Baby Shower Need Ideas Not Pampered Chef

[Teresa Lynn]

Sunday, I am hosting a baby shower for my neighbors daughter in law. I had originally planned it as a grandma's shower but her best friend called and told me since she lived too far away from the new baby (1 hour) it wasn't practical to give her a grandma shower and proceeded to tell me we were using glass luncheon plates, who we couldn't invite and we were moving it to HER house, Finally, I said ______(another neighbor) & I are hosting!!!
She said no ______ & I are helping.

Excuse me???

I have dealt with this woman since April......
I told her my menu she snipes back if its on Sunday you only serve cake and punch!!! (they ordered a cake for 50 people and its costing us $15) I'm a nervous wreck !!!

Originally, my neighbor said it would be very small. I told her to invite who you want.
well, she gave me 43 addresses some had up to 5 names so we are at 64 guests if everyone could attend.
so far I've had 3 no rsvp and 5 yeses (1 is a lady who wasn't invited but heard about it and called and said she was coming..... she told me that as I kept repeating her name looking down my guest list.)

We are having:
3 kinds of punch (mine and the other "non invited" hosts are each bringing their favorite,)
cream cheese mints I made
nuts
veggie tray
cheeseball & crackers

What else would you serve?

Normally, I would be excited and on top of it but it is the 4th party/activity I'll be hosting this week and I'm at a loss for food ideas. 2 on the same night thanks to each of my sons volunteering our house at church.... so we are having a sit down meal in the dining room for a Bible study for my college son and the Senior high Youth for swimming and BBQ.

I am thinking maybe fruit skewers and chocolate dipped strawberries

HELP!!

I wanted strawberry spinach salad & chicken salad and croissants. I really need ideas this woman INTIMIDATES me !

 

[ginamkiely]

wow, good luck! people can be so rude! i would suggest the hot pizza dip, that is always a hit with anything i do... and maybe oreo truffles as a little extra!

 

[Chef Michelle D]

I feel if this is being held at your house then you serve what you want. I love ideas for the salads and croissants. Don't let her intimidate you remember it's your house and no one should tell you want you are serving.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

yes, its at my house my husband is having a cow where is everyone going to park & sit??? Our neighborhood is 1 acre lots with no sidewalks and we are the center of a very busy curve.

I am trying to keep it "elegant" as far as food pizza dip is yummy but its usually my standard for teen parties and it cools fast and gets messy..

I am doing a rubber ducky theme so we have bought a huge rubber ducky to float in the punch. (Mine, their punch is a mocha punch) my 14 year old is helping and she didn't want the duck in brown punch.

They bought their own gifts wouldn't go in with my neighbor and I. I am a little frustrated but I didn't grow up in the South and am unsure of all the etiquette,
her biggest gripe was the amount of $$ I had spent.... (& I kept several of the receipts for the favors, decorations & flowers when I buy them)
I finally said postage and invites were expensive. She said thats why we need my glass plates UGH!! I don't want to WASH THEM.

 

[Jules711]

I just had a baby shower for a great friend of mine (her 2nd baby and my first chance at giving her a shower). I made the Profiterole Puffs & mini french silk pie (the mousse cup recipe from a season or two ago). I use pie crust instead of phyllo dough and make mini crust in the mini-muffin pan. As a staple for ALL showers, I make wraps (or rollups) and cut them into small 1-2 bite size wheels. They are girly food so that's fun and you can do anything with the insides! I also had out fancy salsa and chips in my small caddy. It was a PC show in the way of the beautiful SA out!Don't worry about it. Do your thing and if they get to be too much, just say I would love you to be there in my home, but if this party isn't making you comfortable, maybe you'd like to do your own. Too snippy?

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Thanks!!
I just hung up from my best friend & she said I should attend both church services Sunday to get in extra prayer time so i'll keep my mouth shut.

I guess part of me is ticked about being railroaded into her hosting . She even offered to take off work Friday to help me clean..... UMMMM she's never been to my house & its always clean so that offended me.
The other half is the RUDE people who do not RSVP!!!

 

[jrstephens]

No one in my are RSVPs. I have gotten to where I jsut leave it off the invite.

The Strawberry Amoretti Pastries are great for showers. I do not put the tops on them, I make 24 one out of one batch instead of 12. They look beautiful displayed in the 3 tier stand.

I usually do bunch, finger sandwiches and something sweet. Sweet not being a cake b/c I get tired of cake for every thing.

I usually do mints in diapers made out of napkins. I play a came and put a piece of chocolate in one and who ever finds the "poop" wins a small prize.

I do the game with guess the amount q-tips in the baby bottle for a prize too.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

The original hostess & I decided not to play games if all these (or most) show up opening gifts will take forever.

 

[chefann]

You can always do a game based on the gifts, like Gift Bingo. Give everyone a blank bingo card and have them write in things they think the mom to be will receive. Then they cross them off as she opens them. It's a good icebreaker, because they can ask people they're sitting near what they brought, in order to list those things on the card.

 

[jrstephens]

The original hostess & I decided not to play games if all these (or most) show up opening gifts will take forever.

That's I play those that I listed. They do not take any extra time. The diaper one is while people are eating and the q-tips are guessed when everyone signs the book.