Baby Shower

Carl31

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

Its another Americanism that along with tipping, obesity and Halloween us Brits have adopted, but it doesn't really fit in with our traditions

In the US, the baby shower is where the gifts are given, and that's it. Here we have adopted it when we already had our own tradition of giving at birth, so hence it doesn't work

supersaver2

fluffnutter wrote: »

No, you're not. You're getting your knickers in a knot about something else entirely.

No I'm not what exactly? You should really be on tv if you can read strangers minds over the Internet, it's quite an impressive skill to have.

Person_one

supersaver2 wrote: »

No of course you don't have to like the idea of baby showers, but the op didn't ask for opinions on liking baby showers, did they? Its a bit like me replying on this thread that I dislike horses, pretty irrelevant to the original topic! Plus not sure I need calm down, I'm not getting my knickers in a knot about a stranger from the internet spending £30.00 on a gift for a friend!

supersaver2 wrote: »

No I'm not what exactly? You should really be on tv if you can read strangers minds over the Internet, it's quite an impressive skill to have.

Not doing what you said you were not doing.

KScarlet

I second the Mamas and Papas Gingerbread blanket, I got one for my baby and its one of my most used items. Its a very practical blanket and looks lovely too! I am always getting people commenting on it.
Also recommend Ewan the dream sheep, my DD is only 6 weeks but it sends her to sleep every night.
Finally probably a Star wrap blanket or something like a Snugglebundl or Morrck wrap to keep baby warm in the car seat/ put underneath them in bouncer/ etc.

clearingout

I always give a size 6 - 18 month size 'grobag' as you get a whole year's worth of use out of it and I personally found them incredibly useful!

LittleMrsThrifty

I bought these for a friend recently and they were very well received. Cards that you photograph alongside the baby for key milestones. Simple idea but really lovely and around £15.

http://www.milestonebabycards.com/

cabriolean

Hermia wrote: »

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.

Lots of Mums tend to allocate most/all of their leisure money to baby things (~£50 on nappies alone), so if she's that kind of person it makes more sense to me than a bunch of people buying way too much clothing in the smaller sizes (Newborn + 0-3) which the parents get swamped with and most of it is outgrown almost the second it's worn because there are so many other options and newborn teddies, which are nice, but often there's a small regiment of the things. Also some newborns skip straight to the 0-3 size anyway.

hawk30

cabriolean wrote: »

Lots of Mums tend to allocate most/all of their leisure money to baby things (~£50 on nappies alone), so if she's that kind of person it makes more sense to me than a bunch of people buying way too much clothing in the smaller sizes (Newborn + 0-3) which the parents get swamped with and most of it is outgrown almost the second it's worn because there are so many other options and newborn teddies, which are nice, but often there's a small regiment of the things. Also some newborns skip straight to the 0-3 size anyway.

How do you spend £50 on nappies alone (assuming that was meant to be monthly)? Not very mse!

I did receive somethings for myself, although, honestly, I'd have preferred something for the baby.