Are you or someone you love adopting a new family member? Adoption parties are an amazing way to celebrate this process as well as the special moments leading up to the official day of adoption.
Types of Adoption Parties
Traditional baby shower
Shower the parent(s)-to-be in the same way you would at any other baby shower. If the adopted child hasn’t been born yet, you can play a prediction game that invites your guests to guess the baby’s stats. If your shower is in person, you can have guests decorate onesies or t-shirts, and if your event is taking place virtually, you can send guests supplies lists so they can participate and send their craft as a gift once it is complete and dry.
Sip and see
A sip and see party is hosted to give friends and family a chance to meet a new baby or child shortly after they arrive at home. Depending on the CDC guidelines in your area, a sip and see may be best held virtually so your loved ones can meet your new family member. Send out an invitation that includes a link for guests to enter the online party and give everyone a 10 minute time slot for them to join. Organized this way, everyone gets personal time with the parent(s) and the child.
Homecoming party
Unlike a sip and see, for a homecoming party, all guests come to the family’s house or log onto the video call at one time to celebrate with everyone. If possible, host your party outside and give everyone a chance to visit, from a distance, with the star of the event.
Once you have decided what type of party you want to have, you’ll want to make sure that your celebrations are as safe and fun for everyone involved as possible.
Tips for safe and fun adoption parties
Determine whether it’s best to celebrate virtually or in person based on guests’ comfort levels as well as local CDC guidelines.
We recommend reaching out to people individually to ask whether or not they feel comfortable attending in person. Grouping them together and asking in a mass message could make people feel pressured to answer one way or another, rather than how they really feel!
Share invitations with your loved ones, whether your event is going to be in person or remote.
Sending invitations (like this one) is a great way to get the party started. In your invitation, you can also include information for joining virtually or expectations (such as masks or negative COVID test) for people who will be attending in person, if that’s an option.
If your event is in person, try to avoid hands-on activities.
If your event includes crafts, make sure everyone has their own personal materials and workspace. If you’ll be serving food, try to make it so that everyone has their own serving ware or personal prepackaged boxes of food. Lastly, while you are celebrating a new family member and everyone will likely want to be hug them and/or the parent(s)-to-be, try to reiterate that you want to keep everyone safe and will make up for the missed hugs with twice as many the first time they see them post-pandemic.
Whether you choose to host an adoption party safely in person or opt for a virtual party (or a mix of both!), keep in mind that this is a fun and happy time. Don’t worry too much about the party format. As long as you prioritize spending time together in a safe way to celebrate this special event, the rest will fall into place!
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