A normal baby shower lasts around two hours. This allows your guests plenty of time to eat or snack, speak with the mom-to-be, play games (if you're providing activities), and watch the mom-to-be receive her gifts. A drop-in baby shower is another possibility. These are much less formal events where anyone can show up at any time and share in the celebration with tea and cookies provided. Guests typically stay for about an hour and leave before the party gets started so the parents have time to chat privately before the big day.
It's nice if the bride-to-be has some idea of what she wants from her shower. However, it is not necessary. She may just want something simple like a gift certificate to a local spa. Whatever she chooses to do with the gifts is up to her. Some women choose to buy a gift for each person attending the shower while others prefer to give gifts as they arrive. Either way, make sure she knows that you are happy to help out with ideas if she needs them.
As far as the number of people invited, that depends on how many friends and family the couple wants to celebrate their news with. Usually, only close relatives aren't invited to a baby shower. The husband's side of the family usually hosts these parties so it's best to call first to make sure someone can attend.
How Long Does a Baby Shower Gift Opening Last? Other Factors to Consider When Planning a Baby Shower How Long Do Baby Showers Last? Baby showers last about 2-3 hours on average, depending on what is planned for the party. Make sure you leave enough time to enjoy all of the baby shower games and activities you've planned for the day. This may require extending the event if necessary.
Most parties begin around 4pm and end at 8pm. If you plan to start eating dinner at 5:30 or 6:00pm, you have about an hour left before things wrap up. You should also plan on having more than one activity during the shower so it doesn't run too long. If people want to stay longer, we recommend leaving enough food and drink for everyone to enjoy while they wait for the next activity to start.
Here are some other factors that might influence how long your party lasts:
If you're giving gifts, make sure you allow enough time for this part of the party too. It usually takes 15-20 minutes per person until you get to go home, so an average party invites 20 people. That's 200 minutes (3 hours) of gift opening!
People tend to eat a lot more at baby showers than they do otherwise. On average, guests consume 30% more calories at a baby shower than they do elsewhere.
A normal baby shower lasts roughly two to three hours. As visitors come, they are served food and beverages and encouraged to interact. The activities begin approximately 30-45 minutes into the shower, after all of the guests have come and had a chance to enjoy food and drink. Another 30–45 minutes are generally spent on 3-5 different games. When the time is up, the "shower" ends and the guests leave with gifts for the mother-to-be.
The typical shower has about 20-40 guests. If you have more than this number coming, divide the extra people into separate parties so everyone gets a chance to see the baby and give a gift.
The order in which people arrive at the party determines how they will play various games. The first thing to do when arriving at a party is to find out who all is coming so that you can plan your visit accordingly.
It's important to remember that not every person at the party needs to give a gift. Some friends or family may simply want to spend time with the mother-to-be and her family and not contribute money or goods to the cause.
However, if she does happen to accept some gifts, then make sure they are appropriate for the age of the baby. For example, if it's a boy then maybe get him a set of car keys or something along those lines.
Decide on an end time. This will help you and your guests stay on track so you can hand out baby shower party favors and say your goodbyes in plenty of time. On the baby shower invites, provide the start and end times. That way, your guests will know ahead of time and can count on having a good time for at least 2-3 hours.
If you want to keep things simple, just write "anytime" instead of an exact end time. If you're having a small shower, you could even write "shower anytime" on your invitations. But don't forget about those who can't make it until then - include a note on your invitations asking people to call you or send you an email if they would like to come early or late.
The most common time range is from 3 pm to 7 pm. This gives people enough time to stop by after work or on their day off but still have time left for dancing at the wedding reception. You may not want to limit the time or give a specific date because some couples prefer to keep their wedding day as private as possible. But many other couples like to have the pressure of a deadline to help them move faster toward getting married. Either way, be sure to include this information on your invitations.
Of course, you can also choose not to put an end time on your shower invitations if you'd rather people stay longer.
Drive-by Showers are Transient. Traditional baby showers often run two or three hours, which compensates for the additional time you spend planning it. A drive-by shower, on the other hand, requires just as much planning as a bath, but it's only for a few minutes. They're easy and convenient, but they can't compare to the comfort of an actual shower.
The length of your party depends on how many people show up. If it's just you or a couple of friends, go ahead and have a full-on shower. If you're having trouble coming up with a gift idea, think about what kind of a person you want to celebrate the pregnancy with. Is she interested in fashion? Sports? Food? Invite those kinds of people. Or, if you want to make it more general, think about what kind of person you want to celebrate life with. Answering that question will help you come up with a good theme and guide you in the direction of unique gifts.
Regardless of the number of guests attending, we recommend that you plan to spend at least an hour and a half at your party. This gives everyone enough time to see you pregnant and enjoy some refreshments before leaving you alone again.
Of course, this is only an average. Some parties may be longer or shorter depending on how engaged you and your guests are with the conversation.
Consider treating yourself at a spa or researching the mother-to-interests. Be's If she like crafts, consider holding the baby shower in a crafts workshop; if she enjoys sports, consider holding it at a bowling alley or an ice skating rink.
Baby showers often take a few hours, but the mom-to-be will remember this experience for the rest of her life. As part of the celebrations, ask her if she would like any baby shower games.