More and more these days, parents are breaking from tradition when it comes to hosting events prior to and after giving birth. Not everybody wants a splashy gender reveal party or a traditional pre-birth baby shower or a horde of family members showing up to the hospital immediately after the little one is born. For parents who want to celebrate their new little one, but don’t necessarily want all the fanfare when they’re still expecting, baby shower alternatives can come in handy. One of the most exciting options? A “sip and see” party.
These parties, which are kind of like a baby shower after baby is born, are a chance for the new parents to take control of who sees their baby and when. But they’re not just great for setting boundaries with family and friends. Sip and see parties can be a lot of fun, too.
What is a Sip and See Party?
A Baby Shower Alternative
According to Southern Living, baby showers are more used to recognize the mother, whereas sip-and-sees are held to honor and dote over the baby. In that case, it’s totally fine if parents want to have both events. Alternatively, families can choose to skip the baby shower entirely and just do a post-birth event so everybody can see the baby. This is helpful for long-distance family members and friends who possibly can’t travel for a baby shower and again once the baby is born.
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Should Guests Bring Gifts?
If you did have a baby shower, it probably shouldn’t be expected that guests bring more gifts to the sip-and-see. If it’s replacing the baby shower, gifts can be requested. Although most baby registry items need to be purchased before the child’s arrival, so keep that in mind. If you want a fool-proof gift for new parents, you can never go wrong with diapers and wipes!
Sip and See Ideas
Like baby showers, sip and see parties don’t have to follow one set theme. The only requirements for a sip-and-see is serving drinks (for the “sip” portion) and showing off the baby (for the “see” portion).
Drink Ideas
The “sip” part of the sip-and-see is pretty important. You could serve tea like the party’s Southern roots call for. You could also provide alcoholic options with cutesy names like “mom-osas” or “mom-tinis.” Or make a specialty cocktail themed around the baby’s name. Most likely serving a variety of beverages will be your best bet; we’d recommend coffee and teas, juices, champagne, beer, wine, soda, etc.
Food Ideas
Just because the sip-and-see doesn’t mention snacks in the name doesn’t mean you should have a beverage-only party. There are endless food options, but doing brunch foods, easy appetizers, or a buffet-style meal is probably the easiest way to feed a lot of guests. TikToker @brittneyrodriguez98 had a breakfast bar at hers complete with bagels, waffles, pancakes, and more. You could also serve charcuterie trays, pastries, or even grill out.
Games
There are many digital downloads on Etsy that make perfect sip-and-see party games. There’s a version of bingo where guests have to track down different friends and family members to complete their sheets. Also, there’s a printable that allows people to write down their wishes and hopes for the new baby. And there’s a “guess the baby food” worksheet set as well.
You can also have a baby outfit painting station like TikToker @clomademedoit did. Newborns really can’t have too many onesies, and it’s a cute way to get friends and family involved.
You can also do non-baby-themed games like outdoor Jenga, cornhole, etc. Any children in attendance will likely appreciate these types of activities.
