Baby announcement

A baby announcement or birth announcement is a notice traditionally sent to friends and family by the parents of a baby within the first year of the baby's birth for the primary purpose of alerting friends and family to the birth of the baby. A baby announcement will typically include at least some or all of the following information:

the baby's name
one or more pictures of the baby
the baby's birth date and time
the baby's birth weight and height
the location of the baby's birth
the names of the baby's parents and other family members
an expression of gratitude by the parents for the arrival of the baby
an invitation to attend a baby shower for the mother of the baby

British parents may place a birth announcement in their local newspaper.^[1] Once a name has been chosen they may send out an American-style card.^[1]

History & Origin

The birth of a child has been celebrated since before records began and many religions have narratives about the birth of their god or spiritual leader. The earliest newspapers carried birth announcements and announcement cards became commercially available in mid-19th century Britain. Traditionally birth announcements give the names of the child, the time and date of birth, the sex and the weight.^[2]

Notes

^ ^a ^b Morgan, John (2007). "Chapter1: Birth, Baptism and Other Ceremonies of Childhood". Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners: The Indispensable Handbook. St. Martin's Press. pp. 3–4. ISBN 978-1-4299-7828-6.
^ Richard James (22 July 2020). "Greeting Cards - History, Origins & Uses". Lemon Loco. Retrieved 22 July 2020.

References

Baldrige, Letitia (2009). "Chapter 13. Pregnancy, Birth, and Other Rites of Passage that Welcome a Child into the World". Letitia Baldrige's New Manners for New Times: A Complete Guide to Etiquette. Simon and Schuster. pp. 381–382. ISBN 978-1-4391-8854-5.
Ingram, Leah (2005). "Chapter 2: The Well-Mannered New Parent". The Everything Etiquette Book: A Modern-Day Guide to Good Manners. Everything Books. pp. 19–20. ISBN 1-4405-2337-1.
Martin, Judith (2011). "Chapter 2. Birth". Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior (Freshly Updated). W. W. Norton. pp. 47–51. ISBN 978-0-393-07909-8.

[Morgan2007-1] Morgan, John (2007). "Chapter1: Birth, Baptism and Other Ceremonies of Childhood". Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners: The Indispensable Handbook. St. Martin's Press. pp. 3–4. ISBN 978-1-4299-7828-6.

[2] Richard James (22 July 2020). "Greeting Cards - History, Origins & Uses". Lemon Loco. Retrieved 22 July 2020.

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