Fathers should be included in baby showers, too. After all, having a baby and parenting are two-person jobs. The mother shouldn’t be expected to do it all on her own, yet the mother-centric culture of parenting often alienates fathers. Perhaps these reasons are behind the rise in co-ed baby showers and diaper parties. According to a piece in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, diaper parties are great opportunities for fathers-to-be to get ready for parenthood.

In concept, a diaper party and baby shower are essentially the same type of event. At both, a group of family members and friends join a parent-to-be for a few hours and bring gifts; the group spends the afternoon playing some games and eating. A diaper party differs in that, aside from all guests being men, diapers are the only gifts given and traditional baby shower games are eschewed in favor of more grown-up activities, such as poker or a barbecue.

Parents will spend $70 a month for diapers, on average, and a diaper party is great for amassing a starting supply. Nevertheless, the event signifies to the father-to-be that he’s being included as a parent, and prepares him for fatherhood.

Diaper parties haven’t been around long enough for a strict code of etiquette to develop. Because these events are so casual, a guest can show up with a basic pack of diapers. If you want to dress up your gift and still be practical, however, consider a diaper cake. High-quality diaper cakes have 80 to 150 diapers and are designed with baby products on the outside. Although attractive in appearance, a diaper cake is practical for new parents, providing them with a large starting supply of diapers (these will be added to the rest of all of the guests) and a few necessary baby products.

Creativity and practicality need to meet whenever you choose a baby gift. Although an item can be attractive in appearance, it is useless if a parent can’t use it regularly. Even though a red and green bootie set and hat might be perfect for the holidays, a parent has no use for it after December 25. Clothing, however, is not out of the question, and neither are toys, blankets, and other baby products. Even if ordinary in appearance, a baby product can be dressed up for the occasion and used for a few months after.

If you’re looking for holiday baby gifts for a friend, consider some of these items:

• Baby Clothes. Children, and babies in particular, can never have too many clothes. Items get soiled, they become small, or they just become worn after a few uses. Parents, as a result, are always in need of new baby clothes — onesies, t-shirts, and other items. But with a wardrobe consisting nearly entirely of solid color cotton clothing, a special occasion outfit – one that can be worn at least a few times – adds a little variation.
• Baby Toys. Is there a toy that a child won’t refuse? For babies, a new toy is more than a source of a new play item; a toy is often an item that he or she has never seen. Although baby toys for the first six months consist of items involving sight and hearing senses, those designed for six-month-olds and older encourage touch and gross motor skills, such as rolling, crawling, and touching. Play mats, for example, have enough space for rolling and offer many items for touching. Various soft baby toys are also designed with a varied surface, multiple colors, and noises.
• Diaper cakes. Typically a baby shower item, diaper cakes are useful to parents all year round. Each diaper cake is made with 80 to 150 diapers arranged in two to four tiers. Various baby products are attached to the outside. As parents always need diapers, a diaper cake gives them a large supply. Designers like Rattlecake, as well, make specific holiday cakes.

Are you planning a baby shower for a friend? And, are you struggling to come up with a unique concept for the party? A few articles regarding baby showers were published over the past week. One focuses on diaper cakes, a practical centerpiece for showers, and another presents a nearly-unheard-of concept: a gift-less baby shower.

The former, published in Parent Dish, presents diaper cakes as a practical and colorful gift. The article gives some tips on choosing diaper cakes, including considering the mother’s tastes, such as her favorite colors and sports team. On the practical side, the cakes also give new parents a starting supply of diapers, and, in this case, a larger cake starts new parents off with a bigger supply.

Nevertheless, the current economic climate shows that, perhaps, traditional baby showers simply aren’t feasible. An article in the Green Bay Press Gazette presents another idea for such events: gift-less baby showers. In these instances, parents aren’t obligated to bring baby gifts, but, ultimately, the decision should be up to the mother.

The article discusses the concerns of a mother having her second child. She would like a shower for the gathering atmosphere but, rather, doesn’t want the presents because she has several baby products already. Instead, the author presents a few ideas. A luncheon is one, but more specifically geared toward a new baby is an “advice” party about parenting, a book shower, hand-me-down parties, and a literal “birth day” party after the baby is born. In many of these instances, gifts are optional.

Nevertheless, this article brings up a common issue concerning baby showers: will the parents already have enough or will they have this specific item? Although parents expecting their first child will need more, ask the expecting parents what they already have and, in general, stick with smaller and necessary items.