Says Jenifour Jones: “It’s popular to hold off on opening the gifts until either after the party or towards the end of the party. If you’re doing a co-ed shower, guys don't want to sit around for house and watch gifts being opened and neither do a lot of ladies! Therefore the gift opening is reserved for people who really want to see the gifts.

“A popular shower game I have seen is when the mom and dad sit back-to- back so they can't see one another, and answer questions that the crowd writes down on note cards. The couple holds a blue stick and a pink stick. The crowd asks funny questions such as "Who will most likely change the diapers?,” "Who may accidentally curse in front of the baby first?" or even "Who initiated the baby making?" and the couple raises the stick that corresponds with the individual parent. The wilder the questions, the more entertaining.

Cute Onesies can be hung up as decor, as well. For decorations, I also love cool balloons bouquets from a specialty store called Balloon Celebrations. They are really fabulous and so different!"--Jenifour Jones is an event planner and owner of event planning company Go Get It Events. She plans Baby Showers in the NYC area.

Says Jenny Orsini: “Baby showers have definitely come along way since the old days. Yes, some mommies still host very traditional baby showers, but we also see more and more moms to be branching out and looking to host fabulous, non-cookie cutter baby showers with the intent of wowing their guests! “Trends we've seen over the past year include new, creative and exciting themes; gorgeous linens with decadent napkin treatments, live entertainment, lounge style and cocktail style parties (virgin drinks of course!) and candy buffets.

“Etsy and online stores have always been, and continue to be a popular source for shower items such as invitations, seating cards, advice cards, menus and even thank you cards, too! Plus, old photo displays are fab! Pics of mommy and daddy as babies and growing up. 'Be a dear and wrap in clear,' is gaining popularity. Gift opening is so lengthy; some opt to skip that tradition and enjoy more time greeting and catching up with guests. Plus, yummy takeaways are always popular, such as couture chocolate All presented fabulously, of course!”--Jenny Orsini is the owner and creative director of Jenny Orsini Events, based in Berkeley Heights and Randolph.

Says Shari Ivler: “A new hot trend right now for baby showers is the "gender reveal" baby shower. The guests make their predictions and wait for the big reveal! One fun way for guests to make their predictions is by using a big chalkboard and having each guest write their name in either blue or pink chalk under a 'boy' or 'girl' column. Another option for party goers to get in on the guessing is to have either pink or blue bowties made into pins and have each guest wear the pin of their prediction!”

“As far as the reveal goes, the most popular way to let guests in on the big secret is by cutting into a cake or cupcake that is filled with either pink or blue frosting! And of course, everyone’s favorite attraction is the candy bar! A candy bar is a great way to treat guests to something sweet. You can set up a fun and colorful candy bar in either blue or pink candy, or really any other color of your choice. You can purchase very cute and inexpensive candy bags, and let the guests fill them up as a take away.”

“Some other entertainment ideas would be to set up a photo booth at the shower. You can do this inexpensively with a Polaroid camera, a big empty frame and some fun props! Also, having Wish Cards is very sweet. It's something you will have forever and can one day give to your future daughter or son. You will both enjoy reading back everyone's notes!"--Shari Ivler is the founder of Westchester-based Shabou Creations.

Says Sarah De Jesus: “Moms-to-be are going all out nowadays with creative and unique themes to fit their personal styles. I find new moms really enjoy being more involved in the planning of their showers as well. You'll also find that Sweets Tables have become really popular, as well as cake pops and fondant cakes to match the theme. Although, the ‘honorary chair’ has been a must at baby showers for a very long time, I have not seen it as much in the last couple of years. Mom's are now opting for a modern couch, undecorated chair or simply holding off from opening their gifts at the party all together.”

“There are so many fun and cute games for both coed and all-women baby showers. ‘Baby Shower Onesie’ I believe is pretty new and exciting for those who’ll like their guests to get crafty. However some simpler ones such as “Feed the baby”, “Guess the Mother’s Belly Measurement” and “Diaper Raffle” are still among the most popular ones.”

“Here are three of my favorite sites for cute, unique and eco-friendly products: StartSafe Baby, the Blooming Bath Baby Bath, and Mamas and Papas. I find a lot of my clients go to Etsy in the search of things that are reasonably priced and different such as invitations or cute hand-made party products."

“Co-ed showers are popular, however, it is still very popular to have the typical all-female baby shower; specially if you want to keep a smaller guest-list and stay within a reasonable budget. I find an intimate brunch is a great way to keep it just as special and budget friendly while still having a unique and fantastic event.”-- Sarah De Jesus is the founder of Dreamers Joy Events & Design, LLC.

Image courtesy of Shari Ivler at Shabou Creations.