Is it just me or does it seem that there are more baby showers in the spring than in the other seasons of the year?
Recently, some friends and I hosted a baby shower for another amiga. When I commented to my mother-in-law that I would need her help taking care of Sofía for the day because the shower would be at my casa, her eyes lit up! And then the stories started pouring out about how much she and her gals LOVED baby showers when she lived in Peru. I love to hear stories about the way things are done in different countries, in fact, the cultural traditions fascinate me. As she spoke, the visions of waiters in black ties carrying trays of mini sanduches and recuerdos (party favors) for the guests danced in my head.
I’m sure that somewhere here in La USA that there are people who all customarily pull their dinero together and hire caterers and waiters to serve baby shower guests so that the hostess doesn’t have to lift a finger. I personally haven’t been to any of those showers, not in La USA nor Latinoamérica, but I can only guess they exist.
As I prepared, organized and decorated our casa, I made sure to explain to Sofía the significance of each. I want her to learn about customs here as well as in Latinoamérica, but unfortunately I’m not very well-versed on them in any country. ¡Gracias a Dios for Pinterest! One quick search and you are served up a platter of current cutesy baby shower ideas (mostly) from La USA!
It also seems that baby shower decorations and arrangements today are a lot more creatively complex than before. I mean the invention of the Silhouette Machine has opened doors to some dedo-parado/fancy schmancy personalized banners, detailed wall hangings and custom decorations. I feel like I woke up one day and everyone was making Diaper Cakes for Baby Showers. We were no exception!
From Pinterest, I used the idea for a Rubber Ducky Punch Bowl and the recuerdos for the guests — personalized home-made cookie pops. ¡DELICIOSO!
Cookie Pops are much different than the recuerdos that my mother-in-law described used to be given to the guests in Perú. Evidently those recuerdos must be a current local Latino tradition as well — an insight I picked up from a quick trip to our neighborhood Dollar Store.
In my quest to consciously raise my daughter Sofía to be bilingual as well as bicultural, I continue to culturally dissect just about every experience that comes our way. Maybe you reading this could help me fill in some blanks, por favor?
Old or new, borrowed, blue or rosado, I would love for you to share what you know about baby showers in your culture.
I haven´t been to any baby showers in Colombia yet, but I´m about to attend my first Colombian bridal shower tomorrow (my own!!).
Pues Felicidades Ali! How fun! Enjoy….and take lots of cultural mental notes to share with us later! I’ve been to baby and wedding showers in Colombia, but I never paid any attention until after I had my daughter–so maybe you can fill in the details! Disfruta manana!
Hi Elizabeth,
I’m Peruvian, now living in NY, and I’ve been to many baby showers both in Peru and here. I think the main cultural difference is that in my home country women have a baby shower for every baby, first, second, third, etc. Meanwhile in the States it’s my understanding that baby showers are just for the first baby. Also in Peru, the baby shower is thrown by a family member or friend, never by the mom-to-be. Here I’ve been to a baby shower hosted by the future mom. As far of decorations and favors there is no tradition. Times have changed so much and with the world of internet the possibilities are endless. Since all my family lives in Peru I had a virtual baby shower. All my family and friends got together and we connected via webcam. For favors my sister got mini cloth pins decorated with the baby shower theme. It was a really interesting experience.
Nadia,
Very chevere! I like the virtual baby shower idea! Thanks for sharing!
Nadia,
I am throwing a baby shower for my daughter-in-law who is from Lima, Peru. I am trying to find ideas that will bring a touch of Peru to the shower. At their wedding the favors were hand-made items from Peru (a little shopping bag hand decorated with a little bottle of liquor in it for the women and a knitted cover for a little bottle of liquor for the men). I’m looking for ideas like that. It appears that the games are the same. Can you shed any light on different ideas. We will be connected to Peru via the internet and I want everyone to enjoy.
The coolest thing about my wedding shower were the consejos de matrimonio. I felt great getting advice from the women in my fiance´s family, my suegras friends and my own friends. I think it would be great to incorporate that into baby showers as well.
Consejos are always nice…and the idea of giving them to brides and pregnant women seem to transend cultures! Felicidades otra vez!
Wow, that’s outrageous! I can’t think how that is yoga for babies in any way at all. Poor babies. Hasn’t she heard of shaken baby syndrome! In one video the baby she was tossing around was crying the whole time. How can this be healthy?!!! Someone should tell these people that a fundamental yoga principle is Ahimsa…..non-violence.
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