From Small Baby Shower Favors, Great Baby Shower Themes Grow!

For starters, let's agree that it isn't too difficult to choose a baby shower theme when you've just signed on as host of a baby shower. There are plenty of nursery rhymes, fairy tales, lullabies, cartoon characters, zoo stories, farm animals and, of course, the obsessions and professions (their alma mater, golf, the environment, gourmet cuisine, pro sports teams, doctor, lawyer, teacher, writer, airline pilot, bus driver, etc.) of the parents-to-be for inspiration.

And let's also acknowledge the fact that favors for a baby shower (and virtually any celebratory occasion) are almost always the last item on the party-planning check list. But I'm going to shake things up and suggest that some of the best baby shower themes spring from exploring baby Shower Party Favor Ideas first! Here's how…

Head to a popular baby shower favor site like Corner Stork Baby Gifts or Party City's Favors in the City and browse. Sometimes it helps to know the gender of the baby, but this method works even if you don't. We'll assume you know the gender of the baby for these first three examples:

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

If you know the baby is a girl, as you browse, you should be on the lookout for pink favors. You spot a sugar bowl in a pink gift presentation, and on the sugar bowl it says "Sugar and Spice" on one side and "Everything Nice" on the other. There's your theme, already matched with the perfect favor.

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

For a baby boy, check out the blue or green favors that get your attention. Your eye may be drawn to a blue boat-shaped favor box or a blue choo-choo train tea light holder with yellow trim. The name of the train favor is "Precious Cargo"—an uncommon, adorable and meaningful theme (since that's what the mom-to-be is carrying,) that triggers lots of cool decorating ideas.

Read All About It!

1) A new baby is always noteworthy, and 2) lots of baby shower favors come in both pink and blue. So when you see a favor called
"New Editions" Li'l Library Note Pads in either pink or blue, definitely take note! This favor offers plenty of theme ideas—"Read All About It," "A Noteworthy Event," "Something So Write," "A New Edition" (especially if this is not the mom's first baby,) and "The Sweet Story Begins" are just a few of many possibilities.

Baby Surprise!

Because there are so few wonderful surprises left in life, many couples are choosing to wait until their baby is born to learn if they have a daughter or a son. Non-gender specific baby shower favors can suggest super themes for the unknown, too. There's a favor called "About to Pop," and it's a red-and-white favor box that resembles a movie popcorn box. There's your theme! You can decorate with movie posters of films with the word baby, like Baby Boom, Baby's Day Out, Baby Geniuses and others. You might create your menu from movie theater fare, like popcorn, nachos, hot dogs, soft pretzels, Junior Mints, Twizzlers—you get the picture. If you like the movie theme idea, there's another boy-or-girl favor called "A Star is Born."

For Chicks of Both Genders!

While you"re browsing the favors, you"re likely to come across a collection called "About to Hatch." A precious, baby chick breaking out of its shell is the centerpiece for a salt and pepper shaker set, a whisk and an egg timer. Not only do you have an adorable theme for your shower—you can also mix and match your favors!

Just try this approach the next time you're hosting a baby shower or another event that needs a theme. There's magic in thinking outside the favor box!