become mainstream until the late 2000s, so it’s a relatively new concept and there are several ways the parents-to-be go about the reveal process.

During their 18- or 20-week ultrasound, when they usually find out the gender, they have their ultrasound tech write down the gender on a piece of paper and close it in an envelope. They then give this piece of paper to a baker who will put blue or pink icing in a cake or cupcakes, or a party professional who will put blue or pink confetti in a balloon. Of course, there are plenty of other ways to go about the big reveal as well—the more creative, the more fun!

Given the pandemic, getting everyone together sadly may not be a safe option, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still celebrate.

Virtually Gender Reveal ideas:

Mail out scratch-off announcements. Each of your guests gets to revel in the excitement of finding out your baby’s gender upon receiving this announcement in the mail and then get to congratulate you on their own terms on whether your baby is a he or a she. Not into lottery tickets? Opt to announce your baby’s gender in a simple greeting card.
Surprise guests with tasty desserts. Why not send your V.I.P. list a set of pink or blue desserts to enjoy—think delicious pink and blue macaroons or a tiny rainbow-sprinkled cake that they get to cut open. If your guests are local, drop off a cupcake with a revealing colored center.
Organize a Zoom call just like detailed under baby shower. If mom and dad want to be the ones to make the reveal, make everyone know the parent/s will open the box on video first. Don't forget to hit record!

FAVORITE GENDER REVEAL IDEAS

Virtual scratch off gender reveal.

Sweet treat gender reveal

Classic cupcake reveal

Zoom backdrop

SIP AND SEE

While far less known than the traditional baby shower, these celebrations originated in the South. Southern Belles would host friends and family at their home some point after the baby was born for a little sipping and seeing (the baby).

It makes a lot of sense, actually, when you think about it seeing as the mom-to-be isn’t able to join in on the sipping when she’s pregnant, but can likely do so after the baby is born. It also makes a lot of sense for new and exhausted mothers who would prefer to have their friends and family come to see the new baby all at once instead of having to schedule 10+ different meetings throughout their baby’s first few weeks of life. It’s a nice way to get all of the introductions over with.

Sip and Sees are tend to be a bit more informal than traditional baby showers, but often still include gift giving and selections off of a registry.

Virtually Sip and See ideas:

Organize a Zoom call just like detailed under baby shower.
Don't forget to hit record!

SIP AND SEE THEME: Rosé

Bespoke balloon décor

Pretty in pink invitations

SIP AND SEE GIFT IDEAS: adoption necklace, personalized swaddle, personalized neckace

Zoom backdrop

Zoom backdrop + guest

Weaning Party

Chances are, you haven’t heard about this type of party, which is kind of in between a baby shower and a sip and see. A weaning party, as it’s called, doesn’t have anything to do with breastfeeding—though the name might suggest otherwise. It actually has to do with celebrating a woman being done with having children and breastfeeding them.

The idea of the weaning party is to celebrate a mom being done with popping out babies! Now she can essentially reclaim her body as her own—something we definitely think is worth celebrating! As you can imagine, cocktails are usually flowing heavily at these parties as moms cheers each other in celebration of the beautiful lives they’ve created (but are done making!).

Virtually Weaning Party ideas: