18 Baby Shower Favor Ideas Guests Will Actually Take Home
A baby shower favor is a small thank-you guests carry out the door, and I learned how much it matters when half my first batch got left behind on the table. These baby shower favor ideas are the ones I have made, bought, or received myself, and I kept only the favors guests took home, used, or mentioned afterwards.
How I picked these: I made or ordered each favor myself for a real shower, set a budget per guest, and watched what happened. I kept a favor only if it survived the party, fit the theme, cost what I expected, and at least one guest used it afterwards. Every idea below tells you what it cost me, how long it took, and where it went wrong.
Key Takeaways
- Spend $2 to $5 per guest, and decide the budget first.
- One useful favor beats three tiny trinkets.
- Label every favor with the mum-to-be’s name or the date, or guests will not know who it came from.
- Make 10 percent extra favors for last-minute guests, breakages, and one for yourself.
- Set favors out early, near the door or on each place setting, so nobody hunts for them.
18 Baby Shower Favor Ideas
1. The Mini “Meant to Bee” Honey Jars
These tiny honey jars are my go-to favor when the theme has even a hint of bees, but they work for any shower because everyone uses honey. I bought 2-ounce glass jars with gold lids, filled each with about 50 grams of runny honey, tied a small wooden dipper to the neck with twine, and added a tag that read “Meant to Bee” with the mum-to-be’s name. Filling and tagging twenty-five jars took one evening.
The downside is stickiness and weight. Honey leaks if a lid is not tight, and one jar tipped in a gift bag and glued a card to the table. I now seal each lid with a small circle of wax paper, pack the jars upright in a box, and warn guests to carry them flat.
Pro Tip: Put a wax paper circle under each lid and pack jars upright so honey never leaks.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $2 to $3 per jar | 2 hours for 25 | Easy
2. The Handmade Mini Soap Bars
A small handmade soap bar feels like a luxury gift, and it is one of the easiest baby shower favor ideas to make in bulk. I melted a melt-and-pour soap base in a jug, poured it into small moulds with lavender oil, and topped each bar with dried lavender buds. Each 60-gram bar got wrapped in tissue paper and twine, and smelled like a spa for weeks.
The downside is sweating and scent strength. Melt-and-pour soap sweats little beads of moisture in a warm room, and my first batch looked damp by party day. I now wrap each bar in cling film the moment it cools, store the batch somewhere cool, and keep the fragrance light.
Pro Tip: Wrap each bar in cling film as soon as it cools, or the soap will sweat in a warm room.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $1 to $2 per bar | 2 hours for 30 | Easy
3. The Mini Scented Candles
A mini candle is the classic shower favor because it suits every guest and every home. I bought 4-ounce tin candles in vanilla, and labelled them “Thank you for showering us with love.” I set one candle on each place setting, and guests lit them that same evening.
The downside is scent and safety. A strong fragrance gives some guests a headache, and one guest told me she never burns candles because she has a cat. I now choose a light scent like vanilla, and add a note saying the tin is reusable. Buy one candle first and burn it yourself before ordering thirty.
Pro Tip: Burn one sample candle first to check the scent before ordering the batch.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $2 to $4 each | 1 hour to label 30 | Easy
4. The Pastel Favor Gift Bags
Sometimes the bag is the favor, and a pretty pastel gift bag filled with a few small treats is the fastest baby shower favor idea of all. I bought small pink and blue paper bags and filled each with a mini chocolate bar, sweets, and a tiny hand cream. I folded the tops over, sealed them with a sticker, and set one bag on every chair.
The downside is that a bag of random treats can feel impersonal. My first batch looked like a lucky dip, and one guest asked if I had just emptied a drawer. I now pick a colour theme, add one handwritten tag, and keep the contents to three matching items.
Pro Tip: Limit each bag to three matching items plus a handwritten tag.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $3 to $5 per bag | 1 hour for 30 | Easy
5. The Mini Succulents in Pots
A mini succulent is the favor guests keep alive the longest, and mine have outlasted every other favor I have given. I bought tiny succulents in 6-centimetre terracotta pots, topped the soil with small stones, and pushed in a flag reading “Watch me grow, just like baby.” They doubled as table decorations, so I saved money on centrepieces too.
The downside is care and transport. Two of mine got overwatered by a helper the week before the shower. I now buy them three days ahead, water once, and tell guests to water only when the soil is dry. They are also fragile in a handbag, so I hand them over at the door.
Pro Tip: Buy succulents three days ahead, water once, and write watering instructions on the tag.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $2 to $4 each | 1 hour for 25 | Easy
6. The Chocolate Truffle Gift Boxes
A small box of chocolate truffles is the favor nobody leaves behind. I bought boxes of four mixed-flavour truffles, and tied each with pastel ribbon and a tag. For twenty guests, the boxes cost more than my homemade favors, but several guests asked where I bought them.
The downside is heat and allergies. Chocolate melts in a warm room, and at a summer garden shower I had to move the boxes indoors twice. I now keep truffle boxes in the fridge until the last half hour, and print nut, milk, and gluten warnings on the tag.
Pro Tip: Keep truffle boxes refrigerated until the last half hour, and print allergy warnings on every tag.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $4 to $6 per box | 30 minutes to ribbon 20 | Easy
7. The Herbal Tea Favor Pouches
A pouch of herbal tea is a gentle, thoughtful favor, especially for a mum-to-be who cannot drink alcohol and guests who love a quiet cup. I filled small muslin pouches with three chamomile and peppermint sachets, a dried orange slice, and a tag reading “A cup of calm, with love.” They cost little, weigh nothing, and post beautifully to guests who cannot attend.
The downside is that tea feels small on its own. My first pouches looked lost on a big table, and one guest thought they were part of the table decoration. I now pair each pouch with a honey stick or a biscuit, and set them in a basket by the door.
Pro Tip: Pair each tea pouch with a honey stick or biscuit so it feels like a gift.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $1 to $2 per pouch | 1 hour for 30 | Easy
8. The Gourmet Popcorn Bags
Popcorn bags are the fun favor; my guests’ children fought over them. I popped plain popcorn in two big pots, tossed it with melted butter and sea salt, and filled small striped bags with about 100 grams each. I folded the tops, added a sticker with the baby’s name, and set the bags in a basket.
The downside is staleness. Popcorn goes soft within a day, and my first test batch, popped the night before, tasted tired by afternoon. I now pop the corn the morning of the shower, seal each bag with a clip, and skip caramel coatings, which stick to the bag.
Pro Tip: Pop the corn the morning of the shower and seal each bag with a clip to keep it crisp.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $1 to $2 per bag | 1 hour for 30 | Easy
9. The Bath Salt Jars
A small jar of bath salts tells guests to take care of themselves, which is a lovely message at a baby shower. I mixed coarse sea salt with lavender oil and dried flowers, filled 100-gram jars, and tagged each “Soak, relax, and think of us.” They looked beautiful lined up on a tray.
The downside is that bath salts are not for everyone. Guests with sensitive skin, eczema, or a new baby at home may never use them, and one guest told me she has a shower, not a bath. I now keep the fragrance light, list ingredients on the tag, and offer a soap bar as an alternative.
Pro Tip: List every ingredient on the tag and keep the fragrance light for sensitive skin.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $1.50 to $2.50 per jar | 1.5 hours for 25 | Easy
10. The Pastel Treat Boxes
A pastel treat box is the favor that doubles as decoration, and it saved my table styling at a shower where I had no centrepieces. I bought small pastel boxes and filled each with two mini cupcakes, a macaron, and matching sweets. I closed the lids, tied them with ribbon, and stacked them in a pyramid guests photographed before opening one.
The downside is freshness and squashing. Cream-filled treats spoil in a warm room, and one box got crushed in a handbag on the way home. I now choose treats that survive room temperature, like biscuits and sweets, and use sturdy boxes, not flimsy ones.
Pro Tip: Fill treat boxes with biscuits and sweets, not cream treats, so they survive a warm room.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $3 to $5 per box | 1.5 hours for 25 | Easy
11. The Wildflower Seed Packets
A packet of wildflower seeds is the favor that keeps growing, and it is my favourite eco-friendly option. I filled small kraft packets with wildflower seeds and labelled them “Plant these and watch love grow.” Guests planted them in gardens and window boxes, and two friends sent photos of the first flowers months later.
The downside is patience and germination. Seeds do not always grow, and one guest planted hers in December and got nothing. I now choose a seasonal seed mix, print planting instructions on the packet, and warn guests that flowers take weeks. This favor suits gardeners best, so I pair it with something edible for other guests.
Pro Tip: Print the planting season and instructions on the packet, and choose seasonal seeds.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $1 to $2 per packet | 1 hour for 30 | Easy
12. The Dried Flower Mini Bundles
A tiny bundle of dried flowers is the prettiest favor I have made. I cut bulk dried lavender, wheat, and roses into 20-centimetre lengths, tied each bundle with twine, and added a kraft tag. They smelled gently of lavender, cost little, and needed no wrapping.
The downside is fragility. Dried flowers snap, shed, and crush in a handbag, and three bundles arrived home broken. I now wrap each bundle in tissue paper, keep stems short, and hand them out at the door, not from chairs.
Pro Tip: Wrap each bundle in tissue paper and hand it out at the door.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $1.50 to $3 per bundle | 1.5 hours for 25 | Easy
13. The Handwritten Thank-You Tags
A handwritten tag turns even a simple favor into something personal, and it is the cheapest upgrade I know. I cut thick card into 5 by 9 centimetre tags, handwrote each guest’s name and one line of thanks, and tied the tag to the favor with twine. Several guests told me the tag was the part they kept.
The downside is time and handwriting fatigue. Writing thirty tags took me over an hour, and my writing worsened badly after the twentieth. I now write tags in two sittings with a thick pen, and keep the message to one line.
Pro Tip: Write tags in two sittings with a thick pen, one line per tag.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $0.20 to $0.50 per tag | 1 hour for 30 | Easy
14. The Kraft Thank-You Cards
A kraft thank-you card tucked into each favor is a small gesture guests remember, and it gives the mum-to-be a reason to write a proper note later. I bought small kraft cards with envelopes, 10 by 15 centimetres, printed “Thank you for celebrating with us” on the front, and left the inside blank. I slipped one card into every favor bag, and guests used them as keepsakes.
The downside is that a blank card can feel unfinished. One guest asked if I had forgotten to write in them. I now handwrite one sentence inside each card before the shower, so nobody receives an empty card.
Pro Tip: Handwrite one sentence inside every card, so no guest receives a blank card.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $0.50 to $1 per card | 1 hour for 30 | Easy
15. The Ready-to-Gift Favor Boxes
When time runs short, a ready-made favor box is the answer. I ordered small boxes already filled with a candle, soap, and tea sachet in pastel colours, and just added ribbon and a tag. They looked polished, saved me an evening of crafting, and guests assumed I had made them.
The downside is cost and sameness. Ready-made boxes cost twice what homemade favors cost, and every guest gets exactly the same thing, which feels less personal. I now buy ready-made boxes only for large guest lists or busy weeks, and always add a handwritten tag.
Pro Tip: Add a handwritten tag to every ready-made box, so it still feels personal.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $5 to $8 per box | 30 minutes to tag 25 | Easy
16. The Mini Photo Favors
A mini photo favor is the most personal idea on this list, and it made my guests emotional in the best way. I printed 7 by 10 centimetre photos of the mum-to-be, mounted each on pastel card, and added a magnet for the fridge. Several guests told me theirs stayed on the fridge until the baby was born.
The downside is photo choice and printing cost. A dark or blurry photo ruins the favor, and printing thirty small photos cost more than I expected. I now choose one bright photo, print a test copy, and make photo favors for close family only.
Pro Tip: Print one test photo first, and reserve photo favors for close family to control cost.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $1.50 to $3 each | 1.5 hours for 20 | Easy
17. The Watercolour Favor Tags
A hand-painted watercolour tag turns an ordinary favor into a keepsake, and it is my favourite crafty upgrade. I painted a floral wash across plain card tags, let them dry, and wrote each guest’s name underneath. Guests tied them to bags, keys, and mirrors at home.
The downside is time and inconsistency. My first ten tags looked lovely and the next ten looked rushed, because my hand tired and the paint pooled. I now paint all washes first, write names in a second sitting, and keep this idea for twenty guests or fewer.
Pro Tip: Paint all washes first, let them dry, and write names in a second sitting.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $0.50 to $1 per tag | 2 hours for 20 | Medium
18. The Mini Cake Favors
A mini cake is the favor guests eat first and remember longest. I baked 8 by 4 centimetre sponge cakes in a mini loaf tin, covered them with pastel buttercream, and boxed each with ribbon and a tag. Guests who had skipped dessert were especially pleased to take one home.
The downside is freshness and transport. A buttercream cake softens in a warm car, and one mini cake slid sideways in its box on the drive home. I now bake them the morning of the shower, chill them before boxing, and use snug boxes. For summer showers, I switch to biscuits instead.
Pro Tip: Chill mini cakes before boxing, and use snug boxes so they cannot slide.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $2 to $4 each | 2.5 hours for 20 | Medium
Comparison Table
| Idea | Best for | Cost per guest | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Honey Jars | Bee themes | $2 to $3 | Easy |
| Handmade Mini Soap Bars | Spa lovers | $1 to $2 | Easy |
| Mini Scented Candles | Any guest | $2 to $4 | Easy |
| Pastel Favor Gift Bags | Last-minute hosts | $3 to $5 | Easy |
| Mini Succulents in Pots | Plant lovers | $2 to $4 | Easy |
| Chocolate Truffle Gift Boxes | Luxury | $4 to $6 | Easy |
| Herbal Tea Favor Pouches | Posting to guests | $1 to $2 | Easy |
| Gourmet Popcorn Bags | Family showers | $1 to $2 | Easy |
| Bath Salt Jars | Bath lovers | $1.50 to $2.50 | Easy |
| Pastel Treat Boxes | Table decoration | $3 to $5 | Easy |
| Wildflower Seed Packets | Eco showers | $1 to $2 | Easy |
| Dried Flower Mini Bundles | No-waste favors | $1.50 to $3 | Easy |
| Handwritten Thank-You Tags | Personalising favors | $0.20 to $0.50 | Easy |
| Kraft Thank-You Cards | Keepsakes | $0.50 to $1 | Easy |
| Ready-to-Gift Favor Boxes | Busy weeks | $5 to $8 | Easy |
| Mini Photo Favors | Close family | $1.50 to $3 | Easy |
| Watercolour Favor Tags | Small showers | $0.50 to $1 | Medium |
| Mini Cake Favors | Dessert skippers | $2 to $4 | Medium |
Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To)
I left favors on the table and half stayed behind. Guests forget things while saying goodbye, so now I place one favor on every chair or hand them out at the door.
I trusted my screen and my blush pink bags arrived orange. Screens are brighter than printers, so I order one sample of anything printed now.
I made a fiddly favor for sixty guests. Hand-painted tags are lovely for twenty people and miserable for sixty. I match effort to guest list now.
I forgot allergies. A strong candle and a nut-filled truffle box caused awkward moments, so now I list ingredients on every tag and keep scents light.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I spend on baby shower favors per guest?
Spend $2 to $5 per guest. Set the budget before choosing a design, or a $8 box times thirty guests will shock you.
How far ahead should I make or order favors?
Order favors two to three weeks ahead, and finish fresh items like popcorn or mini cakes on the morning. Keep finished favors by the door the night before.
What would you do differently if you did this again?
I would start with the guest list and budget, not the prettiest idea. A simple favor given to every guest beats a perfect favor half receive.
What if guests leave their favors behind?
Hand favors out at the door, or place one on each chair before the shower. I posted unclaimed favors once, but guests had simply forgotten them.
Final Thoughts
The best baby shower favor ideas are not the most expensive ones. They are the ones guests can use, that survive the journey home, and that recall a happy afternoon. Pick one that fits your budget and patience, make extras, and hand them out at the door.
Related article: Baby Shower Cake Ideas will help you plan the cake. Also read Baby Shower Games Ideas for games guests enjoy. Read this next: Baby Shower Food Ideas for a menu guests remember.
