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Dear Miriam,
This might not sound like a huge problem in the grand scheme of what is going on in the world right now, but I would appreciate any suggestions that you might have.
My best friend is due to have her first baby this summer. It has been a long road for herself and her husband to get to this point and naturally, as her friends, we were looking forward to making a big fuss of her by throwing her a “baby shower” to celebrate the impending arrival.
Obviously the last thing anyone wants to do is risk bringing the infection into the home of a mom-to-be
Not like they do in the US with all the presents, but just a really lovely day with good friends, nice food, a few games and the chance to spoil her a bit. However, all these plans are now out the window as people will not be able to travel and gather together safely due to the ongoing restrictions.
God knows when we will all be able to meet again in real life
And obviously the last thing anyone wants to do is risk bringing the infection into the home of a mom-to-be.
Still, I would really love to do something special to mark the occasion, as God knows when we will all be able to meet again in real life. Do you have any suggestions of what I could do for her in this socially distanced environment?
Thanks for your time,
Michelle, Cork
Dear Michelle,
Thank you for your email. I think that even in these strange times, it’s important that we mark special events in whatever way we safely can. Obviously this is a very important time in your friend’s life and I’m sure her main focus is on keeping herself and her baby healthy and well. But I still think that it’s possible to celebrate this milestone while respecting the social distancing rules.
We are probably all a little Zoomed out from the family quizzes and catch ups
You are probably well acquainted with video conferencing tools like Zoom right now; in fact we are probably all a little Zoomed out from the family quizzes and catch ups! Obviously, it’s not the same as meeting in real life, but I think your friend would really appreciate it if all the people who were hoping to attend the baby shower would come together on one of these apps on the original date that was planned for the event.
You mention that you probably would have played a few games and I’m sure something like guessing whether it’s a boy or a girl would be pretty easy to do online. In fact, maybe everybody on the call could wear something blue or pink to show their predictions? You’ll find plenty of inspiration online in this regard.
There are some flower companies doing contactless delivery
I know you were not going to do all the gifts etc, but I think that there are other ways that the gang could make your friend feel spoiled. For example, there are some flower companies doing contactless delivery; could you club together and get a nice bunch of flowers delivered during the shower? Or is there a local bakery that is doing safe deliveries/takeaway so that you could order a box of themed cupcakes? If you wanted to help your friend prepare for her arrival, there are some Irish companies that have some nice products; for example, www.ulluv.com is a Kerry-based company that offers pre-packed hospital bags with many of the essentials that she will need if she has not been able to buy them herself so far.
There is really nothing like getting a nice card to feel connected
I think another nice idea might be to ask the other girls to post on some baby cards or letters in the days leading up to the shower. There is really nothing like getting a nice card to feel connected and your friend will always be able to keep them as a reminder of how her friends made a special effort to reach out and show their love in a difficult time.
I’m sure that you and the other girls will think of lots more ideas when you put your heads together and there are lots of ideas online. But I think the most important thing is not to let the day go by without being marked. Best of luck and enjoy.
Miriam.
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