Even with all of this winter cold, believe it or not, spring is not all that far away. And, with spring comes the hope of a fresh start and new beginnings. There is no other better new beginning than bringing a new baby into this world, and if you are going to be bringing a baby home soon, you are almost required to celebrate! Baby showers can be a great way to get all of your friends and family together before the new arrival to help you get everything you need and have some fun and relax. Since I’m trying to live 90% cleaner, I thought it would be interesting to see what kind of natural, eco-friendly, organic, and all around green baby shower ideas I could come up with. Every little bit counts, and if there are easy swaps out there, all the better.
* Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend these products because they are products that I personally use or companies that I have found trustworthy.
My Green Baby Shower Ideas List
Invites
Let’s start with the invites since that’s where most people start their planning. The easiest and most eco-friendly, green choice would be to go paperless and send out email invites or evites. You can design an invite yourself and save it as a pdf and email it as an attachment, or you can use one of the many online evite providers and have them get it set up and sent out. These services are nice since the design work is done, you can upload your invitee list, and you can track the people who accept or deny.Depending on the computer savvy-ness and/or age of the people you are inviting, email invites may be a no-go. In this case, opt for recycled or sustainably harvested papers to have your invites printed on. Shutterfly’s signature card stock is printed in the U.S. and is printed on sustainably forested paper. Forever Fiancés offers invitations that are printed on 100% recycled paper or ones that even have seeds imbedded in them that your friends and family can then plant.
Gifts
Making sure your green baby shower includes eco-friendly or organic gifts can get a little tricky since you are not the one controlling what people buy you. You can set up a registry and have all eco-friendly and organic baby gifts selected so people get the hint, or you can register at a store that only sells green or organic items so that people don’t have as many options. BuyBuy Baby and Pottery Barn Kids have a large selection of organic clothing, green guard certified furniture, and all-natural baby items, so you can stay mainstream, but also green. You can also request that your guests use recycled gift wrap or kraft paper, brown paper bags or newspaper to wrap your presents. You could make it a challenge or a request in the invite wording to fit your overall theme.
Décor
Setting an all-natural or green baby shower theme is easier than ever. Have your shower at a park, public or private gardens, your own or a relative’s backyard, a nature center, or even a natural or organic restaurant. When you are decorating, stay clear of plastic balloons, banners or streamers and opt for biodegradable party décor. Flowers or plants in simple glass vases lined with cut fruit sections (lemons and limes work well) can make a simple yet festive statement. You may also want to think about using real dishes and flatware instead of plastic or paper – it’s classier that way anyway. If the thought of doing dishes makes you cringe, opt for compostable or biodegradable plates and silverware. You can make signage, table tents or banners from recycled paper, right from your own computer, or choose from one of the many biodegradable or recycled options online.
Food
The food is easy. Try using as many organic ingredients as possible in anything you cook. You can ask the same of your caterer or go with a caterer who only uses natural and/or organic ingredients.
Favors and Games
If you do decide to plan a few games, try to eliminate the amount of paper or plastic that you use. Use a chalkboard or dry erase board for Pictionary type of games or to keep score. Organic lotions or make up (read my post The Best All Natural Make Up and Skin Care Product Lines for tips), soy or beeswax candles (Read my post How to Buy Non-Toxic Candles to learn more), organic chocolate, wooden picture frames (with a picture of you and the mom-to-be that was taken at the shower), or organic seeds to plant when they get home make great prizes for winners or just as favors for everyone.
Throwing an all-natural and/or green baby shower doesn’t have to be that much different than a regular one. If you just make a few easy swaps and set the tone of the shower, everything will fall into place. Every small step you make towards removing toxins from your body or your environment is always worth it.
For more non-toxic baby ideas, check out my post How to Create a Non-Toxic Nursery.
