Author: Zenith Admin

Your baby shower questions answered – all you need to know

Posted on by Zenith Admin

A baby shower is the ultimate party – celebrating new beginnings and helping the parents get ready for the new addition to their family.

An opportunity for friends and family to celebrate the impending arrival of a new baby, talk about parenting and help the new parents with the baby essentials they’ll need once the new baby arrives.

It’s the perfect time to give clothing, nursery equipment and the myriad of essentials that are needed for the new arrival.

Most new parents already have some of the things they’ll need – cocoon for the car, pram or stroller, crib and highchair. They’ll know best just what they want to complete their equipment range – so a gift card is the ideal present for the new parents.

With a prepaid Mastercard through Gift Card Registry, they can buy just what they need for the new baby. No duplicate gifts and things they don’t want or need. With Gift Card Registry, they can buy the essentials now and keep some value on the card for later purchases as the child grows to crawler then toddler and their needs change.

If you’re planning a baby shower for a friend or relative, here’s everything you need to know!

  1. When is the best time to host a baby shower?

When the mother to be is about 28 to 35 weeks pregnant so she has time to purchase baby equipment and organise the nursery with all the new (or borrowed) gear.

  1. Where should you hold a baby shower?

Your own home might be the best place, but if you are planning to invite more guests than your lounge can comfortably accommodate, think of alternative venues. Will your guests include other parents with young children? Depending on the season, the local park or playground could be an ideal venue. Consider a private function room in a café or restaurant, community centres, even the local bowling club. Avoid holding the celebration at the home of the expectant mother – she is the guest of honour, not the host!

  1. Who’s on the invitation list?

Talk to the mum-to-be before you make up a guest list. Think about numbers if you have a limit on the size of the venue. And check out the next question before you start thinking about who will be there. If you are compiling a list to send invitations, get email addresses as well. Never publicly post an invitation on social media, you could end up with unwanted guests!

  1. What sort of party will it be?

Choose a theme or just go casual with the guests providing the entertainment. If it’s casual, you can ask the guests to ‘bring a plate’ or have a barbecue. Anything goes with a baby shower – you can decide on a dress up occasion, or even suggest the guests come in fancy dress. The main thing is not to lose sight of the reason for the party – to help the parents celebrate a new baby.

  1. Does the party need a theme?

You could celebrate like a celebrity and roll out the red carpet with the expectant mum as the star! If she prefers something more traditional, try one of these ideas for inspiration:

  • Colour: Many parents already know what’s coming and may want to celebrate with a theme of blue or pink. Think outside the traditional colours for an individual theme.
  • Classic children’s books: Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland. If your theme is based on a book, consider asking guests to bring a children’s book as a gift for the newborn with a personal message inside.
  • Nature themes: Flowers, farmyard, butterflies. If you are having an outdoor party at the beach or park, the venue could provide some inspiration.
  • Popular film themes: Disney characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse are always popular. Kids’ films like Frozen or Beauty and the Beast can be a fun theme.
  • A hobby or passion: Music or travel provide endless possibilities.

Before you decide on a theme, go online and search for ‘baby shower decorations’ or ‘celebrity baby showers’ for inspiration.

  1. Does the party need games?

It’s up to you and the mum to be. The main event is usually eating, drinking and opening gifts (or skp the gifts if you are having a Gift Card Registry) but for a fun event, you can have a few activities or games that can tie in with the theme. If the new parents haven’t told anyone whether the baby is a boy or a girl, they can have some fun with a gender-reveal surprise package. For the latest ideas, go online and search for ‘baby shower games’.

  1. A shower, a sprinkle or a sip and see?

If the baby party is for a second or third child, it may be called a baby ‘sprinkle’ and celebrated as a ‘mini’ baby shower. If the mother is already well stocked with baby gear from her first child, a scaled down baby sprinkle is always appreciated, especially if she’s having a baby of a different gender this time and has different needs. And if the celebration is delayed until after the baby arrives, it can be called a ‘sip and see’ – drop in for a cup of tea or coffee and see the baby – but don’t stay too long!

 

After the wedding, saying thank you is a tradition still on trend

Posted on by Zenith Admin

When the excitement of the wedding is a happy memory and your new life together is just beginning, there are still a few things to complete the delight of the wedding experience.

Just when you thought the planning was all over, there’s more to do. Your priorities, as well as adjusting to your new life as a couple, include the fun of viewing the photographs and the task of saying ‘thank you’.

Gift Card Registry is the new style of gift giving

Your special wedding guests have shared your wonderful day, and many will have contributed to your Gift Card Registry, so you can enjoy the gift of a Mastercard prepaid gift card. When you’re ready to use the card to buy just what you want for your future, think of those who have made your gift possible – and thank them.

Tradition is still on trend

A ‘thank you’ shows that you appreciate their gifts and are delighted that they shared the wedding day with you.

Traditional wedding etiquette may seem like a relic from the past, particularly if you’ve chosen an individual style of wedding. Whether you enjoyed a romantic ceremony in a church, on the beach, or at the registry office, good manners never go out of fashion.

It’s an ongoing tradition to include the writing and sending of personal thank you cards or notes to every guest. Whatever their contribution to the wedding, they will appreciate your thanks.

When to thank

Order the thank you cards at the same time as the wedding invitations so they are ready to send when you get back from your honeymoon.

Send the thank you notes within four to six weeks of the wedding.

Hand written is important

Your cards may be printed with a standard ‘thank you’ message, but it is important that you add some hand-written words to personalise the appreciation. Include the guests’ names and add a short personal message that is individual to them.

If you have used Gift Card Registry for your wedding gifts, your guests will be interested to know what you are going to use the gift card for. Is it for your honeymoon, to help with the wedding, or to buy furnishings or appliances for your new home? Let them know what the gift card is being spent on and they will enjoy sharing your plans.

Thanks for coming

Guests who have travelled long distances and made a special effort to be present to share your big day will appreciate being thanked for their attendance at your wedding. If they played a special role such as being in the bridal party or the MC or are a close relative – mother or father of the bride or groom – give them specific mention.

Some guests may not have contributed to your Gift Card Registry but have showed their love and acceptance in other ways such as assisting with catering, cars or even helping out by minding children at a critical time. Thank them too!

Make it easy for yourself

Early days of married life can be hectic and writing dozens of thank you notes becomes a chore you would rather put off.  Try these tips to help with motivating you to get them done.

  • Make room to write. Create a space at home to write the notes. Keep the cards, envelopes, stamps, pen and your address list all in one place so you can continue writing whenever you get the opportunity.
  • Share the task. Ask your spouse to help, specially if the list of thank yous is a long one.
  • Keep a master list. Tick off each one as you write the notes. Important if you are sharing the task so you don’t double up.
  • Set yourself a timeline. Daily or weekly goals can give focus so the project doesn’t seem overwhelming. For example, aim to write three thank yous each night, or 10 in a week to start ticking off the names on your list.
  • Saying thanks is good for you! Thanking someone and being thanked create feel good moments that are remembered. There is no downside to a thank you!

Receiving a thank you rebounds

People who are thanked for their gifts or assistance feel a greater desire to help the person who has thanked them. Appreciation is reciprocal and can be a positive gesture to foster friendship, enhance family life and create a valuable bond.

As the thanker, you’ll feel good too after showing your appreciation.

Thank you is easy with Gift Card Registry

Using Gift Card Registry for your wedding gifts makes it easy for you to thank each person who has helped to achieve your special reward, the prepaid Mastercard so you can decide what to buy.

Go online to find out more about setting up your personal registry at giftcardregistry.com.au or phone Gift Card Registry on 1300 354 632.

You will be sent a prepaid Mastercard loaded with the total amount gifted when the registry closes. The card can be used worldwide wherever Mastercard is accepted.

With a prepaid gift card, you can buy just what you want and in your thank you note, let the guests know how you have used the money on the card to start your life together. It’s the new way of gifting for weddings, made easy for guests and perfect for newlyweds.

No more toasters – ask for what you want with Gift Card Registry

Posted on by Zenith Admin

Organising a wedding is a major logistics operation that calls for short cuts and time saving tips to make the planning as smooth as possible. You’ll save both time and stress with a Gift Card Registry!

More secure than a wishing well

Compared with a store-based Wedding Registry or a Wishing Well at the reception, a Gift Card Registry is the superior way to give and receive because it is secure, convenient, easy to use and saves everyone time. You are not locked into preselecting gifts like traditional registries.

No unwanted gifts

Traditional gift giving has been turned on its head with cutting edge technology and the advantage of a prepaid Mastercard. Setting up a Gift Card Registry means no unwanted gifts and it is more secure than wishing wells and money trees.

Research recommends saying what you want

Research shows that inviting guests to contribute to a wedding fund is preferred by the recipients of the gifts. Studies by Harvard and Stanford researchers and published in Experimental Social Psychology, showed that gift recipients most appreciated receiving money more than receiving a specific gift.^

No surprises, thanks!

Surprises may be exciting but can be a disappointment when you get unwanted presents. With a Gift Card registry, you are sure of getting what you want because you are going to be choosing the gifts.

All the money received on the Registry is transferred to a prepaid Mastercard, ready for you to go on your honeymoon or complete your shopping after the wedding. You can spend it anywhere in the world or online where Mastercard is accepted, a versatile and easy option.

Once your registry has closed, you will be sent the card for you to buy exactly what you both want.

Understanding the gift exchange

The studies on the benefits of explicitness in gift exchange showed that there is a vast difference in perception between gift givers and recipients.

Gift recipients:

  • Appreciated receiving money more than receiving a specific gift.
  • Were more appreciative of gifts they explicitly request.
  • Regarded givers who gave what they had asked for as being more thoughtful.

Gift givers thought:

  • Recipients did not appreciate receiving money as much as receiving a specific gift.
  • Whatever they gave would be equally appreciated.
  • A surprise gift would be appreciated just as much as if it had been chosen by the recipient.
  • Money wouldn’t be appreciated as much as an asked-for gift.

Please give us what we want!

Gift givers failed to realise that people prefer receiving what they want. However, when recipients specified the gift they would like, givers became more willing to purchase the requested gift.

The studies showed that gift recipients were more thankful when receiving a gift they had asked for, rather than one that had been chosen for them by the giver.

Gift Card Registry is the answer to gift giving

Gift Card Registry makes gift giving easy and everyone can be assured that the recipient will get just what they want and it will be appreciated.

It gives the opportunity to give the best possible gift for a wedding, birthday or special occasion because the giver knows that the recipient will be able to buy exactly what they want or need.

Give the gift of choice

Friends and family of the couple to be married can rest assured that they will not need to wonder whether to purchase another toaster or slow cooker, crystal glasses or cushions in the hope the newlyweds will need and like what they have chosen.

The ultimate gift is one of choice for the recipient! Gift givers don’t need to spend days looking for the perfect gift.

Guests will save time and stress by connecting with your Gift Card Registry. Let them know that you appreciate being able to purchase just what you want.

Express appreciation

After the honeymoon when you have had an opportunity to buy what you want using the Gift Card Registry funds, let your guests know how you used the prepaid Mastercard and thank them for their contribution. They like to be appreciated too!

 

Reference:

^Give them what they want: The benefits of explicitness in gift exchange. Francesca Ginoa (Harvard Business), Francis J.Flynn (Stanford Business),  Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 2011.