This past weekend, we stepped outside The Jeweled Nest’s usual gothic aesthetic to create something extra special—a traditional Christmas cookies & cocoa-inspired baby shower for my sister and brother-in-law! While our realm is usually more moody elegance and Halloween-inspired designs, this festive event embraced all the warmth and joy of the holiday season. It was a celebration of family, tradition, and new beginnings—and we couldn’t have been happier to bring their vision to life.

The Menu: A Sweet Treat for Guests

Food was at the heart of this shower, and we wanted to create a spread that felt as cozy as it was celebratory. The centerpiece? A hot cocoa bar from Ben & Jerry’s (did you know they cater hot cocoa bars? Yet another reason to love this company!). Guests loved customizing their cocoa with marshmallows, whipped cream, crushed candy canes, and other festive toppings. We arranged the toppings in Christmas-themed paper bowls with golden serving spoons for an elegant touch.

For the cookies and other sweet treats, we went with catering from @mixeddesserts, a local bakery that went above and beyond with our Christmas-themed sweets. (I really wish I had gotten better pictures!) From cookies decorated with beautiful Christmas trees to frosted oatmeal cookies that brought the nostalgia factor, the cookie spread was bountiful and delicious. It was the perfect nod to the “Santa’s cookies” part of the cookies and cocoa theme and a big hit with all the guests.

Creating the Perfect Festive Backdrop

Part of bringing our friends and family together for an event is capturing those memories, which for us means including a backdrop for group photos. Matt engineered an 8′ x 8′ stand out of PVC pipe to be super sturdy, even without using sandbags or other weights. If you are interested in those plans, drop a comment below! Using that stand as a base, we created a classic Christmas-inspired backdrop with ivory curtains, evergreen garlands framing the edges, and a bold red velvet bow as the centerpiece. Stacked holiday gifts in shimmering golds, reds, and greens with statement bows completed the look. This backdrop made a big visual impact and had plenty of room for group photos without breaking the bank.

Activities for Every Guest

To make the day interactive and engaging, we included thoughtful activities for guests of all ages. Playing off of the Letters to Santa idea, we set up a station with an adorable green mailbox, miniature Christmas cards, and candy cane pens, inviting everyone to write their wishes and advice for the newest addition to the family.

We created two kids’ activity tables with coloring tablecloths full of Christmas-themed designs for the little ones. Cardboard gingerbread houses with candy stickers to decorate with and colorful Christmas kaleidoscopes added to the fun! Using these coffee tables for the kids’ stations put things more at their level, and parents could sit nearby and relax and enjoy the event.

Gift opening bingo can be a really entertaining activity at a baby shower. In addition to the usual list of possible gifts, we added personalized squares like “something handmade,” “a Christmas book,” and “a Baby’s First Christmas item.” Everyone chimed in to ask about the details of each present, which kept the conversation going. Having the gift opening be an event that everyone is invested in because they might win a prize makes it that much more fun! This cookie mug was one of the bingo prizes, and I also love the candy cane pens I found for everyone to use.

Details That Made It Special

We’re all about the details, and this event was no exception. The tables were decorated with holiday centerpieces featuring evergreen sprigs, red holly berries, and shimmering ornaments in plaid gift boxes and bags. These were so easy to set up but really fit the Christmas-time theme.

Guests were also treated to custom M&Ms as party favors. The green bags had a Christmas tree-shaped window, and the M&Ms were personalized with the baby’s name and meaningful icons. These plaid trays kept things feeling contained, not cluttered, and we added an adorable gingerbread house plant pot we found at At Home for a festive touch.

Even the welcome table set the tone for the day, with a copy of How the Grinch Stole Christmas as a guestbook, more candy cane pens, and essentials like hand sanitizer and masks to ensure everyone felt comfortable and safe.

The Heart of the Day

Of course, the real magic of this baby shower was seeing everyone come together to celebrate new life and family. While this event was a step outside our typical aesthetic, it still reflected what we value most: creating spaces to spend time with the people we care for. Watching family and friends sip cocoa, laugh over baby shower bingo, and enjoy this beautiful day reminded us why we do what we do.

A huge thank-you to everyone who helped make this day unforgettable—and to our amazing vendors, @mixeddesserts and @benandjerrys, for adding that extra touch of magic.

We’re so excited to share the details of this special day with you, and we hope it inspires you to add your own personal touches to your holiday celebrations. Have you ever hosted an event outside your creative comfort zone? Let us know in the comments below—we’d love to hear your stories!