Now, you good Baptists need not go near a pub. We Whiskeypalians might include a champagne toast, but we don’t intend to get hammered; certainly not in the middle of the afternoon with witnesses present. But let me flesh out my idea a little further:

I boldly predict that the Duchess is probably saying to Pippa and her friends, “Look, please don’t anyone throw me a baby shower – our baby is going to want for nothing. Plus, the royal crest is going to have to be monogrammed on everything. How about, instead, throwing a baby shower for all the needy babies in your community?”

So I propose just that. We hear daily on the news that, while our economy is seemingly recovering, an awful lot of people out there still need help and food pantries are running very low on everything. I intend, with the help of members of my church, come spring, to host another charity high-tea, giving us all an excuse to buy a frothy, flowery, dress and hat and indulge in an afternoon of finger sandwiches, scones, strawberries and cream and endless cups of tea poured into vintage china cups with vases overflowing with roses decorating every linen-draped table. And perhaps this time, instead of charging a $25 ticket to attend, the requested admittance could be diapers, baby food, and all the necessary items that any overwhelmed new mother needs – to be loaded and delivered to our local outreach center.

And if like-minded gals looking for a reason to play dress-up for a day in every community throughout the region decided to follow suit, just imagine how much we could all help our struggling neighbors.

Because, really, every baby should be welcomed like royalty, don’t you think? Particularly those in our own back yard.

Pam Stone can be reached at pammstone@gmail.com.