Babies. It seems like everyone is having them these days! Australia welcomed 309,996 registered births in the year 2022, and although that number fluctuates from year to year, it shows no signs of stopping! Expectant parents, gleeful grandparents-to-be, and dear friends and relatives are all eagerly waiting for that little bundle of joy to show up so they can commence with the spoiling! One of the many fun things about the baby-making process is the baby shower. It’s thought the modern version of this celebration began with the arrival of the baby boomer generation in the 1940s, as a way to heal from the war, and to encourage people to make more people! The term “shower” signifies the showering of gifts and love that celebrate the happy event.
The shower gifts not only demonstrate everyone’s affection for the new baby on the way, but they also help the parents cope with all the many expenses giving birth can accrue. Popular gifts include useful items like baby accessories that go a long way to making things a bit easier for busy new parents!
Many showers are thrown based on a theme to add an extra bit of fun to the proceedings. Before we examine my personal favourite, I am going to say something- although times are changing, and some people consider the old “blue for boys, pink for girls” idea to be outdated, and perhaps even negative, I must disagree. The most important thing is that the colours chosen to spark joy in the hearts of everyone involved regardless of the baby’s sex, and there is nothing at all wrong with a true-blue prince and a pretty pink princess! You are certainly free to use orange and green if you wish, but don’t let anyone judge you if you choose tradition! Which brings us to:
Ye Olde Royal Baby Shower – Send fancy invitations in an old-time font and gold letters surrounded by flowing banners and topped with a crown. Guests arrive to the fanfare of trumpets (cue the MP3) and saunter up a purple carpet to arrive in the “royal sitting room”. This is actually your living room but with inexpensive props like prints of old maps, sceptres, jewels, and crowns on display. The fare is royal, too, chocolate-covered strawberries, trifles, and roast pheasant (chicken with a cherry glaze). End with a sparkling cider toast to the new royal heir!