Organic Baby Home • Baby Shower • Plan A Green Shower

Plan a Baby Shower
That Gives Back

Are you planning a baby shower and wondering how to express your desires for eco-friendly and organic gifts? Have a green-themed shower.

In other words, instead of focusing on gift preferences, take the opportunity to enlighten your family and friends about the benefits of making organic and sustainable choices. Below are some ideas to help you and your shower hosts set the tone for your guests.

The Invite

A green baby shower gives back.

Print your invitations on recycled card-stock. You can also find card-stock in a variety of natural fibers such as linen, bamboo and cotton.
Depending on the formality of the shower, and the internet savviness of your guests, consider an e-invitation to preserve paper waste.
Design the invite with text, colors, and images that reflect your theme. Weave in a sentence that subtly explains the theme choice. For example: "We are hosting a Green Baby Shower for Carol to help preserve the planet for her little angel."

"Dana has chosen to have a natural pregnancy and birth. Let's help her celebrate with an Organic Baby Shower!"
You can encourage guests to wear a shade of your favorite earthy tone: green, white, brown, etc. If that sounds like too much fuss, just have the mommy-to-be wear green. You might also suggest guests carpool.
You may need to use an insert to share your shower preparation ideas with your guests. In general, it's best to politely suggest rather than insist on your requests.

The Gifts

Baby shower guests can choose eco-friendly gift wrapping.

In the name of the environment, you could encourage baby shower guests to skip traditional gift wrapping methods.
Offer earth-friendly suggestions like brown paper grocery and shopping bags. They could also recycle gift bags they already have.
Depending on the scale and formality of the event, you could send eco-friendly gift wrap materials with the invite.
Another idea in lieu of wrapping paper, is to have guests use an organic baby blanket or towel and tie it with a bow.
It's common practice these days to say where the mommy is registered in the invite. Have your registry selections reflect your desire for green and organic shower gifts.
You can register with your favorite organic baby boutique online or in your area. In addition, you may want to select at least one baby gift registry that people are likely to be familiar with.
Target and Babies "R" Us both have a wide array of organic baby apparel online. This gives your guests moderately priced organic baby gifts to choose from. You will likely still get some conventional gifts, however be gracious. You can exchange them later, if you like.
You may not need to hear this, but just in case... Whatever you do, do not say anything close to "Organic baby gifts only please."
At the end of the day it's your responsibility to provide your little blessing with what you believe he or she needs to be healthy. Showers and gifts are just icing on the cake.

Don't forget to thank your guests with recycled thank you notes after the shower.

Earthy Atmosphere

If you have an outdoorsy crowd, you can pick an eco-friendly location. Your backyard, the beach, a garden, an aquarium, or an organic restaurant are just a few ideas. You can always choose someone's home and use decorations that reflect your theme.
Instead of balloons and streamers, use natural, biodegradable materials to decorate. Simple arrangements of flowers and plants reflect the theme. Incorporate natural materials such as glass, water, rock, bamboo and candles for centerpieces, place settings and/ or the buffet area.
Limes or green apples in vases, can make beautiful arrangements. Have guests take them home if you have excess.
You may want to place little table tents or name settings around the baby shower with eco-conscious facts on them. Ideas include benefits of organic food, how to shop for fair trade and sustainable goods, and facts about the eco-friendly aspects of the shower.
Use dishes instead of paper goods. If you host it at home, it may lead to a post-shower dish washing party. If you must use paper, go for recycled goods.
Don't forget to place a recycle bin on hand for trash and gift wrap.

Organic Menu

Here's an opportunity to play off the green theme with color: Organic green salad, fruit salad made with kiwis, green apples, and grapes, organic frappe (a mixture of green sherbet and lemon-lime soda) and green petit fours are just the tip of the iceberg here.
Shop at a farmers market or local farm for certified organic foods. If you have the meal catered, seek out one who serves organic foods.

Green Baby Shower Games and Activities

If you're reading this article, you already know this, but being green is in! A Green Celebrity Quiz would make a fun game idea. One of the hostesses can find out what celebrities are doing to express their "greenness" and list them in a left hand column on a sheet of paper.

In the right hand column list the names of the celebrities in random order and have guests match them up. The guest with the most answers wins. Other game ideas include green celebrity baby name trivia, or create an organic baby word search.
To help you get started, a post on Treehugger.com mentions Darryl Hannah, Pink, Bono, Natalie Portman and Prince for being green. According to this article on The Daily Green, Sheryl Crow had an eco-friendly shower of her own in July 2007.

For more game ideas visit our partner merchant BabyShowerGamesAtoZ.com.
Have natural and organic gifts on hand to give to the game winners. Some examples include certified organic lotion, body wash and natural wood picture frames. You could give out items individually or put them in gift baskets. A gift card to an eco-friendly store would also make a good choice.

Green Shower Favors

Don't forget about party favors. You could give out sacs of organic chocolate truffles or little bunches of organic fruit, trail mix or granola. Attach a special note to thank your guests for attending.
Some friends of mine gave out seeds to plant with a message that read, "Please plant these seeds and watch them bloom. Just like the baby that will be here soon!"
If the shower is at your home and casual, you could have guests take turns planting seeds in an organic garden for the baby. You'll want to provide the tools and some organic hand wash available.
For more favor ideas check out these Eco-Friendly Wedding Favors from Beau-coup.

Are you starting to envision your baby shower yet? Once you get started, you will think of more fun and creative ways to share your passion for organic living and conserving the earth's resources.