The birth of a baby is such a great cause for celebration that it’s no wonder the festivities begin months before the new arrival makes his or her debut. Baby showers have become an increasingly popular way to honor the new mother, and then give her all of the things she’ll need to take care of the little one.

Baby showers can either be small or casual gatherings, or full-scale elaborate affairs. Either way, one of the most important aspects of the shower is the theme, as everything will revolve around this, from the decorations, to the invitations, to the cake and favors.

When trying to decide on the perfect baby shower theme, the first thing to keep in mind is the budget. If money is an issue, plenty of wonderful showers are held in the homes of friends or family with everyone pitching in to make the food and snacks. Or, there’s the option of a larger shower, held in a reception hall, which would allow for more guests, but obviously at a much higher price.

If the parents-to-be already know the sex of the baby, of course it will be much easier trying to choose a color scheme. Blues and pinks are of course popular colors, however, it’s not uncommon to use more neutral shades instead, such as varying hues of purples, greens, and yellows. It’s also important for all of the colors to either match or complement the theme being used.

With a bit of imagination and some creativity you can coordinate everything starting with the invitations, all of the decorations, such as the tablecloths, balloons, ribbons, streamers, even the cake and favors.

A baby shower theme, whether it’s nursery rhyme characters, teddy bears, baby animals, or any of the other countless ideas, really does make the day extra special for the new mom and all of her guests.