Theme Idea 1: The Virtually Virtual Shower
Plan a shower that you won’t attend but will attend to — a virtual shower. Thanks to the Internet, you can locate almost any kind of dinner and send it anyplace where mail delivery trucks trek. This is a lucky break for the hostess with the most-est who’s two states away, since it means that you can send the new parents-to-be a gift certificate to their favorite bistro or send them an order of their favorite ribs to enjoy right at home.
And while they’re licking barbeque sauce off their fingers, moms-to-be can open the lovely baby blanket you had sent from the gift registry so that it arrives at the same time. A gift, a meal, and a baby-on-the-way — it’s a shower; if you can think it virtually, you can make it a reality.
As the virtual hostess, you won’t be there to control the details, so don’t try. Keep things limited to a few elements, and then bask in the knowledge that you have given a mom-to-be a shower she’ll be talking about for years. This is the ultimate online experience for baby showers and the major planning is just a few clicks away.
In addition to being a virtual hostess, you may want to consider hosting a webpage for the parents-to-be. For the digitally minded, it may only take an hour to set up, but it could include photos of mom-and-dad-to-be, other siblings, pregnancy updates, baby-item wish lists, shower information, potential baby names, and even a baby blog.
Send out an e-mail blast to family and friends announcing the birth of the webpage and any security information they will need to access it.
Alert
Perishable foods can be sent almost anywhere in the country, but when sending food items remember to make sure that there will be someone home to receive the package. The food will be frozen or packed in dry ice, but it is only guaranteed fresh and safe for about twenty-four hours from the time it was mailed.
Setting It Up
The key elements for the virtual hostess to plan are the food and the gift; then you can add on flowers, favors, and fun. There are a number of ways to make this work:
You pay; they plan. In this scenario, you do a little research, either on the Internet or by placing a well-timed call to the dad-to-be to find out the mom’s personal preferences or local favorites. Then you call or e-mail to have a gift certificate sent to the happy parents, who pick their best night to go out to dinner. You send a baby gift from their online registry, and you’re done. Depending on your budget, you can increase the amount of the gift certificate so they can bring friends or family. This works well for the mom who has a busy work or social schedule.
You pay; you plan; you send her out for a party. This approach involves you setting everything up for a party at a location that is not in a home. You could arrange for a dinner with friends on a specific evening or a supper followed by a concert. Contact the expectant mother or father to get some preliminary particulars such as date availability, general mobility, and her approval for the event details before you punch in a credit card number and hit send.
You pay; you plan; you send it to her at home. The doorbell rings, and the party arrives. Whether it’s a shower for the girls, a backyard barbeque for family, or breakfast in bed, this party comes to her. Since you aren’t limited by restaurant guidelines and restrictions, you can send as much in the way of details as suits your virtual fantasy. Flowers, plates with matching napkins, crazy games, even lawn furniture can make its way to the baby shower house.
Fact
Even virtual hostesses will want to see the excitement of their party for real. Have partygoers capture the moments with a digital camera and upload them onto a personal webpage or family website. Email the address to family and friends to share the joy.
Virtual Shower Themes
Here are some virtual shower “seedlings” to get your party ideas flowing.
Grill Me Tender, Baby. Fire up the grill, the best ribs are on the way! Mail order a load of barbequed ribs with all the fixin’s, including sauce, corn bread, and coleslaw.
The Maine Event Lobster Bake. Make Mom’s mouth water when she opens the door to this portable lobster bake straight from the icy waters of the North Atlantic. She’ll love the idea of wearing this bib, and so will her guests. Lobster bakes are available for two to 20 people, depending on your budget.
Let Them Eat Cake. Or cookies. Or cheesecake. Send a phenomenal dessert. If you have a favorite bakery, ask them if they do mail order. If not, see what’s recommended on the cooking shows or in a gourmand’s magazine. See these food resources for some sweet ideas.
Gifts that Work with This Theme
Some ideas include:
Sterling silver. Mail order from Tiffany’s is more than a virtual gift, it’s an actual keepsake. Consider a rattle, teething ring, handled cup, silver spoon, or even a silver toothbrush. And the boxes will fit in a purse.
Picture frames. There will be plenty of pictures of the new baby, so there can’t be too many frames. If you have old pictures of Mom or Dad you could also frame these and send them.
If you are sending a gift to the home, size may not matter, but if the gift will arrive at a restaurant or other away-from-home location, you should consider the size of the mailing package as well as how the venue will store the gift until your shower date arrives. A canopy bassinette or baby carriage is sure to be appreciated, but its cumbersome arrival swathed in bubble-wrap and packing materials will make it difficult for a café to store and potentially impossible for the ride home.
