While hosting an environmentally friendly party may take a little more thinking and effort, it has been found to cost less than a "conventional" approach without the unnecessary garbage — what could be better?
Going green doesn't have to be difficult; with a few simple changes, you can hold a stylish, eco-friendly baby shower without sacrificing any of the fun. Read on to discover eco-friendly party ideas that include everything you need to throw a gorgeous, green baby shower!
What is a baby shower?
A baby shower is a party held to celebrate the upcoming birth of a new baby. It's also an opportunity for friends and family to assist the new parents in getting everything they need for the arrival of their newborn. After all, babies require many items, and the list can quickly become costly.
You’re probably wondering When is the best time to throw a baby shower? The majority of baby showers occur four to six weeks before the due date. Guests will be able to choose baby shower gifts and decorations based on the gender of the baby.
Because the danger of miscarriage reduces with each passing week, many mothers prefer to have their baby shower later during their pregnancy. Plus, it gives them a better idea of what they’re still missing and what items could come in handy.
How much does an average baby shower cost?
Depending on the number of guests, the meal, and the location, a baby shower can cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000. Many baby showers are organized at the host's or hostess's house and there are usually between 15 and 40 attendees.
The baby shower and its accompanying costs are generally paid by the hostess. However, by asking a few close family members or friends to co-host, the hostess can divide the responsibility and expenditures. This lowers the overall cost and relieves some of the financial burden of throwing a baby shower.
12 eco-friendly baby shower ideas
Eco-friendly and ethical baby showers should be relatively inexpensive to put together. You are less likely to buy products if you are conscious of your environmental impact. If you're not a particularly crafty person, ask the assistance of someone who enjoys making things.
Here are some ideas for keeping your baby shower eco-friendly!
Host at Home
Hosting a party at home not only saves any potential venue expenditures, but it also allows you to buy your own food and drinks, thereby increasing your savings and optimizing event planning. You'll also have greater scheduling flexibility, since you won't be in a hurry to clean and clear the space as you would at a restaurant or event venue.
You also don't have to confine yourself to your living room. If the weather allows it, you may host the party outside on your terrace, in your backyard, or in a local park. Other low-cost possibilities include your condo or your apartment building's clubhouse.
By hosting your baby shower at home, you are able to put your own environmental twist on the décor, cuisine, and other details. The mummy-to-be will appreciate these small attempts to cut down on unnecessary costs and waste.
Electronic Invitations
Go green and paperless by sending out your invitations digitally via email! Sending your invitations by email also allows you to invite a large number of people without having to worry about postal costs, and it also allows you to keep track of all of your RSVPs in a much simpler way. Alternatively, if you prefer physical invitations, consider using natural or recycled materials.
Avoid anything disposable
Cleaning up is easier if you use plastic cutlery and styrofoam plates, but at what cost? It ends up in landfills. Choose a sustainable alternative like biodegradable tableware, or go old school and simply wash the dishes. Although a dishwasher consumes a lot of energy, when used with an environmentally friendly detergent, it is less hazardous. Equally, avoid gift wrapping paper, as it is toxic and bad for the environment.
Eco-Friendly Decorations
Choose baby shower decorations made of recyclable materials for your home, or better yet, re-use decorations from prior baby showers you may have thrown for a friend or family member. This is a cheaper alternative and nowadays, anything that can be reused. There are also decorations made from all-natural materials, which are ideal for the environmentally conscious mummy-to-be.
Keeping it personal
Nowadays you can get eco-friendly guest books so you don't have to worry about abandoning this tradition. Leave your blank guest book on the table for your visitors to sign and for you to keep as a memory of your beautiful baby shower.
Why not take the guestbook to the next level and make it a true keepsake by dividing it into parts and allowing your friends and family to offer any newborn baby advice or parenting recommendations you might need?
Not only will this parenting advice come in handy in the future, but you'll also be making your elegant guest book multifunctional rather than purchasing separate advice cards that are frequently tossed away after the baby shower.
Homemade Food
At your baby shower, skip the plastic packaging and go for a more natural look. Encourage your guests to bring homemade food so that you may limit the amount of packing used. The simplest approach to handle this is to assign each guest a dish or a few select items that they can prepare at home.
If you're short on time, encourage your guests who are purchasing the food to buy it in as little packing as possible to reduce waste. Make sure to include a note in your invitations about the eco-rule so that everyone is aware and has ample time to prepare.
Here are a few food items you can ask your guests to bring:
Fruit
Vegetables or pita bread with a homemade dip
Biscuits, cakes, and other sweet treats made from scratch
Sausage rolls, little quiches, mini frittatas, and other savory nibbles
Salads made using fresh ingredients
Pasta dishes (cook a large batch so there is enough for everyone)
Vegetarian Options
The average American dinner travels around 1500 miles from farm to plate! Not only does this produce a lot of pollution, but food that travels great distances also requires extra preservatives. Choose seasonal, local, and/or organic goods, as well as vegetarian options, for your menu. Because 1 calorie of animal protein requires ten times the amount of fossil fuel as 1 calorie of plant protein, going vegetarian when cooking for a large group of people makes a significant difference.
Hand-Me-Downs
Instead of putting pressure on your guests to wrap their gifts oh-so-beautifully with all the frills and trimmings, ask them to bring their baby gifts unwrapped. If this is too much of a stretch, they could wrap it in an eco-wrapping paper, recycled newspapers, or brown paper. It's a fun little exercise that will motivate everyone to be more inventive with their wrapping.
Another helpful hint is to accept hand-me-downs. Babies grow out of their garments rapidly, and mothers are frequently left with a stack of newborn items that haven't been worn. Instead of buying new clothes, guests can offer their no longer needed items as gifts, which is a charming, considerate, and environmentally friendly option.
Gift Registry
While generous guests who want to go above and beyond on the gift front are always appreciated as a soon-to-be mother, it can be difficult when you're left with gifts you may not use or even have space for, resulting in waste.
As the expectant mother, you can create a gift registry for your guests to choose from or encourage your guests to purchase gift vouchers that can be used toward baby accessories. Instead of going to waste, the mommy will be able to choose something unique for her baby or herself.
Such gifts could include:
Eco-friendly disposable diapers
Green Baby Shower Games
Simple waste-reduction games, such as "swaddle this" are ideal for green baby showers. Guests can put their swaddling abilities to the test on anything from couch cushions to novels after a quick demonstration.
You can also play a game of ‘baby bingo' as an alternative. Ask the mummy-to-be all kinds of questions a few weeks before the shower (what her due date is, if she's hoping for a girl or a boy, what foods she's been craving, etc.) and turn her responses into a bingo card. The first guest to construct a row of accurate answers at the shower is the winner!
After the party
Use non-toxic, biodegradable products to clean up after your green party. To reduce waste, send any leftover food home with your guests or freeze it if possible. Remember to recycle as much as possible.
Baby Shower Alternatives
No rule says you have to follow the standard baby shower protocol. Here are some alternatives to consider:
WebBabyShower
You could do away with a baby shower altogether and opt for a slight change of scene. This is where a virtual baby shower can help. WebBabyShower allows you to share your most precious moments with those you love from the comfort of their own homes. You can now send tracked emails and reminders to your visitors with WebBabyShower to ensure that they arrive on time for the event. It’s perfect if you have family and friends overseas!
Open House
This is perfect for those who want an eco-friendly event as open homes are less about giving gifts and more about getting people together who simply want to be a part of your celebration. Gifts are optional. It is, nevertheless, a good idea to have a few snacks and desserts on hand for your guests. Open houses are more flexible in terms of time commitment, allowing guests to drop by within a set time frame to say hello and wish the expecting mother well.
Being Charitable
This is eco-friendly in the sense that gifts or hand-me-downs are given to mothers who most need them. It's not easy being a single mom with minimal resources, and bad luck can strike at any time. This is why donating your gifts to a local women's shelter, foster family resource center, or pregnancy center is a great idea. Instead of giving you the present, you might ask your friends and family to donate directly to a cause that is close to your heart.
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