Planning A "Green" Baby Shower

Many people are doing the sensible thing these days and "going green". We're becoming more and more conscious of our impact on the environment and how the things we do - or don't - do can make the difference. As a green mom, I am proud to be a part of a movement that can and will make a difference in our children's futures. Choosing to have a green baby shower (or any kind of shower, really) is not only better for the world, but better for the wallet!

When Carrie, my very amazing friend, offered to throw me a baby shower I expressed my interest in having an impact free gathering. We came across an article in the "Natural Awakenings" magazine that we get here in Grand Rapids that gave some great tips on having a green baby shower and used a lot of it's suggestions and came up with a few ideas of our own as well.

Decorations:
The first thing we usually think of is a theme and how we want to decorate. It was easy to come up with ideas when surrounded by such creative minds like my fantastical friends. 


For the decorations we used hemp twine as a laundry line that was zig-zagged across the room. We took the baby's clothes and put them on the line with clothes pins. My friend, Sarah, made some great paper chains out of paper grocery bags that we also strung across the room.

We also used small potted plants as not only decoration but as the party favors! It was a beautiful addition to the shower, but it was a lasting gift for our lovely guests. We also placed out the belly cast that Cassie and I had just finished. It was a beautiful way to celebrate the pregnant form. On top of that we bought some chocolates and I came across these great little cards that had great friendship quotes on them that I scattered across the tables for them to have and keep with them to remember how much they all mean to me. 

 

Guests:

Guests were challenged to a "green" wrapping competition. The person who could come up with the most creative and environmentally friendly way to wrap a gift got a prize of a Chico Bag, soy candle, a fluorescent light bulb and some lovely seeds for planting. There were so many great entries for this, but Sarah Smile took the cake by far! Check this out!!

That's a recycled Pizza Box weaved into a gift basket!

There were so many other great ones, like Kaitlyn who used a laundry basket which was also part of the gift. It simply had a lovely ribbon around it and was full of goodies! SO many things you can do with this and the money you might have spent on gift wrapping or cards can be spent on some extra cloth diapers or a rattle or something that will get used and not just tossed aside. Everyone wins...it's not only sensible environmentally, it's simply sensible.

Instead of having a "guest book" I put together the pictures fro my pregnancy including a lot from the professional photo shoot I had just done. People not only got to see my lovely pictures, but then signed it like a yearbook! 

We were also pretty clear about what we did not want in our invitations. I registered at an amazing local shop in Grand Rapids called "Hop Scotch Children's Store" where I registered for fantastic green items for baby.  We encouraged the guests to buy locally, to not buy new clothing, and to only buy all natural products for the baby. I thought that maybe some people would not understand or find it rude to be so suggestive, but at the same token, we did not want them to waste their money on things that would not get used. All in all it was a great way to educate people on the issues behind products and why it's more important to go organic. No one seemed to be offended in any way and actually seemed to enjoy the challenge.

Food

The food we had was almost completely organic and healthy. There was a fabulous variety and we used primarily real dishes instead of disposable. The few things that we did use that were disposable were also made out of corn and completely biodegradable. It was more lovely, cost less and other than the water used to wash them, it had no impact on the environment. 

Carrie's Awesome Cinnamon Bun Fruit Pizza. Yummmmm.

Party Favors

The guests were lucky enough to receive the potted plants that graced the tables as decoration and also got some lovely henna from Cassie. The henna was a fantastic and lasting favor that was no impact, creative and extremely unique. I'm just lucky enough to have such a talented friend who can do this for me.

Games

We slacked a little on the "greeness" of the games. We did use a few disposable diapers  to do the 'guess the melted candy bar in the diaper' game. Even though it wasn't our greenest move it was extremely funny.

MmmmMmmm. Guess that poo, girls!

We also played a game where we set out a jar full of safety pins and people had to guess how many were in there. It was simple and green. The winner of these games also received lovely green gifts and fun was had by all.

Here are the suggestions that we came across:

1. Set the Sustainable Scene
Choose a location that’s in line with your intention. An outdoor picnic is a relaxed way to enjoy a potluck lunch that comes complete with containers for guests to carry home any leftovers, reducing food waste. An afternoon tea, where guests bring their favorite cup and saucer, is a fun way to gather and eliminates the temptation of disposable plasticware.

2. Manage the Menu
Consider the amount of food needed to satisfy guests, banish excess and make the most of seasonal and organic menu ingredients. A hearty vegetarian chili and locally baked bread is a satisfying, simple lunch that everyone can enjoy; leftovers freeze easily. Focus on one high-quality dish and skip bloated buffets.

3. Green the Gifts
Ask guests to bring a frozen meal for the expectant parents to rely upon during those first few weeks of sleepless nights, or a gently used “re-gift,” to give only-worn-once clothes and barely touched toys a new home. Also, direct everyone to a cloth diapering site, where they can purchase one reusable diaper for the wishing well. Many people want to go green, but are new to nursery ideas, so be sure to provide the details.

4. Wrap It Up
Bring out guests’ competitive spirit by challenging them to come up with the most creative and sustainable gift wrap. Bows, ribbons and traditional papers can be traded in for receiving blankets, old paper maps or a beautiful new scarf for mom. Gift toppers could include pine cones or wooden teething rings. Reward guests for their bright ideas with a compact fluorescent light bulb.

5. Include the Guests
Make sure guests understand the intention of the afternoon and invite them to be an intimate part of the celebration by bringing along a personalized memento for the new mom. They might pass along a favorite book they have read to their own child or a framed photo of the guest of honor when she was a baby.

6. Spread the Word
Online party invitations have become more popular, but if you opt for printed invites, use a decorated 8½ by 11 sheet of post-consumer, recycled paper. It’s not only more economical than packaged invitations, it has space for all the green party details; plus, the rest of the ready-to-print computer paper is available for future projects.

7. Gather the Tribe
Give the expectant mom what other experts cannot: kitchen table wisdom. Pass around a journal and ask guests to finish a simple, but poignant statement like, “What I wish most for you is…” or “Looking back, I wish I would have known…” Along with reducing, reusing, and recycling, going green is a spiritual practice.

8. Make Something Beautiful
Beautifully mark the occasion by creating a one-of-a-kind gift for the baby. Ask friends and family to paint their palm and leave a handprint on an oversized plant pot, to be kept in the nursery. Gather scraps of fabric and invite attendants to cut out a heart shape, write their name on it and adhere it to a pillowcase with fabric glue, for the baby to rest on. Don’t worry if the project is perfect, the intention already is.

9. Do Everyone a Favor
Say farewell with seasonal gifts, like small pumpkins in the fall or packets
of seeds in the spring. Better than any token of appreciation will be the memories that friends and family take home.

10. Thank-you
Everyone enjoys receiving a thank-you; make sure yours sticks by mailing a photo magnet to guests. Develop pictures of the party, cut and glue a photo to discarded cardboard and “laminate” with packing tape, then attach a craft magnet to the back. Insert the magnet into an envelope and write, “You helped make the day picture perfect,” on the inside flap. This personal keepsake helps preserve the memories and the environment. 

All in all, have fun with it!! It's easy to come up with great ideas!