Baby Shower

emz118

I agree with the whole hating baby showers thing, thankfully I have only ever been invited to one and I was able to politely decline.


Having said that though, me and my uni friends did organise a surprise baby shower for one of our group, but she literally knew nothing about it. She still doesn't to this day as it couldn't happen... long story! Lol.


Baby showers were originally a surprise for the mum to be and a way of catching up with everyone before baby arrived, making mum feel special and sharing advice from other mums... that idea I do like.

Hermia

ska_lover wrote: »

I hate baby showers. Sorry but I really do. They just don't sit well with me.

They are just a tacky way to get friends and family (and in the OPs case, a distant aquaintence!) to pay for the necessary baby items under the 'cover' of having a party/get together. It would be socially unacceptable to be a guest at one of these things and not take a gift.

Whatever happened to just buying a gift once, when the baby is actually born? Nowadays some parents demand people buy gifts before the baby is born, at a time to suit themselves, and then it is the 'done thing' to gift again when the baby is born. Urghh the whole thing is just tacky and presumtious IMO

I 100% agree. You are now supposed to give a gift at the baby shower, when the baby is born and also at the christening. Would it not just be easier to give the mum a blank cheque?!! I also find the custom of having to give the mum lots of gifts weird. I am quite happy to give the mum a little pampering gift when the baby is born, but when I see mums being given ££££s of stuff for themselves I just find it weird.

GobbledyGook

emz118 wrote: »

Baby showers were originally a surprise for the mum to be and a way of catching up with everyone before baby arrived, making mum feel special and sharing advice from other mums... that idea I do like.

I've been to one done like that and it was lovely

I'm currently deliberately letting a friendship drift with a woman who organised her own baby shower (complete with gift list), mentioned several things she 'needed' when a couple of us when to visit the baby and is now organising a Christening with mention of a 'few odd things' that the lo could do with. Some people just get so present-greedy!

The last baby shower I went to (the surprise one) I took a basket of goodies for the Mum. She really appreciated it and I mentioned I'd get a present for baby when he or she was born as I'd offered to get a name plaque for their bedroom from a crafty friend.

Luella-14_2

I too dislike the baby shower idea, however I'm sure that once my twins arrive friends and family will appear with gifts in hand. I have to say, the items in the links below are gorgeous and, IMO, better than an outfit that I'd feel obligated to dress and photograph them in.

fluffnutter wrote: »

Having had my baby not that long ago, I would have adored a beautiful blanket or a Jojo Mamam Bebe sleep snuggler. I've given some links below. The sleep snugglers are the most awesome thing in the world and bang on budget as are the blankets (I've got both - they're lovely).

http://www.mamasandpapas.com/product-gingerbread-knitted-blanket/786009400/type-i/

http://www.mamasandpapas.com/product-whirligig-small-knitted-blanket/788354000/type-i/

http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/sp+sleep-snugglers-25-tog+B7186?tyah=y

peachyprice

emz118 wrote: »

Baby showers were originally a surprise for the mum to be and a way of catching up with everyone before baby arrived, making mum feel special and sharing advice from other mums... that idea I do like.

A lot of us here have been managing for decades to do the latter without the need to be literally 'showered' with gifts. Never was it called a baby shower, that's yet another very recent American import. Totally tacky.

Having said that OP, as it's not even a friend of yours and your really going along as a plus 1, just take a small gift like a tasteful rattle, soft toy etc.,

supersaver2

What a miserable bunch of posts! Bet the poor op is regretting asking the question! Perhaps they are close to this lady and don't mind spending £30.00 on a gift, surely that's their perogative? Not sure why so many have to get on their soapboxes about a party the op is going!

fluffnutter

I can't think of much worse than a load of women all sitting around giving some harassed, swollen mum-to-be the benefit of their collective 'advice'. The best thing to do about baby advice, I've found, is to ignore it all

fluffnutter

supersaver2 wrote: »

What a miserable bunch of posts! Bet the poor op is regretting asking the question! Perhaps they are close to this lady and don't mind spending £30.00 on a gift, surely that's their perogative? Not sure why so many have to get on their soapboxes about a party the op is going!

Calm down dear. No one's having a go at the OP. She sounds very generous and I've taken time to source a few gifts in her price range. Doesn't mean I have to like the idea of baby showers though does it?

j.e.j.

Would some nice posh chocs and coffee for the parents be ok? If we're talking Chelsea, maybe Fortnum and Masons have got something suitably classy and expensive?

Or does it have to be for the baby? (excuse the silly question, but I've never been to a baby shower, and I must admit I prefer to wait till the baby's safely arrived before I give any baby gifts)

Kynthia

To be fair, if I did have a baby shower I certainly wouldn't expect gifts after the birth as well (not that I'd 'expect' gifts at all either way) and not everyone has a christening (or baby naming). It would be because I wanted to make some nice pregnancy memories and see the people important to me in one go before the unknown of labour and looking after a newborn begins.


I'm due in 8 weeks and really love that gingerbread blanket. I can't justify spending so much on one blanket when there's hundreds of pounds to be spent on boring basics (I'm really not exaggerating) and virtually everything is white as we don't know the gender yet. So some colour would be nice, or a beautiful shawl would also be lovely.