Who Else HATES Bridal and Baby Showers? (Rant) (Maybe diatribe) (grandma, girls)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The most disgusting one was when the "games person" passed around little diaper-shaped things with different mashed chocolate candy in them and each person had to guess what the candy was in its original form--there had to be 8-9 of them.
Ewwwwwww! That's right up there with the woman who brought a "kitty litter cake" to a party, complete with half-melted Tootsie-Rolls. It.Did.Not.Get.Eaten.
I just had to attend one for a friend who is having her fourth kid and her oldest is in college! I went for 10 minutes, put my gifts in the pile, and when they started the games I sneaked out and explained later that I needed to look in on my elderly, failing dog (which she is, but she was sound asleep when I walked in the door!).
I do admit that at one baby shower I went to, I found the "Pin the Sperm on the Egg" game pretty funny. The idea, not actually playing it, that is.
Ok, so I wasn't going to respond because I normally don't mind showers if I have to go to them. Usually I just find them a bore.
My own was ok, it was given to me by my bridesmaids. My mom is in agreement with the other poster that said mother of the brides shouldn't be the one giving the shower and I agree. She told my bridesmaids if they wanted to do it at her house they could and she'd be available to help and would contribute my cousin's part since she was out of the country but overall it was their party to host. We have plenty of booze and I had fun opening the presents and playing some of the games mostly because most people were at least a little tipsy by the time games came along so they seemed to have fun. Nothing a little booze doesn't fix. Now if it had been dry, I, the bride, would have been BORED to tears.
Also, hosting these showers are a pain in the butt. One of my best friends' got married a few months before me and we, the bridesmaids were suppposed to throw her shower. The other bridesmaids bailed and it ended up being just me and and her sister doing ALL the work. Thank goodness my mom and her mom were there to help. We also made sure there was plenty of booze at her shower. The food was good and so was the cake and we played non-traditional games at both my and her shower. Her's was the only one I planned and attended. I usually avoid them and just sent a gift and then give some cash at the wedding.
As for baby showers, those can be so boring. I went to a coed one and that was more fun than the all women ones.The last one I went to wasnt so bad, plenty of good food, greeting the bride, only one or two games and there were SO MANY gifts (it's her first child and she has a lot of friends and big families on both sides) that she thanked everyone but did not open them one by one, THANK GOODNESS! I hate watching them open gifts, so boring. I'm not a big baby person, or kid person so I usually find baby showers to be pretty lame.
I loved the OP's post, though I don't feel THAT strongly about them. I'm also past the age where I'm being invited to many such events, so it's been a while.
I have never bought something from a registry. Again, I'm of an age (mid-fifties) that, when we were young, people who "registered" for gifts were seen as putting on airs. It always seemed kind of tasteless to make a list of what gifts you want rather than just being happy with what people chose to give you. I realize that I'm holding on to an old-fashioned point of view here, but I do still feel that way. My only kid is 21, and I'm amazed sometimes reading the Parenting forum at all the ridiculous baby toys and accoutrements that parents have been suckered into thinking they "need" now. It would probably horrify people to know I actually raised my child without owning a baby monitor, and she's still alive.
I also agree heartily with the OP that alcohol needs to be served at these events.
Love babies - can't stand baby showers. Love being married - can't stand weddings or bridal showers. Do not like gift registries or "wishlists" that tell people what to buy for you. If you have to tell people what to buy for you - those people don't really know you. And you prolly don't need that crap anyway.
I'm glad I'm not the only one!
I don't like funerals, either. Too much fakery, drama... I'm also not a big fan of graduation ceremonies. A professor recently had us close our eyes and visualize the day we graduate from school. It was a creative writing assignment we had to share with the class. Everyone talked about walking across the stage with all their friends and family there. I wrote about being home, in my PJ's, with my hubby, watching movies and sharing a glass of wine. I realized at that moment I had no desire to walk across a stage in some brightly-colored tent for some stupid piece of paper. They can send it to me in the mail.
Babies-R-Us is the 10th circle of hell. It was unfortunately left out of Dante's Inferno due to an editing error. I'd rather plunge a fork into my right eye while getting a pap smear and root canal at the same time.
Wow, I never knew the amazon wish list was something to send to other people!?!
I just thought it's where I save stuff I plan to buy later.
To me, the "bachelorette party" is the equivalent of the bachelor party. The wedding shower is just stupid, and has no male equivalent.
Wait, do other people give a wedding shower gift OR a wedding gift (money) but not BOTH???? That's what you seem to be saying. Have I been unnecessarily double-gifting all these years? I usually get invited to the bridal shower and buy them a present from the registry list. Then when I go to the wedding, I give the wedding card with a check inside. Doesn't everyone else do that? Now I can be doubly tickled-off when I don't get two thank-you cards.
Too many baby showers I've had to go to were "dry" or only had punch or mimosa. The people who threw the dry showers said something about how they wanted everyone to be in solidarity with the expected mother, since she could not drink. I'm like, hey, I didn't stop taking MY pill! Why can't I drink? Maybe I need to get a nice silver flask....
Can I put that in my registry list?
Tracy........snarkitty, snark, snark, snark......your mother should have taught you more etiquette than just "don't bring a wrapped gift to a wedding.". I hope no one in your family reads how much you despise celebrating their happy moments with them.
When I was younger, you got what you got at baby showers (lots of green and yellow, not knowing if it was a boy or girl). I like the idea of a registry because I like knowing what they want or need. I also don't like going to the showers, so buying a gift on the registry helps me make up for my absence. But I was taught, growing up, that asking for gifts was not proper and that always comes to mind when I think of a registry. To this day, when someone asks me what I want for Christmas or my birthday, I get really uncomfortable.
This thread is full of win and enjoying reading the comments. I have to add this one because it is the epitome of tackiness. At a former employer they put together a company wide bridal shower for a woman getting married and passed around a bucket for us to donate ON TOP of giving a gift. Tacky part #1. Tacky part #2 was the bride was having a big wedding and not inviting most of the coworkers. I didn't really know her that well and was angry being asked to donate money and a gift. The etiquette is that only people invited to the wedding should be invited to the shower. I pretended I was sick that day.
Why would a person feel compelled to list all these things for something you are not required to ever do? Just say No.
Invitations are just that....an invite. Decline to participate. Good rant though
Last edited by JanND; 03-29-2013 at 04:22 AM..
Reason: edit text
I have seen a developing trend of "Display Shower", wherein everyone is advised NOT to wrap their gift and at the shower, one of the hostesses will relieve you of the package and put it on a side table, on "display", so that people can, if so inclined, take a gander at the goodies close-up and personal. This means there will be no long session of gift-opening and it makes for more time to actually chat with the other guests, if so inclined. Although the bride was not a close family friend, there was an obligation to attend, and the display aspect did help to make the event more pleasant.
I, personally, have only attended one shower where this took place. Although the bride was not a close family friend, there was an obligation to attend, and the display aspect did help to make the event more pleasant. I have spoken to others who tell me that they are receiving more Display Shower invitations.
Word of caution: If you do receive one of these invites, puhleeeze don't wrap your gift. The only one who will see your beautiful wrapping is the hostess who has to unwrap it, while muttering something under her breath about "people who can't follow a simple instruction, grumble, grumble, grumble".
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
