How to make your baby shower a day to remember (without spending a fortune)

Do you have a little one on the way?

If you do, then you are probably thinking about throwing a baby shower. Sure they are all the rage these days. And what’s a baby shower without a bit of craic? Here are some ideas that we think will make your special day one that is full of colour, love and laughter. These ideas shouldn’t cost you much so there’s no need to worry about breaking the bank anytime soon. Buy or make cute decorations that can be reused for other parties Why not brighten up your home (or wherever you plan on celebrating your day) with paper lanterns. They are the sort of thing that you will find in any homeware or bargain shop and are perfect for any occasion really. You could make your own banners using old material that you might have lying around the house. They are easy enough to make even for those who struggled in art class in school. Just get some leftover fabric, a scissors, some yarn, glue, and you are good to go. If you have any empty shoe boxes or something similar tucked away in the press, try covering them with cute wrapping paper. You can use them as food stands on different tables. They’re good for cupcake displays and will add layers to your table. Allow guests to bring food with them if they offer It’s always a good idea to serve different types of food at any party to cater for different tastes and dietary requirements. But, it can be stressful to organise different bits and bobs. So if people offer to cook and bring food to the party, we think you should accept the offer. You'll be run off your feet when the baby arrives, so accept a helping hand while you can. If you’re wondering about what to serve yourself then, you can never go wrong with making the basics. Try serving some fruit and salad bowls, a cheese board, chicken skewers, meatballs, pesto pasta, or a selection of dips with breadsticks. Oh, and if you’re a dab hand in the kitchen, why not make your own cake or cupcakes for the occasion instead of buying them. Just a thought. Have a laugh playing some games If you don't already know the gender of your baby, the first game you've got to play with your guests is the guessing game. Get everyone's predictions before the little one arrives. Sort your guests into different teams and ask them to compete in a nappy derby. Give each team a roll of toilet paper. They have to do their best to wrap one of their team members up in a nappy with the loo roll. The team with the best nappy in five minutes are the champions. Get some nappies and put different types of melted chocolate ‘number twos’ into each one. A little disgusting but also hilarious. Pass them around the room and get everyone to guess the chocolate in each nappy. The gal with the best smelling abilities wins. There you go, all of the above are sure to guarantee a few laughs...