Traditionally, women gather together to celebrate the upcoming birth of a new baby; however, this doesn't have to be a girl's only event. If a man in your life is about to take his first tentative steps into fatherhood, give him the opportunity to celebrate this change by throwing him a "man shower." To ensure that your event is pleasing to your decidedly more masculine attendees, plan the party with men in mind, modifying some of the traditional customs so they are more fitting for the rough-and-tumble sex.
Pick the ideal date. Just as with a shower for the mom-to-be, you likely want to plan this event at least a month prior to the new arrival's expected delivery date. If you plan it too close to the actual due date, you run the risk of the dad-to-be having to cancel if the baby comes early. For optimum planning, try to schedule it at the same time as the mom's shower, giving the dad and his friends something to do.
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Select a man-friendly theme. Instead of the typical baby pink or light blue, adopt a more man-appropriate sports theme, decorating the space with cut outs of footballs or other sports implements.
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Prepare a guest list. If you know the guy's circle of friends well, prepare a list of all of the men in his group and invite them to the event. If you aren't familiar with the guys with whom he hangs, ask him to come up with a list of people that he would like to see at his bash to ensure that you don't inadvertently leave someone off.
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Arrange some games for guys. Games are paramount to any successful shower. For some sure-to-please guy games, try a baby bottle beer chug in which you fill some baby bottles with beer and have guys race to finish them. If you want your game to help prepare the dad-to-be for the challenges of fatherhood, arrange a baby diapering contest, gathering baby dolls and having the man of honor race against a more seasoned father to properly diaper each doll.
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Plan a guy-friendly menu. Trade the finger sandwiches and other petite treats common at traditional baby showers for foods that will be more pleasing to your manly guests. Try chicken wings or take the cooking outdoors and do a barbecue-style event, ensuring that you man-of-honor and his friends don't go hungry.
Tips & Warnings
Mom-to-be is the star but Dad-to-be deserves something special too!
Remember it's NOT another bachelor party! Keep it tame, but still fun.
Make it all about Dad-to-be. There's going to be plenty of baby games and gifts at the real baby shower.
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