How to organize a Virtual Baby Shower?

The last 18 months have been difficult. We had and still have a global pandemic. It is something most of us never thought would ever happen. With this difficult situation comes a change of how we live our lives and what we can do. Things that were normal before are suddenly not safe or even not allowed anymore. With many countries still having some form of lockdown in place most people must adjust their lives to that.

In a difficult time like this having a party might be the last thing that comes into your mind. You want to keep your family and friends safe and do not want to increase their risk by having a big gathering. Especially when you are pregnant, you are already incredibly careful with your health. But getting a baby is something special, something that deserves to be celebrated. It would be sad not to honor this moment.

There is an alternative to a real party, and it is not new. Even before the whole Corona situation, people already had virtual baby showers. That means you celebrate by meeting your friends and family online with a video group chat. This already has been done by people who live far away from their loved ones but who still want them to participate. So, in a way having an online baby shower party even has an advantage, you can invite people who live far away, who would not be able to come to a normal party.

What is a virtual Baby Shower?

Thanks to technological advancement in the last few years having video calls with many participants is now something that everyone can do. This makes it possible to have an online party without spending any money at all. With almost everyone, even many elderly people, owning a smartphone or computer today, it is easier than ever.

But what do you do once all the guests have joined the group call?

You talk of course. It is about having fun and getting to know the parents-to-be. The attendees who are already parents can share advice, you can show and share photos and open gifts that have been send beforehand. You can also play games together. With a little search online, you will find many examples of what to play. You could also look in our online store to find many cute games that you send your guests to play.

How to prepare for a virtual Baby Shower?

Probably the most important decision you need to make is who you want to invite to your virtual baby shower party. You should think about how many people you would like to join the video call. Even if you could do it with up to 100 participants, it is probably not a good idea to invite so many. A smaller group is better so everyone can say something and play the games. If you have a big family and many friends having two or more parties would be a better idea.

Another important decision you must make is what voice call app you would like to use. You have a few to choose from. The most popular app has to be Zoom, which was relatively unknown before 2020, but became popular with the corona crisis. It offers video meetings with up to a 100 people for free. The only downside is that there is a time limit of 40 minutes. Alternatively, you could use Skype, which also offers 100 people meetings, Google Duo, with up to 30 people, and Facebook. If you are unsure what to use, ask around your family and friends if they have tried one of those apps and what they think might help.

Somehow you have to let all your guests know that there will be a party they are invited to. You could do that by calling them or sending a text message, but it is of course much nicer to send an invitation. Depending on the theme you choose for your party you can find many unique designs in our store or from other sellers online. For ease of use those invitations are often digital files that you can edit yourself or that are edited for you, and you can then download. The downloaded files you can use to print yourself at home or go to a print / photo shop or use one of the many online printing services.

Do not forget to setup a gift registry. Even if you are not able to meet, the guests can still give gifts. Especially today it is easier and faster than ever to send a package or order online and directly let them deliver it to the mommy to be. If the gifts arrive in time before the party, it could be a fun activity to unpack and talk about the gifts.

Decorating the rooms and creating a friendly atmosphere is important for a party. If you choose a certain theme, it can be a fun and creative part of your baby shower preparation. For a virtual party that is still true. Think about what the guests will see when you call them. Choose a place in your home where you would have a nice background that can be decorated. Depending on your theme you could hang a backdrop or sign and a bunting. Take a look in our store, we have a vast selection of party décor. Do not forget about good lighting. It can make a dramatic difference how you and your background look like. If you are planning to have more online meetings in the future (also for work) it could be worth it to invest in a ring light and a high-quality webcam.

Final Thoughts

Just because we live in grim times should not make us stop celebrating. Of course, a virtual meeting can never be as great as meeting your loved ones for real. But until we can go back to normal it is a fantastic alternative. Having a virtual baby shower could be a super fun event that you and your guests will remember for a long time to come.