BABY SHOWER VS. SIP AND SEE
The baby shower is a rooted tradition that has been around for years now. Excited parents-to-be are happy to share their big news with the nearest and dearest. People throw a baby shower before the child is born, and invite just friends and family to share this beautiful moment.
Sip and See, on the other hand, is also decades old. However, it was more popular in the South.
It is also a celebration of a child and its parents. The only difference is that it takes place after the baby is born.
Both baby shower and Sip and See have their benefits. Whenever choosing between the two, remember that you need to decide based on what you want and need. Let me explain what I mean.
First of all, a baby shower is good for first-time parents because it helps to prepare. Future parents (especially mothers) need yet to learn that sometimes it feels like you need the whole time in the universe for this. Therefore, a baby shower is a perfect fit because a freshly minted mom can ask experienced mothers questions that keep her up at night.
Besides, if parents are creating a nursery for a baby, they might need some help. Baby showers are great because you can create a list and give it to the gest so that they could choose something and give it to you as a gift. As a result, you will get what you need to finish up the baby nursery, and an idea for the gift will not be a puzzle for the guests.
Second, some mommies want to show off their bumps and open up the presents. It is truly refreshing, especially when you open up a gift with tiny onesies and imagine your future baby in it.
Also, some women feel anxious about the idea of going to labor because it is something very new. A circle of women, who have gone through what you will go through, can calm you down, give some advice and be there for you.
When speaking about Sip and See, it also has a row of advantages. For instance, if you are going to be a mother for the second time (meaning that you have already gone through the first labor), then probably you already have everything you need for a child.
If you were planning on having more children, then you most certainly have kept baby clothes and furniture from the last time. In this case, it would be better to organize Sip and See if you want to introduce a baby to everyone else.
Also, some women do not feel like preparing a baby shower for multiple reasons. These can be superstitions, health issues, etc. In this case, a Sip and See is better because friends and relatives can bring you the gifts you need (if you notify them prior to the party).
Some first-time moms might need help and some guidance during the first few weeks. Therefore, if your friends and relatives offer help – take it.
Last but not least, you will see friends again. A hospital is not a park. They allow the family to come and visit you, but not the entire football team of friends.
Therefore, your friends will be able to see a little one and have a chat with you. Besides, you can have a glass of wine. Finally!
Check our How to Throw a Great Baby Shower? In this guide, you will learn the best things you can do for an effective and successful Baby Shower.
SIP AND SEE
Sip and See is a baby shower thrown after a little one is born. It got such a name because there are light snacks and hors d’oeuvres along with light drinks such as sparkling wine, punch, and juice. Essentially, you stop by to see the baby while sipping on your drink.
Sip and see is a somewhat more informal event, where you don’t have to entertain anyone and open the presents in front of the crowd. Women bring along their husbands and boyfriends, making the atmosphere a little bit party-ish. Besides, you are not the center of everyone’s attention (which I personally find relieving).
When To Host?
The Sip and See baby shower itself lasts a couple of hours. It can be for 4-5 hours during which people come and go as they please.
Usually, parents organize a Sip and See after a child is 5-10 weeks old. Somewhere around this time, the bags under your eyes become less noticeable as both parents and the baby establish a routine.
Another reason is that the mother feels more confident and comfortable. We all know that it is scary to hold this fragile little angel at the beginning, but with time, things get better. Therefore, host it whenever you feel comfortable and ready.
Besides, it is a period when a child is older, and you finally can have some sparkling wine with guests, for the child’s immune system is much stronger now.
Parents usually host a Sip and See at home, because this way, they can easily take care of the baby. Besides, it feels less stressful to throw the party at home.
Can I Have Both Baby Shower and Sip and See?
Sip and See parties are usually thrown when there was no baby shower. However, who says you can’t have both? A baby shower is a rather formal because of the things you need to prepare and the number of things to do.
You can invite family, friends, and co-workers to this event. Sip and See is rather more casual, and they are for friends and family. The guest list for the Sip and See is longer because it includes husbands and children.
What About Gifts?
Because Sip and See have a casual character, the gifts are not mandatory, unlike baby shower. However, if there were no baby shower, parents can create the registry for their party. Regardless, some guests do not like to come empty-handed, and they can bring along a small gift for the baby or newly minted parents.
The internet is filled with baby shower gifts ideas. These could be items of furniture, clothing, toy, or baby products. When it comes to the Sip and See party, the gifts a rather more simple, like custom baby pillows and blankets, baby clothes with the baby’s name, personalized teddy bears, or “My baby month.”
Check our How to Find a Perfect Baby Shower Gift. Discover the perfect baby shower gift, and some things you might want to consider!
What Do We Do At The Party?
To be completely honest with you, I like people, but I am not particularly fond of guests. There is always this nagging thought at the back of my head, saying, “How do I keep you entertained?” I prefer Suit Yourself Parties, and Sip and See is just like this.
People come and go, have drinks and talk, say hello to the baby, and leave. There is no need for you to entertain anyone. All you need to do is to keep plates and glasses filled.
The level of formality depends entirely on you. If you want to host a little more formal party like a baby shower, you can have played some thematic games.
Check our Awesome Baby Shower Activities. Here are some ideas of what kind of activities to do in a baby shower!
Germs Alert!
Babies are tiny and fragile. Their immunity is still weak. Therefore, if you are not particularly fond of letting everyone hold the baby, you can do the following things:
- Put a sanitizer bottle and a note with a kind request to use it before touching a little one.
- Use signs with rimed and witty requests to look at the baby without touching a little one.
Remember that babies are not only physically vulnerable but also mentally. Whenever a little one looks away and starts staring into nowhere, it is one of the signals that a child is overstimulated. A child needs space to calm down—one of the reasons you should not allow so many people to hold a child at once.
SIP AND SEE THEMES
When it comes to baby showers themes, parents often go with gender-related ideas that are usually either in blue or pink colors. Baby shower themes for boys are typically white and blue, whereas baby-girl shower decorations revolve around pink—classic, cute, and straightforward.
Nowadays, gender reveal parties have become more and more popular. They are either all in white until parents reveal the gender, or have both pink and blue motives. Either way, these two colors prevail.
I consider Sip and See parties to be more versatile. The internet – Pinterest in particular- is flooded with all sorts of ideas, colors, and themes. Here are some of the best:
1. Cute as can Bee
Everything related (even remotely) with honey will do. There is no need for you to come up with invitations, for you can find them online.
Pun and wordplay will make invitations and cute and will set the tone for the party. Indeed this is something extraordinary!
Whatever food and hors d’oeuvres you choose, whatever drinks you get – they should contain honey, or at least be as sweet (in order to stay on the topic of honey and bees). For this particular baby shower party favors, you can use small jars of honey with a bow on the top, or honey cookies with honey related drawings on it.
2. Something Sweet
Same as in the first case, stay on the topic of sweet and all use colors of the rainbow. Have a cake, cupcakes, sparkling wine, or summer cocktails. Have invitations with cute rhymes and adorable baby shower party favors.
As for the present, you can give dining items such as bowls, high chairs, utensils, etc. Parents would appreciate an ice cream maker or a gift card for dinner at a restaurant.
3. Welcome to the World
Travel theme, stickers, maps, and globes – everything that says “traveling”! You can use a particular country as a theme or mix them all.
Have popsicles that look like a globe, cake with the Eiffel tower on the side, etc. You can also use them as favors with a little tag on the side.
Great gifts would be anything that has to do with traveling. These can be language-learning sets for kids, books, maps, and so on.
4. The Star is Born or Our Universe Just Expanded
Have a space theme! Have Solar System popsicles and cupcakes, star-shaped cookies, etc. Celebrate a beginning of a brave new world (much better and brighter than Huxley’s though!) and dive into the outer-space atmosphere.
A great gift would be a telescope that a child will use one day. You can also name a star after a baby (literally, there us such opportunity) or get matching T-Shirts for the family members.
These and many more ideas are surfing through the internet and waiting for you to find and use them. Choose any topic and any season, get creative, and enjoy it!
Check our Children’s Party Themes. We provide you with some children’s party theme ideas to get you started!
Baby Showers during the Pandemic
Are such things as a virtual baby shower or See and Sip even possible? Some may say no, but let’s be realistic, nowadays everything is possible. I have a couple of ideas that might help you save the day, both literally and figuratively.
1. Drive-by Sip and See
Social distancing is one of the ways way to secure yourself and your family, especially its youngest member, who’s immune system is still weak. Therefore, you can think of a Drive-by Sip and See.
Choose a theme for the party, send out invitations, and make sure to write all of the rules that apply at your party (concerning social distancing). Also, write steps that will describe how things will happen.
Decorate your porch and front yard. It does not have to be something extraordinary, because, at the end of the day, you will be the one who will be clean it all up. Therefore, do not create yourself more trouble and responsibilities.
The next step would be to put signs in front of the house, marking it as an “entrance.” Write some warm words and say, “Welcome!” You cannot spend the whole day on the porch, so you can invite people to come at a particular time and spend 20-30 minutes (it is up to you) with guests.
It will be like a little parade of cars with your friends and relatives congratulating you, looking at the baby, and saying warm wishes.
Arrange a little table for the guests, where they could get their favor and a place where they can leave a present for you (if they have one, of course). Do not forget the sign “Thank You” sign, with gratitude for coming and sweet words.
Of course, there will be no games, talks, and “Cheers!” but this event will have its charm. You will never forget it, even if you want to.
You can throw a baby shower in the same manner, but you will need to make more alterations to the event and guest list.
2. Virtual Baby Shower
Over the past decade, technologies have developed tremendously! Who knew that one day we would be able not only to talk but also to see people while being in different parts of the world? Anyways, moving on to a virtual shower, there are few things that you can do.
It might be a bit trickier than Sip and See because the second does not always include presents. As a rule, baby showers are thrown to help parents-to-be with preparations. However, anything is possible if you want it to be so.
Look for baby shower themes on Pinterest or somewhere else. There are tons of ideas for boys and girls, therefore chose the one you like the best or take some from each one of them. Create a celebratory corner at home and get your laptop there.
The next step would be to send out invitations to the guests. These can be either online invitations with a link for a Zoom meeting or paper invitations.
There you can write a short explanation of how the celebration is going to look like. Ask them to prepare a glass of sparkling wine and some sweet snacks.
Of course, if you all live in a small town, you can drop a box invitation and a cupcake at a guest’s door, but it might be too troublesome. It would be best to make things simple for yourself and everyone else.
3. Backyard Baby Shower
Scientists all around the world are saying that we all should keep our distance. Well, this is our little loophole! If you have enough space in your backyard, you can put some tables at a safe distance from one another.
Put on each table some champagne, and treats. You will have to make your list of guests shorter so that there are only a few people.
Keep a distance from one another, and it is best if you keep a child at a distance as well. Also, think about getting cute masks.
FINAL WORD
Use the information above to find out what is best for you and your family. Trends change every day. The things that were popular yesterday might be an old story today.
Sip and See it quite popular nowadays and more convenient, I must admit. However, choose whatever your heart desires rather then what trends tell you.
Be creative, prepare your perfect celebration, and take pleasure in it. There you will find general information that will help you compare the pros and cons of both Sip and See and baby shower. Use the tips and ideas above, search the internet for more, and develop ideas yourself.
Children bring along celebrations, joy, and a little bit of chaos into your life. You need this emotional rollercoaster.
In the world of contrasts, we can genuinely appreciate love only if we know that the possibility of loss is hovering over us. Sad but true.
Even though the global pandemic is now taking over the world, life continues to move on. We must learn to live with it, and it means to create our new “normal.” Remember that we are all in this together, so stay strong and healthy.
Check our Ultimate Guide to Preparing for and Celebrating Your Child’s First Birthday. Know the different first birthday ideas and how you can prepare for, plan and throw the best first birthday party ever!
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