Top baby shower tips for 2022

Busy planning your upcoming baby shower? From nursery rhymes to animal-themed, we're looking at this year's hottest baby shower trends. We've also got some advice on planning the perfect virtual baby shower, and we answer the question: should dads get involved with baby showers?



Hot baby shower trends

2022 is the year of gender-neutral baby showers, exploring themes that don't adhere to the traditional 'blue for boys, pink for girls' orthodoxy.



1. Nursery rhymes

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, make my baby shower the best by far! Parents are loving this theme, using golds, whites and even blues to create a soft, sophisticated feel.



2. Bustling bees

Invitees will be buzzing with excitement when they see your bee-themed baby shower. Yellow and black is always a décor winner, and you can really have fun with bee-themed games and snacks.



3. Baby elephants

All animal-themed baby showers are a hit, but baby elephants are really having their moment in the spotlight this year! This can be paired with a jungle theme, or on its own incorporating soft pastels.



4. Baby-Que

Few events are as warm and welcoming as a traditional barbeque with friends and family. Grab the mason jars, whip out your red and white table runner, and get cooking good looking!



Should dads get involved?

Traditionally, baby showers were reserved for the mom-to-be and any close ladies in her life. Today, dads are wanting to be included, which has brought about trends like the 'nappy braai'.

A nappy braai is when dad-to-be and his mates get together for drinks while cooking meat over the coals. As the name suggests, there's only one item on this gift registry: nappies.

With COVID-19 concerns forcing countless moms and dads to host theirs at home, baby showers and nappy braais often take place concurrently. This makes for a more inclusive event where both future moms and future dads can celebration their child's arrival together.



Hosting a virtual baby shower

The pandemic showed us that where there's a will, there is always a way. Virtual baby showers have exploded in popularity since mid-2020. Here are a few things to remember when planning one:



• Test out online meeting platforms to see which will work best for everyone attending. Some people might not have Skype, while others might struggle with using Zoom or a similar app.
  
• Get attendees' email addresses and send out virtual invitations. These are great since you can include links to online baby registries, and they can RSVP instantly with one click.
  
• Prepare the gift opening well in advance. You'll probably need to get all the gifts delivered to the mom-to-be by at least a night or two before the baby shower. The last thing you want is to not have any gifts for opening on the day because of delivery issue.