Christmas Baby Shower Ideas for a Merry Little Celebration

By Jan Bay

A Christmas baby shower already has one lovely advantage: half the decorating can come straight out of your holiday boxes. The trick is keeping it a baby shower, not turning it into another Christmas party. A row of tiny stockings above the gift table, a cranberry bow on the cake stand, and a few little baby details tucked among the ornaments will do it. You can make the whole room feel festive without spending a fortune on decorations you'll only use once.

Shop Supplies for Your Christmas Baby Shower Dessert Table Here

Christmas Baby Shower Themes

If you're putting together a Christmas baby shower, keep an open mind as far as the color palette is concerned. Christmas decorating has moved far beyond holly, ivy and red berries. A traditional red and green shower can be gorgeous, but so can a pink Christmas party or a snowy winter celebration with hardly any red in sight.

I'd start with three things: the colors, the main decorating area, and one little detail that says a baby is on the way. That last one matters. Otherwise, your beautiful baby shower might look suspiciously like the Christmas party you hosted last weekend.

1. A Classic Christmas Baby Shower

Deep cranberry red, evergreen, white and a little sparkle make a lovely traditional Christmas baby shower. Picture a white cake with tiny baby booties on top, red velvet bows tied around the serving stands, and a Christmas tree with a few baby-themed ornaments tucked among the decorations.

Use white dishes so the food stands out. Put the cake in the center of the dessert table with cupcakes on one side and a small platter of cookies on the other. Leave some bare tabletop showing. It's tempting to keep adding decorations, but the cake deserves to be seen.

A small stocking with the baby's name or the family surname would be a sweet finishing touch. Hang it above the gift table, where guests can see it without having to search through the decorations. My baby Christmas stocking ideas include personalized, handmade, crochet and quilted styles if you're choosing a stocking for the celebration.

2. Santa Baby Shower Theme

A Santa Baby shower gives you permission to have a little more fun. Think cheerful red and white decorations, tiny Santa hats on the place settings, and a dessert table with a few red-and-white treats.

Instead of covering the room with Santa decorations, make one Santa-themed display the star. A small red sack marked "Gifts for Baby" beside the present table would be cute. Add a white cake with a red hat topper and perhaps a row of miniature stockings along the front of the table.

This would be my pick for a casual afternoon shower where you want the decorations to feel cheerful rather than formal. You could even have guests write their wishes for the baby on little gift tags and tuck them into a stocking for the parents to save.

3. Pink Christmas Baby Shower for a Girl

Pink and Christmas decorations can be beautiful together, especially when you use something richer than ordinary pastel pink. Blush, cranberry and burgundy are a pretty combination. Add white serving dishes and silver ornaments, and you have a feminine Christmas party without making everything look sugary sweet.

Start with a blush tablecloth, a deep red velvet ribbon around the cake stand, and a few pink ornaments displayed in clear glass bowls. A white cake with pink bows and tiny baby shoes would tie the whole thing together.

I'd keep the large decorations simple. You don't need a pink Christmas tree, pink balloons, pink tableware and pink everything else. A traditional tree with pink and burgundy ornaments is plenty.

A pink poinsettia Christmas baby shower: If you love flowers, try decorating with blush or dusty-pink poinsettias instead of traditional Christmas red. A few artificial pink poinsettia blooms tucked into the greenery along the dessert table would be beautiful with ivory linens, burgundy velvet ribbon and champagne-colored ornaments.

I'd arrange three small poinsettia displays rather than one enormous arrangement: one beside the cake, one near the gifts and another on the guest-of-honor's table. You could even repeat the pink petals on the cake with sugar flowers made by a baker. Keep artificial flowers off the food itself, and you'll have a Christmas baby shower that feels both festive and feminine without buying an entirely new set of decorations.

4. Gingerbread Baby Shower

Here's a Christmas theme that gives you plenty of decorating ideas without needing an enormous budget. Use gingerbread brown, snowy white and a little red. Gingerbread house decorations, icing-style borders, striped ribbon and gingerbread cookies make the theme easy to recognize.

A simple gingerbread house could sit on a raised stand at the center of the dessert table, with a tray of baby-bottle and little-sock cookies beside it. Use a white table runner and brown kraft-paper favor bags tied with red string.

Don't try to turn the whole room into a gingerbread village. One decorated house and a few matching details will look much prettier than a dozen competing displays.

5. Winter Wonderland Christmas Baby Shower

If you're not fond of traditional Christmas red and green, a snowy winter theme might be just the thing. White, silver and a little dusty blue or icy lavender give the room a wintry look, while Christmas ornaments and tiny stockings keep it connected to the holiday.

I'd use a white tablecloth, silver-rimmed trays, snowflake decorations and a cake decorated with small white stars. A few glass bowls filled with silver ornaments would make inexpensive centerpieces. You could also use snowflake cookies as part of the dessert display.

The biggest advantage is that you can carry this theme straight into January. If the shower has to be moved until after Christmas, you won't have to change the whole plan.

6. Woodland Reindeer Christmas Baby Shower

For something a little more rustic, use woodland reindeer as your Christmas theme. Soft brown, forest green, white and touches of red look especially pretty against wood furniture.

Decorate the gift table with a pair of small reindeer figures, a wooden tray of wrapped gifts and a few red bows. Reindeer-shaped cookies and a simple white cake with a deer silhouette would complete the look.

This is a nice choice for a baby boy or a gender-neutral shower, though there's no reason you couldn't use it for a girl. You could trade the dark green for dusty rose without changing the theme at all.

7. A Little Nutcracker Christmas Shower

A Nutcracker-inspired baby shower can be quite elegant if you keep the colors under control. Cranberry, dusty rose and plum with touches of silver would give the party a lovely old-fashioned Christmas feeling.

Use two matching nutcracker figures at the ends of the dessert table, with a cake in the middle. Add satin bows, miniature wrapped gifts and neatly arranged cookies. Ballet slippers or tiny baby shoes make an especially sweet connection to the new arrival.

Let the nutcrackers be the decoration guests notice first. There's no need to add soldiers, drums, toy horses and every other Christmas character you can find.

8. Vintage Christmas Baby Shower

Imagine an old-fashioned Christmas with plaid ribbons, little brass bells, red stockings and wrapped packages tied with string. There's something especially sweet about mixing those familiar decorations with the excitement of a new baby.

A plaid table runner, a white cake and a few vintage-style ornaments are enough to get started. Put the gifts in brown paper with red ribbon, then add a little pair of baby booties beside the cake.

If you've got family Christmas decorations that have been carefully saved, this would be a lovely occasion to bring out a few of them. Just keep anything delicate or valuable away from the food and busy serving areas.

9. Candy Cane Christmas Baby Shower

Red and white stripes give you an easy color scheme for a cheerful Christmas shower. Use striped napkins, red bows, white dishes and a dessert table with peppermint-colored treats.

A white cake with red piping, sugar cookies decorated like little baby outfits, and a bowl of wrapped candy canes would look festive without needing complicated decorations.

I'd skip the giant candy-cane arches unless you're decorating a particularly large room. On an ordinary dining table, smaller striped details look much nicer and leave room for guests to reach the food.

10. A Starry Christmas Baby Shower

A quiet Christmas celebration with stars, white lights and soft holiday colors is a lovely choice when the guest of honor prefers something less playful. Deep burgundy, warm white and silver stars would be beautiful together.

Use a simple cake decorated with stars, a few small wrapped presents and a string of tiny lights along the back of the display. Place a basket of cards nearby where guests can write messages and wishes for the baby.

If the family would enjoy a faith-centered celebration, a nativity display and a short blessing could be included. If not, the same decorations work as a lovely Christmas-night theme without adding a religious element.

Which Christmas Baby Shower Theme Should You Choose?

Before you settle on a theme, open those Christmas decoration boxes and see what you've already got. You may be surprised at how little you need to buy once you decide which decorations can do double duty.

If you already have red and green decorations: Choose a classic Christmas or vintage Christmas shower. Use your existing tree, ornaments and serving dishes. Spend a little on baby-themed decorations for the cake and gift table rather than buying an entirely new set of holiday decorations.

If you're planning a shower for a baby girl: Pink Christmas would be lovely, especially if you have blush or burgundy decorations. Check what you already own before choosing the exact shades. A few coordinated ribbons and ornaments can change the look of an ordinary Christmas tree.

If children will be attending: Gingerbread or Santa Baby would be fun. A cookie-decorating activity or a Christmas stocking guessing game fits right into the celebration. Choose one activity you have room to set up rather than trying to keep several going at once.

If the shower might take place after Christmas: Choose winter wonderland. Snowflakes, silver ornaments and icy blue decorations still look lovely in January. You won't have to leave your Christmas tree standing just to make the party decorations make sense.

If you're hosting in a small home: Choose a theme that can be carried through with a decorated dessert table and a few small details. A giant balloon display or elaborate backdrop may take up space that would be better used for guests and gifts.

Whatever you choose, settle on the cake, table colors and one main decorating area before buying anything else. You can add the little extras after that. Chances are, you'll find you don't need very many.

Christmas Baby Shower Decorations and Centerpieces

Now that you've chosen a theme, take a look around the room where you're having the shower. You may already have a Christmas tree, decorations on the mantel, and something pretty on the dining table. That's a good start, and it means you don't have to decorate every corner again.

I'd concentrate on three areas: the entrance, the cake table, and the spot where guests will leave their gifts. Those are the places where a few carefully chosen decorations can make the party feel special.

Decorating the Christmas Baby Shower Dessert Table

The dessert table will probably be the prettiest part of the room, so give it some space. A six-foot table is a comfortable starting point if you have room for one. Put the cake near the center, arrange a platter or stand on either side, and leave the front edge clear enough for guests to set down their plates.

There are a few simple ways to dress it up:

• Use a plain white tablecloth with a runner in your Christmas colors.
• Repeat the same ribbon on the cake stand, favor bags and gift table.
• Add a small decorative baby stocking or pair of baby shoes beside the cake.
• Choose serving stands of two different heights rather than lining everything up flat.
• Keep large decorations toward the back so they don't get in the way of serving.

Don't scatter ornaments all over the table. They're pretty until somebody has to move six of them just to get a cupcake.

A Christmas Baby Shower Gift Table

The gift table doesn't need much. Cover it with a cloth, hang a little stocking or decorative sign above it, and leave most of the surface empty. Guests will fill that space soon enough.

If you have a Christmas tree in the room, the gift table could go beside it. Wrapped presents will become part of the decorations as they arrive. A basket for cards is useful, too, since little envelopes have a way of disappearing underneath larger packages.

A separate table for gifts keeps everything tidy and lets you take a nice photograph before the packages are opened.

How to Make a Christmas Diaper Cake Centerpiece

A Christmas diaper cake is one decoration I particularly like because it doubles as a useful gift for the new parents. You can make a three-tier diaper cake with ordinary disposable diapers, then dress it up with cranberry velvet ribbon, tiny baby booties and a little Christmas greenery.

For a traditional Christmas baby shower, I'd use white diapers with deep red ribbon and a small pair of knitted baby booties on top. If you're decorating for a pink Christmas shower, simply trade the cranberry ribbon for dusty rose and add a few artificial pink poinsettia blooms around the base.

Christmas Diaper Cake Supplies

• Approximately 45 to 65 disposable diapers, preferably size 1
• A sturdy round cardboard cake base
• A cardboard paper towel tube for center support
• Large rubber bands or clear elastic bands
• Wide cranberry, burgundy or dusty-pink ribbon
• A small pair of baby booties or baby socks
• Artificial Christmas greenery or pink poinsettia decorations

Putting Your Christmas Diaper Cake Together

1. Build the bottom tier. Arrange diapers upright in a circle around the cardboard tube. Add more diapers until you have a full, round bottom layer. Secure the tier with a large rubber band.
2. Make the middle tier. Arrange a smaller circle of diapers around the same center support and secure it with another band.
3. Finish the top tier. Make one more small circle of diapers, checking that all three tiers are centered and balanced.
4. Add your Christmas ribbon. Wrap a wide piece of ribbon around each tier to conceal the bands. Secure the ribbon to itself rather than gluing or pinning anything to the diapers.
5. Decorate the finished cake. Place the baby booties on top and add a few artificial greenery sprigs or pink poinsettia blooms to the ribbon. Attach them to removable decorations rather than directly to the diapers.

Set the finished diaper cake on the gift table or use it as the centerpiece of a small display. I wouldn't pile on ornaments, little toys and Christmas figures. The ribbon, greenery and baby booties are enough to make it look like a Christmas gift.

Keep artificial flowers, wires and other decorative pieces separate from the diapers, and remove all the decorations before the diapers are used. The finished cake is a party display, not something intended for a baby to play with.

If you've never made one before, my step-by-step diaper cake instructions explain how to assemble the tiers, keep the cake balanced and make it easy for the parents to take apart afterward.

Three Easy Christmas Baby Shower Centerpieces

The ornament bowl: Put five to seven coordinating ornaments in a wide glass bowl, depending on their size. Add a ribbon around the base if you like. This works especially well on a small round guest table because nobody has to peer around a tall arrangement to carry on a conversation.

The miniature stocking display: Arrange three little decorative stockings on a low wooden tray, with a few wrapped packages beside them. Keep the stockings small enough that the centerpiece doesn't look like another gift table.

The candlelight arrangement: Put three battery-operated pillar candles of different heights on a tray with a few silver or red ornaments. Choose flameless candles if the table will be crowded with guests, napkins and party decorations.

For a long rectangular table, I'd use two small arrangements rather than one enormous centerpiece. Leave the middle open for plates, serving dishes and the things guests actually need.

A Simple Christmas Baby Shower Backdrop

If you want a place for photographs, choose a blank wall near a window or somewhere with good light. A simple fabric backdrop with a few coordinated bows, hanging paper stars or a small baby-themed sign is enough.

A balloon garland can look lovely, but I wouldn't cover an entire wall with balloons unless you really enjoy putting them together. A short arrangement along one upper corner gives you color without taking over the photograph.

Leave a few feet between the backdrop and the furniture if possible. That gives guests room to stand together for pictures without squeezing themselves between a table and the wall.

If you're still deciding which decorations to make or buy, my baby shower decoration ideas include more ways to arrange tables, backdrops and party displays without filling every available space.

Christmas Baby Shower Cakes and Desserts

A Christmas baby shower cake doesn't have to look like it belongs in a bakery window. You can start with an ordinary round cake and make it fit the occasion with a few well-chosen decorations.

I'd rather see a lovely white cake with a little pair of baby booties on top than a cake covered with Santa, reindeer, snowmen, ornaments and a dozen other things competing for attention.

Five Christmas Baby Shower Cake Ideas

Baby booties Christmas cake: A white frosted cake with a pair of edible fondant booties, a cranberry ribbon border and a few tiny sugar stars. It's sweet, easy to recognize as a baby shower cake, and works with almost any traditional Christmas theme.

Santa Baby cake: A white or red cake with a little edible Santa hat on top and matching red piping around the bottom. Put it on a white stand and let the color do the decorating.

Pink Christmas cake: White frosting with blush and burgundy bows, tiny silver stars and a pair of pink baby shoes. This would be lovely on a dessert table with pink ornaments and burgundy ribbon.

Gingerbread baby cake: A white cake with gingerbread-colored details and a few decorated cookie shapes. Baby bottles, little socks and stars would carry the baby shower theme without making the cake look like a gingerbread house.

Winter wonderland cake: A white cake with delicate silver snowflakes and a few small lavender or pale blue decorations. I'd keep the frosting smooth and the top simple.

If you're ordering from a bakery, take along a picture of the table colors and ask which decorations are edible. Real knitted baby booties can make a sweet keepsake topper, but put a clean, food-safe barrier between the booties and the frosting. Remove them before slicing. Or ask the baker to make edible fondant booties instead.

Christmas Cookies and Cupcakes

Decorated sugar cookies are especially nice for a Christmas shower because you can give ordinary Christmas shapes a baby-themed twist. Little socks, baby bibs, bottles, stars and tiny mittens can all be decorated in the same colors as the cake.

For cupcakes, I'd choose one frosting color and change the decorations rather than making six different varieties. A few could have red bows, a few silver stars, and the rest could have tiny baby-themed toppers.

You don't need cake, cupcakes, cookies, cake pops, brownies and three kinds of candy. Pick two desserts besides the main cake, at most, unless sweets are the entire menu.

Choose the Cake Before Buying the Decorations

If you know you want a special cake, choose it early. Then use the colors and one or two of its decorative details on the rest of the table. That's much easier than buying decorations first and trying to find a cake that matches everything.

For more shapes, serving arrangements and simpler homemade options, take a look at my baby shower cake ideas.

Christmas Baby Shower Food Ideas

Christmas food is wonderful, but you don't have to prepare a holiday dinner just because you're having a Christmas baby shower. If the party starts at two in the afternoon, a table of pretty finger foods and desserts is perfectly reasonable. If you're inviting everyone for lunch, that's different. They'll need something more filling.

I'd plan the menu around the time of day before choosing a single recipe. That one decision can save a lot of cooking.

A Christmas Baby Shower Brunch

A late-morning shower would be lovely with mini quiches, cinnamon rolls, fruit, croissant sandwiches and a pot of good coffee. Add a little Christmas sparkle with red napkins, a bowl of clementines and a plate of star-shaped sugar cookies.

If you're making a breakfast casserole, do the preparation the evening before and bake it on the morning of the party. Keep the rest of the menu simple enough that you're not working at the stove when guests arrive.

An Afternoon Christmas Baby Shower Menu

For a two o'clock shower, I'd put together something like this:

• Mini turkey and cheese sandwiches or chicken salad croissants
• A tray of fresh vegetables with dip
• A fruit platter with grapes, berries and clementines
• Small cheese and cracker plates
• Christmas sugar cookies
• One baby shower cake
• Hot cocoa, coffee, tea and a cold nonalcoholic punch

That's a complete light afternoon spread. You can serve it on regular white platters and let the Christmas ribbon, napkins and table decorations make it festive.

If the shower falls during the lunch hour, add a substantial warm dish or increase the sandwiches. A light afternoon menu shouldn't be mistaken for a full lunch just because it's arranged beautifully.

A Cozy Christmas Baby Shower Lunch

For a small gathering at home, a baked pasta dish, warm rolls, a green salad and the Christmas cake would make a perfectly nice lunch. Guests can sit down, enjoy their food and visit without balancing plates of little appetizers.

If you want something even easier, serve a soup and sandwich lunch. Two kinds of sandwiches, one soup, fruit and dessert would be plenty for an informal shower.

Setting Up the Food Table

Put plates at the beginning of the food table and napkins and utensils where guests can reach them without going backward through the line. Keep drinks on another table if you have room. It prevents everyone from gathering in one spot while somebody pours a cup of coffee.

With chilled sandwiches, dips and other perishable dishes, put out smaller platters and replenish them from the refrigerator. If food isn't being kept hot or cold, don't let it sit out indefinitely. FoodSafety.gov's holiday entertaining guidance explains ways to keep buffet foods at suitable temperatures. Perishable dishes left at room temperature need to be refrigerated or discarded within two hours.

Keep the cakes and cookies away from the warm dishes if you can. They'll look prettier, and guests won't have to reach across casserole pans to get dessert.

My baby shower menu ideas have more complete brunch, lunch and finger-food combinations if you're feeding a larger group.

Christmas Baby Shower Games and Activities

Christmas baby shower games can be a lot of fun, especially when you borrow a familiar holiday idea and give it a baby twist. But I'd stick to two games and perhaps one little activity guests can do whenever they like.

There's no need to fill every minute. People came to celebrate the baby, eat something good and enjoy visiting with each other. Let them.

Christmas Baby Shower Bingo

Give each guest a blank bingo card with twenty-five squares. Have them write baby gift ideas in the squares before the presents are opened. Diapers, sleepers, blankets, bibs, bottles and baby towels are all possibilities.

As the gifts are opened, guests mark off any matching items on their cards. Whoever gets five squares in a row first wins a small prize. If you're using the middle square as a free space, tell everybody before the game starts.

This game takes a little preparation, but it gives guests something to do while the gifts are being opened. Have the cards and pens ready at the tables instead of passing them out halfway through the party.

Guess the Christmas Baby Item

Put five to eight baby items inside a Christmas stocking. A baby sock, pacifier, bib, soft washcloth and teething ring are good examples. Tuck everything below the cuff and close the stocking so nobody can peek inside. Let each guest feel the outside of the stocking and write down what they think is hidden there.

After everyone has had a turn, empty the stocking and see who guessed the most items correctly. It's quick, inexpensive, and you can give the items to the guest of honor afterward.

Choose a stocking made of fabric that isn't so thin that guests can see through it. That rather defeats the purpose.

Christmas Carol Baby Word Game

Make a list of eight to ten familiar Christmas carols and remove a word from each title. Replace the missing word with "Baby" on the game sheet.

For example, "Jingle Baby" could stand for "Jingle Bells." Guests write the original song titles beside each clue. Keep the answers to familiar carols so nobody needs to know obscure holiday songs to play along.

Give guests about five minutes and then read the answers aloud. You could offer a small prize for the most correct titles.

Wishes for the Christmas Baby

Here's a quieter activity that would be lovely at almost any Christmas shower. Put out a stack of small cards and ask guests to write a Christmas wish for the baby. They could share a favorite holiday tradition, a bit of encouragement or something they're looking forward to doing with the child someday.

Collect the cards in a decorative box for the parents to take home. If you include the date on the cards, they'll make a sweet keepsake long after the decorations have been packed away.

Choosing the Right Games for Your Guests

If your guests enjoy a lively party, play the stocking guessing game followed by baby bingo. If you're having a small shower with grandparents and close family, the Christmas wish cards might be more meaningful than a competition.

And if nobody wants to play games, don't force it. A good baby shower doesn't require prizes, whistles or somebody standing in front of the room explaining rules.

For more choices, my baby shower games collection and printable baby shower game ideas can help you find activities that fit your guest list.

Christmas Baby Shower Invitations and Wording

Christmas baby shower invitations can be as simple as a pretty card with a red ribbon, a little pair of baby booties and the party details. You don't need a long poem or a clever saying to make the invitation special.

I'd match the invitations to the decorating theme you've chosen. That way, guests get a little preview of the celebration before they arrive.

Christmas Baby Shower Invitation Ideas

For a traditional Christmas shower, use white cards with red lettering, tiny stockings or a Christmas wreath with a baby-themed detail.

A pink Christmas shower would be lovely with blush stationery, burgundy ribbon and little silver stars. Gingerbread invitations could have a brown and white border with tiny gingerbread cookies or baby mittens.

If you're planning a winter wonderland celebration, use white invitations with silver snowflakes and one little baby detail, such as a pair of booties or a tiny stocking.

Try to keep the actual party information on a light, plain background. Beautiful lettering is no help if your guests have to squint to find the date.

Christmas Baby Shower Invitation Wording

Here are a few examples you can adapt. Replace the names, dates and locations with your own information.

A Merry Little Christmas Shower

A little bundle of joy is on the way!
Please join us for a Christmas baby shower
honoring [Mother's Name].
[Date and Time]
[Location]
RSVP to [Name and Contact Information] by [Date].

Santa Baby Shower Invitation

Santa isn't the only one bringing surprises!
A sweet little baby is on the way.
Join us for a festive baby shower honoring [Name].
[Date and Time]
[Location]
Please RSVP by [Date].

A Christmas Wish Baby Shower

Our Christmas wish is coming true.
A precious little baby will soon be here!
Please celebrate with us at a baby shower
honoring [Name].
[Date and Time]
[Location]
RSVP to [Contact Information].

When Should You Send Christmas Baby Shower Invitations?

I'd send invitations five or six weeks before a December shower if possible. Between family gatherings, school events, church activities and holiday travel, December calendars can fill up quickly.

Ask guests to reply about ten days before the party. That gives you time to settle the food order, prepare favors and find enough chairs without guessing how many people are coming.

If you're planning a small family shower, a digital invitation may be all you need. There's nothing wrong with saving the printing money for cake or food.

You can find more card styles on my baby shower invitations page, along with baby shower invitation wording you can adapt for a Christmas celebration.

Christmas Baby Shower Favors

Christmas baby shower favors are one place where the holiday theme can save you money. You don't need specially made gifts for everyone when so many pretty little Christmas treats and decorations are already available.

I'd choose something guests can enjoy, hang on their tree or use during the holiday season. One thoughtful little gift is better than a bag full of things they'll never need.

Personalized Christmas Ornaments

A simple ornament with a little ribbon and a tag saying "Celebrating Baby [Name]" would make a lovely favor. You could use small wooden stars, bells or plain glass ornaments in the party colors.

Choose something that looks like an ordinary Christmas decoration so guests can enjoy it on their own trees. It doesn't need to be covered with baby shower wording to make it special.

Little Christmas Cookie Bags

Decorated sugar cookies are another good choice. Wrap one or two cookies in a food-safe clear bag, tie it with ribbon and add a small thank-you tag.

A cookie shaped like a stocking, star or little baby mitten would be perfect. If you're ordering cookies for the dessert table anyway, ask whether you can add individually wrapped favors to the same order.

Hot Cocoa Christmas Favors

Individual hot cocoa packets tucked into small gift bags are a nice choice for a winter shower. Add a candy cane and a little holiday tag if it fits the theme.

I would keep these simple rather than making complicated layered jars of cocoa ingredients. The little packets are easy to prepare, easy to transport and don't take up much space.

Miniature Christmas Stockings

Small Christmas stockings filled with wrapped candies can double as decorations and favors. You can make your own with my free mini crochet Christmas stocking pattern. Hang the finished stockings along the front of the favor table or arrange them in a basket near the exit.

Choose one size and fill every stocking with the same treats. That keeps the display tidy and makes preparing the favors much easier.

How Many Favors Do You Need?

Plan one favor for each confirmed guest, then make two or three extras in case somebody brings an unexpected guest or a package gets damaged. If children will be attending, choose age-appropriate treats or provide a different favor for them.

Put the favors near the exit rather than mixing them with the gifts for the baby. A small sign saying "Thank You for Celebrating With Us" is all you need.

If you want more ideas that aren't tied to Christmas, my baby shower favors collection includes useful and inexpensive alternatives.

Christmas Baby Shower Planning Tips

Planning a baby shower during December takes a little more thought than planning one in an ordinary month. You're working around holiday shopping, travel, family celebrations and all the other things that seem to land on the calendar at once.

But you also have Christmas decorations, holiday food ideas and gift wrap practically everywhere you look. You might as well take advantage of them.

Choose the Date Before Anything Else

Talk to the guest of honor first. Find out which weekend works for her, whether she wants a big gathering or something smaller, and whether the people she most wants there are likely to be traveling.

An early December shower may be easier to arrange than one held just a few days before Christmas. If the family has a busy holiday schedule, a late November gathering can be just as festive with the decorations up a little early.

And there's no rule saying the celebration has to take place before Christmas. A snowy winter shower in January might be much more convenient if the baby's due date allows it.

Decide What to Spend Money On

Before you buy decorations, write down what you already have. Christmas lights, white dishes, cake stands, ribbon, tablecloths, ornaments and serving trays can all be useful.

I'd spend money on the things guests will actually enjoy or remember: good food, a lovely cake and perhaps one special decoration for the baby. Use what you already own for the rest.

If the budget is tight, skip the balloon wall, elaborate favors and rented decorations. A pretty table, good food and a room full of people who care about the guest of honor are enough.

Plan the Room Before Setting Up Decorations

Make sure there's a comfortable place for the guest of honor to sit. Leave enough room around her chair for gifts, a bag for wrapping paper and another person who can help keep things organized.

Place the gift table somewhere guests can reach it without walking through the food area. Keep the cake away from the busiest doorway, and put coats and handbags in a separate spot if possible.

If children will be attending, keep breakable ornaments, loose small decorations and lit candles away from places they can reach.

A Simple Two-and-a-Half-Hour Christmas Baby Shower Schedule

You don't have to follow a strict schedule, but a loose plan can keep the afternoon moving along without making the party feel rushed.

2:00 PM: Guests arrive, find their seats, enjoy drinks and visit.

2:25 PM: Play the first baby shower game or invite everyone to fill out their baby wish cards.

2:50 PM: Serve the food and give guests time to eat and talk.

3:20 PM: Bring out the Christmas baby shower cake, take photographs and serve dessert.

3:40 PM: Open gifts if the guest of honor wants to include that tradition. If not, leave this time open for visiting and photographs.

4:15 PM: Begin wrapping up the celebration and remind guests to take their favors.

4:30 PM: The planned end of the party.

If there are a lot of gifts to open, you'll need more time. Don't rush the guest of honor through that part just to stay on a schedule. It's her celebration.

What to Prepare the Day Before

Put up the decorations, arrange the serving dishes, wrap the game prizes and set out the favor bags. Check that you have enough chairs, napkins, plates and cups.

Prepare any food that can be refrigerated overnight. Keep the chilled dishes in the refrigerator until they're needed, and leave yourself as little last-minute cooking as possible.

I'd also take a few photographs of the tables once they're decorated. The next day, you won't have to remember where every serving stand, ribbon or centerpiece was supposed to go.

A Baby's First Christmas Shower After the Baby Arrives

One of the sweetest Christmas baby shower ideas shared on this site came from a reader named Kelli. She and her friends were planning a shower for a friend who hadn't been able to have one before her baby arrived. Her husband was in the military, they had been stationed away from home, and pregnancy bed rest had made traveling impossible.

When the family planned to come home for Christmas, the friends decided to celebrate the baby's first Christmas instead. And rather than asking guests to bring diapers, furniture and other things the family already owned, they suggested keepsake ornaments, a Christmas portrait gift certificate or a special first Christmas outfit.

I love the thought behind that idea. The baby had already arrived, but that didn't mean the family had missed its chance to celebrate with the people back home. If you're planning something similar, you can read Kelli's original Baby's First Christmas shower idea and adapt it to your own gathering.

Just ask the parents what would be useful or meaningful before choosing the gift theme. If they already have the everyday baby essentials, a shower centered on Christmas memories could be something they'll treasure.

A Little Christmas Magic Without All the Extra Work

Don't feel like you have to plan the biggest Christmas party anybody has ever seen. A beautiful shower can be as simple as a tree in the corner, a white cake with baby booties on top, a few Christmas treats and some pretty ribbon around the room.

Make the celebration feel like Christmas, but let the baby be the reason everybody came together. That's the part worth remembering.