Thoughts on favor ideas?

mjberube89

So my sister is only 14 weeks pregnant. But being the crazy-OCD-organized-party planner that I am, I've already basically fully planned her shower. And since she doesn't find out the sex of the baby until late December, I've basically planned a shower for BOTH genders just in case. (Yes, I am aware that it's slightly crazy...) Anyway, I know favors can be a tricky thing to plan because you can't please everybody. However, I'm kind of trying to pick something that I think the majority of guests would enjoy. Keeping in mind that my sister is a pretty young MTB (she's 21), and that the guests are all female and range in age from 21-50ish, do you think the following options are good ideas?

If she has a boy, we're planning a nautical theme and the favors would be sailboat shaped tea light candle holders seen here:

https://m.beau-coup.com/#!/products/1479

Personally, I would definitely get use out of this favor because I have a beach themed bathroom in my home. And even if I didn't, I think it's cute enough to display elsewhere. However, will the other guests be able to fid a use for them or will they go straight to the trash?...

If she has a girl, we're doing a princess theme and the favors would be crown key chains with a rhinestone detail in the center seen here:

https://www.weddingfavorsunlimited.com/majestic_crown_keyring_favors.html

Again, all of the guests drive and the majority of them are fairly younger. And personally, I would definitely use this favor because I think its super cute. However, will the other women like them and use them or will they just toss them?...

What do you ladies think of these ideas?

74dragonfly

I don't like either. I think they are too theme specific. I think the best favors are things that can be eaten, like candy or cookies. I personally don't like getting more trinkets.

zazu13

I love the keychain and could use it as a zipper pull orbon spare keys. The sail boat is cute but rather taste specific.

nah82

I just did a nautical/whale theme shower for my sister and we had our cake lady bake whale shaped sugar cookies as our favors.  I found a lot of nautical favors involving Life Savers mints on Pinterest since they resemble life preservers, and I also ran across candies at my grocery store that would be cute, blue and white gummy rings (similar to peach rings, must be blue raspberry flavor?) that really looked like life preservers.  Salt water taffy is another edible idea that goes with the nautical theme, we had it on our cake table.  People went nuts for the cake balls I made just using a boxed cake mix, canned icing, and almond bark.  They could be made to fit any theme or color scheme with the color of the sprinkles you use.

Princess stuff, you're on your own, I have 2 boys and I'm not the least bit princessy myself.

Sam Buttons

Both would end up in my trash. I perhaps would give the princess key chain to my three year old, but that would just delay the inevitable trash status by a day or two. I cant imagine an adult with a princess key chain (and this comes from someone with two dds who's house looked like princesses exploded in it).

Go editable - crown or whale shaped sugar cookies if you want to stick on theme. Chocolate dipped prestzle sticks with blue or pink swirl are always a hit. I also am a sucker for candy bars. You get small, plain, Chinese take out containers, stick a themed ribbon on them and them have a pretty table of candy in glass or clear plastic jars. This was done at my shower with all orange and pink candy and it looked amazing!

charpe

Cake pops are always a big hit too. And u can decorate them with your colors or get sparkly pink ribbon for the princess idea, or navy & red for the nautical theme?

mplesset23

Agree with PP's, I prefer the cookie route when I go to showers.  Someone will always eat cookies.  I just went to my friends shower and it was also a nautical theme.  They found these adorable nautical themed cookies on Etsy.  They were delicious and absolutely precious!

Helenahhandbasket

I think it's really sweet you are excited.

I would probably throw both of those in the trash- but I am not at all sentimental.  I would hasten to guess that most people don't attend showers to "get a favor". 

So to summarize, I personally would toss out the favors, but as a general idea the favors you are choosing are fine.

notkateanymore

Edible treats or nothing IMO. Those would just get trashed.

ewallace00

Another edible treat idea is a blue or pink wrapped Hershey bar with custom wrapper. I wouldn't use either of the favors you noted either.

dufferoo

I would think both of those were a cute touch, but to be perfectly honest, probably wouldn't end up using either. As long as it's within your budget, I think you could go with either and they would make a sweet thematic touch that some girls would use... Just don't have your heart be broken if some girls decide to toss it.

ArgyleBride

I actually really like the sailboat tea light holders, and they aren't blatantly sail-boaty so I think they are more versatile.  The key chain though...very much not my style, and most people who want key chains already have them. You only need one or two, after all.

EmeraldCity84

We just did a nail polish and a small antibacterial hand sani in a cute box.  My mom got them in colors from my nursery. The boxes can be decorated in your theme, but the gifts themselves are neutral and if someone really doesn't want them, they are also very easy to regift.

Dena526

You will never please everyone so I say do what you like (I didn't even look at the pictures), yes something edible is nice but would that please everyone?? Probably not. If you like what you have picked out then go with it.

cakergirl

In my area nobody does favors for showers. Most (but not all) do favors for weddings, and even then it usually ends up being one of those things that gets thrown in a box because i feel guilty throwing it away, then a few years later when we move/unpack/reorganize I'm like "oh, I forgot about that, hmm I should really toss/donate this etc". That being said, if you think favors are a must, stick with something edible (cookies decorated in the theme, pretzels dipped in chocolate and sprinkles in colors that coordinate with decor, something edible with the baby's name, etc). Or another idea which I think would be incredibly useful if you must give an actual keepsake, what about inkpens with the baby's name and something like "Welcoming Ella Jane Smith, Summer 2014". This is something useful, I would actually use it rather than throwing it away, yet other more sentimental folks than myself might keep it long term as more of a "keepsake", plus if there are a bunch leftover mom and dad could hand them out in place of cigars when the baby comes. And one could go in the baby book as the kid grows up. Way more useful than a random sailboat, candle or trinket that isn't actually personalized and that i wouldnt use in any way.