Celebrations and traditions

The sbou3 is the seventh-day celebration that, in many Moroccan families, goes with announcing the baby's name and the aqiqa, the sacrifice of a sheep. Its customs vary from region to region. To keep it a pleasure, delegate the organising, spare the new mother, ask guests to wash their hands and keep a quiet corner for baby.

The baby shower, which comes from the United States, gathers the mum-to-be's loved ones, usually in the third trimester, for games, a buffet and gifts. In Morocco it pairs easily with the seventh-month henna, the khamoussa or the laqmous. Plan a pregnancy-safe buffet, a reveal with no firecrackers and a registry to avoid duplicate gifts.

In Morocco, Ashura (Achoura), on the 10th of Muharram, is first and foremost a children’s festival: toys, dried fruit, family couscous, the chouâla bonfire and the water games of zamzam. To keep it joyful, ban firecrackers and fireworks, never leave a little one alone near fire or water, and choose age-appropriate toys bearing the “Cم” mark.

For a successful first birthday party, plan it around your baby's naps, keep the guest list short and set up a quiet corner. Choose paper decorations out of reach rather than latex balloons, a low-sugar cake with well-cooked eggs and no whole nuts, and a simple gift that grows with their new skills.

Beautiful sbou3 decoration comes down to three things: a well-dressed table, a photo corner and a touch of colour, traditional or modern. Prepare it before the birth, and let someone other than the new mother set it up. For baby's sake: latex balloons out of reach, real candles far from him, and incense in another room, or not at all.

The sbou3 menu often follows the day: harira and sellou at dawn, the aqiqa meat for lunch, and a big dinner in the evening with pastilla, tagines or couscous depending on the region. Count guests per sitting, delegate the cooking or hire a caterer, and watch the heat: a cooked dish stays out of the fridge no longer than two hours.

For the sbou3, baby wears a soft party outfit in the right size and suited to the temperature: cotton, easy opening for changes, no long cords, jewellery or small decorations that can come off. Mum chooses a loose kaftan that opens at the front for breastfeeding and does not squeeze her tummy, especially after a C-section. Pack a spare outfit for each of you.

Great baby shower decorations start with a simple theme, a palette of two or three colours and three areas: the dessert table, the photo corner and a comfortable armchair for the mum-to-be. The rest can be handmade from paper, fabric and flowers. Keep balloons out of children's reach, and never use smoke bombs.

A successful kids' birthday party between 2 and 6 is short, suited to the child's age and not too busy: an hour and a half to two hours, few guests, a few simple games, a cake and a snack. Ask about allergies in advance, keep latex balloons away from little ones and check the age on every gift.

The loveliest newborn photos are often taken at home, in window light, with the baby lying on their back on a stable surface on the floor. The spectacular studio poses, such as the baby with their head on their hands, are composites made by trained professionals: do not copy them. Warm room, never alone up high, and share privately.

The best gifts for a new mum give her back some rest and comfort: ready-made meals, help with housework or older children, a nursing pillow, postpartum care, soft clothes. Things are lovely, free time is even better. Ask first what she needs, and keep your visit short.