Are you a green mom to be or do you know one? Having a planet friendly baby shower will you get you or the natural mama friend and baby you are throwing one for, off to a great start. Forget the pink and blue, the color to be is green! Here are some party ideas that are low impact and helpful to the growing family.
The Invitations – In this digital age it is easier than ever to avoid paper invites if you want to. You can send online invites through a variety of places. Paperless Post is a good free one. You can also set up a Facebook group and invite people that way. For paper invites go recycled. InvitationBox offers products made using recycled, FSC or SFI certified paper. Also a portion of revenues are donated to the Conservation Fund.
Baby Registry – It is common to register for gifts but instead of doing so at a big box store why not try a local place that specializes in green and natural baby gear. Most major cities now have some of these unique stores and they offer cloth diapers, green toys, and glass baby bottles. If you have time for online shopping try The Ultimate Green Store and their gift registry where you can register for gifts and also find the registries of your friends.
Shower Decorations – One of my favorite ways to decorate for a shower is to hang a clothesline to hang baby goodies from. You could use wood clips to hang cloth diapers, a baby carrier, organic baby clothing and bibs, and natural rubber pacifiers. Once the party is over the mom can take the clothesline props home for her own greener laundry use. You could also decorate with live plants and potted herbs which can double as party favors. Beeswax or soy candles can be put inside mason jars to add a natural glow to the party. Couple those with vintage linens from the local antique store and you will have the perfect table setting.
Refreshments – For a baby shower the easiest route to go is simple and refreshing. Instead of a big store bought cake you could make nourishing, organic coconut cupcakes made with coconut flour and sprinkled with shredded coconut courtesy of Tropical Traditions. Some other ideas include raw fudge brownies, a salad bar, yogurt parfaits, and green smoothies. The color of the smoothies are perfect for the venue! Another idea might be to break out the soda stream and make some homemade sparkling juices with fresh fruit and raw honey.
Green Gifts – So what does a green mama need? Actually not that much in truth so you may want to see what you can gift from your own home or from a thrift store. This is why I love the idea of using a Facebook group to organize a shower because you can make it private and post a list of what the mom-to-be wants and needs there. Then guests can comment with what they have bought or discovered second hand and the list can be altered accordingly. Some gift ideas that you may want to buy “new” include newborn cloth diapers, glass bottles, (if the mom will bottle feed or pump), safe teethers and pacifiers, natural toys, and baby carriers or slings. Wrap gifts in recycled paper, newspaper, or even cloth. A bamboo baby blanket can make an excellent “wrapper”.
Green moms might also appreciate a weekly box from the local CSA or organic grocer, gift certificates to Whole Foods or a local green spa, and organic meals made and delivered by their mom friends. An offer to come watch the baby once every two weeks while the new moms naps might be just about the best gift ever, so get creative. If for instance, this is not a first child and the mom already has everything she needs, maybe the guests could bring a blessing to read instead of a gift.
It is important not to forget the purpose of a shower, which is to show the mom and baby all our love and support. That support doesn’t need to mean showering them with useless junk, even if it is cute.
Do you have any green baby shower ideas to share?
