Good Hostess Guide to Surviving a Baby Shower Tips for being a good hostess 1. Intro: Staying Calm 2. The Prep Work 3. The Pets 4. House Cleaning 5. Stocking Up 6. Decorating 7. Significant Others 8. The Food 9. The Shower 10. Your Day in Review Also check out these sections 8 Steps to the Perfect Baby Shower Baby Shower Timeline     All your Baby Shower Party Supplies ready to go from Shindigz

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The Good Hostess Guide
to Surviving a Baby Shower

Your Baby Shower Day in Review

Just as a basic guide, here is an example day you might have when hosting a baby shower if your shower is 3 hours long and beginning at 3:00pm in the afternoon.

The day before:  Clean your house, prep any food that can be done ahead of time, put up any decorations that can last overnight, and do something relaxing.

7am:  Wake up and have a relaxing tea, read a book or watch some television.

8am: Get dressed; skip the shower for now because you will need one later.

8:30am:  Vacuum the house.

9am:  Make any calls that need to be made.

9:30am: Set up the last of the decorations and get the food prepped.

1pm:  Have a shower, get dressed into your party clothes and check to make sure that all the last minute details are taken care of.

2pm: Relax for a few minutes.

2:30pm: Kick out your spouse or significant other if it is an all-girl shower.

2:45 to 3pm: Guests should begin arriving.  Greet them, show them to the party room and serve them beverages.  Start playing the first game if it is a game that lasts the length of the entire shower.

3:30pm:  Most of the guests should have arrived by this time but, if they haven’t, start without them.  Take out appetizers and freshen drinks. Start playing the first game.

3:45pm:  Play a second game or have the entertainment or video going while you get the last minute things done on the meal.

4:15pm: Eat, play a game if you choose to but mainly just enjoy conversation.

4:45pm:  Most meals will take about 30 to 45 minutes but don’t rush anyone.  If a shower runs over the allotted time, don’t panic.  Clean up and give the guests a conversation game to keep them occupied.

5pm: Open gifts.  This can take about 30 to 45 minutes, give or take, and you can start serving dessert and coffee or tea before all the gifts are opened.  If you have the dessert set up in a buffet style, guests will serve themselves and you can keep focused on the mother-to-be.

5:20pm:  Just a reminder to offer the desserts during the unwrapping.

5:45pm:  Guests will start to leave. I have found that no matter how long a party is, guests will start leaving about 15 minutes after the allotted time (longer if it is just a party with close family).

6:30pm:  Help load up the guest of honor, and start cleaning up.

7:30pm:  Relax! ... you've earned it :-)

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