In baby-shower etiquette, a party favor is the small item traditionally given to thank guests for attending.
Favors may include sweets, candles, soaps, seed packets, miniature plants, or small themed keepsakes. Some hosts personalize them with the baby’s expected name, a date, or a short message. The item is usually inexpensive and symbolic rather than a major part of the event.
A favor is different from a shower gift. Guests give gifts to support the expectant family, while the host or organizing family gives favors as a gesture of appreciation. Thank-you notes serve a related purpose, but they are normally sent after the event and are not physical favors handed to guests.
Contemporary hosts may skip favors for practical or environmental reasons. Digital messages, shared desserts, or charitable donations can express thanks without creating extra objects. Thus, the tradition is flexible even though the basic idea remains a small token of gratitude.