Choosing A Theme
How do you go about choosing a theme for your baby’s birthday? Even a one year old probably has something he enjoys whether that is a toy, a TV show, balloons or some other inanimate object. Pick one of your baby’s favorite things and create a birthday around that theme. Your baby probably won’t understand it at the time, but it is a great way to look back in 18 years and see what your baby was “into” at that particular age. Themes vary widely, but some might include:

• Sesame Street
• Elmo
• Balloons
• Clowns
• Animals (dogs, cats, etc.)
• Barbie
• Disney
• Princess
• Trucks
• Cars
• Movie theme

Decorating
Picking one theme and using it for decorating makes decorating very easy. You can normally find all your party decorations together making it simple to buy plates, napkins and cups of the same theme at the same time. Whether or not your theme is “balloons”, your baby probably loves them and sometimes you can find balloons that can be blown up in your theme as part of your decorations. You may be able to find inexpensive pictures or posters in your theme to hang on walls, or buy them at a party store. You can hang streamers from your ceiling in colors that coordinate with your theme, and if it is age appropriate for your child, a piñata would be fun!

Don’t Over Do It
While a birthday party is fun, and picking a theme is a great idea, you want to make sure you do not over do it and overwhelm your baby. While one years olds can easily be over stimulated, three year olds can often be as well. Too much excitement, cake, candy and punch for a three year old can bring on a total meltdown making it hard for you to get your baby to calm down and rest. Watch for cues from your child to when they have had enough. If you are putting up decorations and it seems to be too much, pull some down. You can stick to a theme with a few decorations and still make it a great party!

When it comes to baby shower decorating ideas, the usual quandary most hostesses find themselves in is finding cute baby shower decorations that don’t cost a lot of money. You don’t want cheap-looking decorations, but on the other hand, you don’t want to have to pay an arm & a leg just to have nice-looking decorations.

Here is the #1 rule to follow when decorating for a baby shower: Simplicity Rules! Baby shower decorations are not the reason people come to a baby shower. Decorations are accents that enhance the theme and feel of the party. So, a few tastefully chosen baby shower decorations will give your party the perfect touch – not too much, not too little. The secret lies with choosing classy yet inexpensive baby shower decorating ideas.

Use these 3 baby shower decorating ideas to give your party a beautiful atmosphere, yet without spending a lot of money:

1. Use Flowers. When people see flowers, they see life, color, beauty and hope. Those qualities are exactly what we see in a baby as well. So flowers are the perfect decoration to complement a baby shower. You can match pink or blue flowers to the gender of the baby (or yellow for the “to be determined” baby). If you have a specific theme, like Winnie the Pooh for example, you could have red and orange flowers to match the Pooh theme.

Now, it is easy to spend $40 or more on a bouquet of flowers. But remember our rule: Simplicity! A simple, pretty bouquet of flowers in a vase would be perfect. You can buy a bouquet of flowers at most grocery stores starting at $6. A vase is another dollar or two. And voila! You have a fresh, vibrant feel for your baby shower! Beautiful AND inexpensive, the best of both worlds.

2. Display photos of the mom-to-be, dad-to-be, family and friends. People love to look at pictures. We all do! We all love to look at pictures of people, what they’re doing, what they’re wearing, where they’re at, & who they’re with. Pictures are fun, personal, and interesting. So, displaying a few pictures of the mom, dad, and their family & friends at the baby shower is a perfect decoration to give your party some personality and flavor. Pictures really personalize a baby shower and let everyone get to know the expectant mother a little better. They are also a fun ice-breaker and get everyone talking & laughing.

Another great thing about photos is: they cost almost nothing, so they make for an inexpensive baby shower decorating idea! Just ask the expectant mother for a few photos of herself, her husband, any pregnancy pictures she likes of herself, photos of her friends & family, plus any baby pictures she has of herself or her husband. Display them in a little photo album or better yet, mount the photos on several sheets of scrapbook paper and decorate the pages with stickers, die cuts, ribbons, quotes, poems, & other baby related embellishments. Either set the pages on easels (they cost about $1 at a craft store) or lay them flat on the gift table. They will be a big hit! Pictures never fail to add a fun & personal touch to a baby shower.

3. Buy Some Balloons. “But balloons are so common,” some may say. Yes, but balloons are the universal symbol for a party! Balloons could never be out-of-place or in-bad-taste at a baby shower. Plus they are inexpensive! A balloon bouquet starts at around $5 at most party stores. You could go with baby blue, light pink, yellow, or any other color that matches your theme. Tie the balloons to the gift table, the expectant mother’s chair, or scatter them throughout the party room. They look festive and remind your guests that this is a celebration!

Remember Simplicity. When it comes to baby shower decorating ideas, keeping it simple is key. Do not equate simple with cheap, poor quality, cheesy or tacky. Rather, these 3 simple, classy baby shower decorating ideas will add a simple & sweet feel to the baby shower that will give your party a fun, intimate, and memorable mood. AND you won’t have to break the bank to do it!

About the Author:
Find more of Ann’s baby shower articles and resources at http://www.plan-the-perfect-baby-shower.com.

There are many great options available when it comes to decorating a baby boy’s room. Whether you choose to use a theme or to just keep it neutral, you can create a great room for your new baby boy.

If it’s a theme you are interested in, here are some popular ones for a baby boy nursery:

Noah’s Ark – is a cute and popular nursery theme for a baby boy’s room. Animals in pairs and arks can be used to accessorize the room.