Baby Showers: To Sprinkle or Not to Sprinkle

Have you ever heard of a sprinkle?  No, I'm not talking about the colorful confections that top your ice cream sundae.  I'm referring to the mini-baby showers for women having their second, third, fourth/etc. babies that have gained popularity over the last several years.

I wasn't sure what I thought of the concept at first because I grew up in an area where second baby showers are very uncommon and considered uncouth to older generations.  Many pro-sprinkle proponents would say "every child should be celebrated" but in reality the whole purpose of a baby shower is to prepare the women (not the babies) for motherhood.  Add to this that my first encounter with a "sprinkle" was for an acquaintance who was having her fourth child and an elaborate party (mind you, I don't even see her once a year), it just seemed like another way for our consumerism obsessed society to ride the wave of getting more stuff.  If I am close with the parents, bringing a small gift when I visit the baby seems more appropriate to me for subsequent children; yet on the other hand, if my sister was having a second child I would definitely want to celebrate somehow.


I started researching sprinkles and the etiquette surrounding them to determine if I should throw one when my sister had a second child.  While I think sprinkles can go very wrong quickly, I found suggestions on several websites and threads that make sprinkles reasonable, even for this etiquette conscious hostess.  Here's what I found:

Suggestions for Hosting a Baby Sprinkle- www.thecreativeconfectionista.com

1.   Keep it very small.  Some websites said it is acceptable to invite close family and friends but that can have a wide interpretation and can easily balloon to a party of 40 people.  What is close to some might not be close to others.  For my sister's sprinkle, I decided to invite immediate and semi-immediate family only (mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts and first cousins) and host it at my home with the mindset that these women would be excited to be a part of something for my sister whether it's her first or fifth child.  My biggest concern was making sure friends and extended family didn't feel obligated and keeping the guest list tight helped.

2.  No registries.  The parents should already have the bulk of what they need from Baby #1 such as furniture and equipment.  Consumables such as diapers, bath products and clothes, especially if the baby is a different gender, are always needed.

3.  Feed your guests.  This is a good rule for any event.  Depending on the time of day, feed them a light brunch, lunch or dinner.  Even if you are on a tight party budget, make an inexpensive pasta dish with salad and bread.  Believe me; everyone remembers the parties that require a stop at the neighborhood eatery afterwards.

4. Favors are still nice.  I've always loved favors so I decided to include them as a fun way to thank the guests for coming.  It's also an opportunity to solidify your theme, if you have one.  We gave away small primrose plants with themed glittered stick inserts.

5.  Games are optional.  I decided against games because the guest list was small.  The atmosphere lent itself more for laid back conversations and eating.  And we did just that... ate, reclined in front of the fireplace and thoroughly enjoyed our flavored cupcakes.    

So what do you think?  Are sprinkles a DO or a DON'T?

Pictures from the sprinkle I threw for my sister are coming soon.  :)



photo credits: 
Sprinkled with love- Zazzle.com
yellow sprinkle bottle- HostesswiththeMostess.com