Whether you have an office party to plan, a Christmas dinner to host, or a New Year’s celebration to organise, why not create your own invitation?

Feeding a gaggle of girls for your own or your friend’s pre-baby celebration? What a great opportunity to serve up a decadent spread! If the gender of the baby is known, go crazy with pink or blue (or do a mix of the two). And make the most of mini morsels – ‘baby-sized’ bites that are easy to eat while you gossip and play silly games.

Before we have a baby, most of us spend hours poring over name books trying to find just the right name - it needs to fit well with our surname, be meaningful, and suit our child as they grow from a child into an adult.

Q. I had a baby recently and we’ve received a swag of congratulations, ranging from flowers to cards and presents, big and small. I also got a lot of gifts at my baby shower which I haven’t thanked the guests for yet. Which gestures require a written thankyou note, and which can be acknowledge verbally?