Baby shower
 

Hi all

Can you help? I'm going to a baby shower, what should I take? A gift? Food?

Thanks

Re: Baby shower
 

Meant to say, I've never been to one before. What happens?

Re: Baby shower
 

Take a gift for the baby.

As the host/ess what you should bring.

Be prepared to play silly games :)

Re: Baby shower
 

Hmmmm..... Baby showers... A gift gathering exercise if ever I saw one....

When a mate has a baby you choose to buy a gift... Or not.... But get invited to a baby shower and its the expectation that you bring one... And some people do the opening of the presents... So it gets competitive....

And DONT expect there to be copious amounts of alcohol to help you cope with the stupid games... You'll have to do them dry unless you BYO....

Personally i dont do baby showers nowadays, always "regrettably otherwise engaged"

Unless its at a decent restaraunt, but according to some there arent any... I live in perf....

Re: Baby shower
 

Totally agree, I was at one just last weekend and find the whole idea of them awful. :thumbdown:
I really think you should give the pressie after the birth, if you wanna give one at all. It feels weird doing it beforehand - and then when you go to see them after the birth you don't feel right going empty-handed so end up buying another gift!:rolleyes:

Re: Baby shower
 

I didn't do the baby shower thing .... in fact I've never been to one either. Do you think it's too late for me to have one now - my daughter is 9 but I'm sure she'd like some presents :D

Re: Baby shower
 

I had one with my youngest because I was living in Canada at the time and it was just the norm. I got some fantastic gifts and we had champagne at mine! I went to a couple during the 18 months I was back in Britain so it is obviously spreading around the world.

Re: Baby shower
 

Seems a little crass to me. If someone wants to get you a present then they will. Don't invite them to buy you one.

Re: Baby shower
 

For me it wasn't about presents, some people didn't bring anything which was fine. It was a chance to get together with my friends before an event that would take me out of social circulation for a little while.

Re: Baby shower
 

It's not the mother-to-be who throws the shower, so nobody is asking you to buy them a gift. It's usually a friend or family member who throws the shower.

Do you not have wedding showers in UK? You know, where the bridesmaids have a party and people buy gifts for the bride?

Re: Baby shower
 

I suppose its a cultural thing.... if you live in a culture where its the norm and you are trying to assimulate you adopt their social norms and cultural practices...

Being in Canada .... its close enough to the USA for it to have spread...

I had a friend whose baby shower I attended, I was asked to be Godmother... who had a still born baby.... All the scans were fine, everything was text book, what could possibly go wrong?? she returned the gifts.... its was SO sad... and I feel it just added to her burden... people forget that childbirth is still a risky business and the expected result is NOT a forgone conclusion....

A part of me feels that its tempting fate .... celebrating something that hasnt happened yet....

Re: Baby shower
 

I usually take something useful like some socks or washcloths or something. Not in newborn size, though...the mum to be has usually bought or will be given tons of that stuff.

Because I love to bake I usually offer to do a cake. This is the cake and the bunting bag I made for my friend Emma's shower.

Re: Baby shower
 

Actually, if I'm honest about it... Thats probably why I'm SO anti... Hadnt really analysed my thoughts, just have a knee jerk reaction... "Dont like em".. See... BE IS good therapy, I understand myself better now than I did yesterday....

My mate in the UK has just had a baby... Weighed in at over 14lbs.... So SHE certainly wont be in "newborn" sized anything.... I sent her a quilt...

Re: Baby shower
 

No Dorothy, I think the whole shower thing is more of a North American cultural phenomenon.

In the UK, you have an engagement party to celebrate (you don't really get 'real' presents, possibly alcohol) a stag/hen do (no presents) and people save the present giving for the wedding.

With babies, although I think the shower idea is growing more popular, most people tend to wait until after the birth before they celebrate.

Re: Baby shower
 

I agree it is just a cultural difference, doesn't make it wrong though. I hate the attitude that just because it is different to the way the British do it then it must be wrong. Not saying that is your view by the way (or Eddie's view).

There are plenty of things the British do that other cultures don't, does that therefore mean they are wrong. Of course not.