Yay, I am in charge of something fun at work. I am planning a shower in about 2 weeks and I'd love some ideas! Two of the ladies here are pregnant and one's husband works here as well. Should I invite only the ladies or since the dad is here too, should I invite everyone? Also, what would be good for food (we've always done pizza and I think something new might be good)?? It would have to be cheap though and easy. I don't think I want to make food for about 25 people! I'd love any other suggestions too. It's both these mommas second baby while working here and times are tough, so I think the more expensive it is the more people might be turning it down. It is not company sponsered so we'll all be paying for our own lunch. I want to make this really special! Thank you!
Potluck and invite every one~~~ even desserts.....
We do this at work and we all have a great time
I think it is wonderful that you are concerned about the fact that times are tough and it will be hard for everyone to pay for an expensive lunch plus buy or contribute towards two baby gifts.
Pot luck (if you have a room in the workplace or nearby to hold it) is usually not too expensive for any one person. And you get a lot of good food. Showers are usually and mostly about giving some help to the expectant parents and not really about the decor or food so keep that in mind. Gifts can be the decor. Food can be simple. Cupcakes, cheeses good breads, one or two good salads or fruit bowl especially at this time of harvest...Good luck
I've planned several baby showers at work, and the best and easiets way to go for food is to have a potluck. It works great and there is always plenty of food. Display a sign up sheet in a location where everyone would see it, lunch room, copy room, bulletin board, etc. Just be sure to split it up for ways, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Drink and Desserts. It does however require a little work on the organizer as you'll have to sometimes go around the day before and remind people to bring something, if you've all know each other for a while it won't be hard to go around and harrrass people about what to bring. Good Luck and Have Fun with it!
How sweet of you. I have a suggestion, hopefully it will work. Do you think that you could ask everyone attending the shower to please bring a dish to the baby shower. You could also ask someone to bring paper plates, forks, cups etcs. Make it a potluck. Make sure to confirm a day or two in advance with everyone. Or you could ask everyone to chip in $5 and have something catered?
I guess this would depend on how close everyone is.
Good Luck.
I have been at several baby showers were the men was there and they even brought gifts.
Depending on what time this baby shower is, would determine the food. If you are having it at lunchtime, I would do a potluck. If you don't want to do pizzas, how about togos or Subay sandwiches. But potluck would be the way to go.
Good luck and have fun.
How about Naoha's Bagles? You can buy a dozen w/ two spreads for about $12.00 and then you could go to Safeway and get some stuff to add to it like cheese, turkey, grapes, carrots, etc.
Hi A.,
I love planning parties, especially showers! I have had really good luck doing a combo salad/baked potato bar. Everyone loves this because they can choose whatever they want and it is pretty inexpensive. You can dress it up by adding a few exotic or expensive toppings (like feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes, gourmet pasta salad) and you can also include a homemade soup or chili in a crock pot to keep warm. I have tried doing lentil or split pea soups and they have been a huge hit. The chili is a good choice if you do invite the men, because they tend to want something with meat in it.
I would then have a big sheet cake from Costco (everyone loves this cake and you can't beat the price $16.99, the same size cake at Safeway is $56.00!!!!). If you want the cake to be closer to your theme you can always request that they use certain colors and then dress the cake-up with your own store bought decorations.
In order to include some personal details, I have created my own games and decoration items by using photos of the "parents-to-be" as babies or children. I also created a photo matching game made out of celebrities photos as babies. These games are fun and less embarrassing than measuring a belly or having the crossing legs game at work and with the men/women combo!
Have fun!
I think this sounds like lots of fun! A co-ed shower sounds great since one of the ladies hubbies works there. Its nice to be able to get daddy included. A great idea for food that can be very reasonable is COSTCO! Order their sandwich or lavosh platters? They are about $25 a piece and serve 16-20 people each. They make a yummy parisian salad that comes in a 2 pack as well. All the ingredients are in the bag and ready to toss! This is what we have done for showers or birthday parties in the past and its a big hit. Who doesnt like Costco food?!?!? Good luck!
Quiznos does sandwich platters/boxes with chips and deserts, or chinese buffet is always yummy. One rice, a noodle dish and vegie dish. They will usually deliver too! Everyone wants a piece of cake or cupcake. If you are up for the little pit of mess, icecream cakes are so much fun.
Co-ed for sure.
Of course my mind is buzzing with ideas for games, and you did not ask for that. I'm gonna stop now. Have a great time!
My work baby shower was a potluck. I LOVED it and trying all the different foods. Have fun...
How Fun! Potluck is the best way! Have everyone who can bring something like a spinach dip, fruit, little sandwiches, etc... I found the gifts for the games for the shower I threw for my friend at the dollar store & @ Rite Aid. Mostly the dollar store, packaging and all kinds of stuff. They usually have plates and napkins too!
My baby shower at work was a double one (happened to be my officemate, so there were lots of jokes) and co-ed (I worked mostly with men, but there were a good number of women in the group) and we only had dessert. I asked for fresh fruit for me and whoever else was concerned about watching what they ate & whatever they wanted for the rest (they did a Costco cake). I think typically we asked for $10 per person to cover the costs of dessert and gift. [Traditionally whoever was "next up" had to plan things, so I planned a shower when I was 5 months pregnant.]
My husband's work also gave us a shower and it also was co-ed (made sense because he worked there :-) ) and again was only dessert / snacks.
