Around the Clock Shower

RachelAllison0418

I looked around for "around the clock" shower stuff and couldn't find anything...if there is something that answers my question I apologize for being a dummy and not seeing it!.

A couple years ago my aunt attended an "around the clock" shower and I remember she just went on and on about how fun it was and how she thought that was such a great idea.

She is getting married later this spring so my mom and I have decided to throw her this theme shower. I've looked around for invitations/ invitation ideas and they all have a space where you assign the guest a time.  I'd rather let people pick a time opposed to give them one. I'm struggling with how to word it. I'm thinking something at the end along the lines of "when calling to RSVP please request a time". Or does that sound stupid?

I'd also like to try and avoid duplicate times.  I believe she's only inviting somewhere around 25 people...so it should work out just fine. I'm not so sure I can put anything on the invite about not duplicating times, so would it be ok to tell guests when they call if someone already has that time? Or would it just be better to let multiple people have the same time?

Thank you ladies!

freebread03

Yikes, this sounds really complicated.  I'd reconsider doing this for a few reasons: a) difficult to coordinate on the host side, and b) as a guest, I don't think I'd like having to bring something so specific (I'm assuming if I had to bring something for a certain time of day, it could get pretty specific).

RachelAllison0418

I feel like everything I do turns out more complicated than originally planned

She isn't registered anywhere, and I've only been to showers where the bride is registered or it's a theme...that's why I thought that it would be a good idea (and the fact that she loved the theme from her friend's shower).

Thanks for the input!

J&K10910

If she's not registered, she really shouldn't be getting a shower.  Not registering implies the couple would prefer monetary gifts, and that's not appropriate at a shower.

jessicabessica

I don't agree that no registry means she should decline showers.  Maybe she really has nothing to register for but is happy to see what her friends and family pick out on their own.  

I would rethink the themed shower, though.  I don't think guests will naturally distribute themeselves over 24 hours, and I would be annoyed to be invited to a shower where I was restricted in what I was supposed to bring as a gift.  I get that your aunt liked it before, but I am sure she will like whatever you and your mom put together. 

rlavach

Pardon my ignorance, but am I the only person on here who has no idea what this is? 

From what I pick up from the PP, the shower is held all day and guests pick a time of day that they want to come. Depending upon what time they come is what gift they bring? I'm so confused!

jessicabessica

I haven't experienced a shower like this, but from what I understand from reading about it on this board, it's when each guest is assigned a time of day, and their gift corresponds to that time of day.  So 6am alarm clock, 7am cute cereal bowls, etc.  But everyone is there at the same time, like a normal shower.

HobokensFury

Honestly it sounds more complicated that it's worth.

J&K10910

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_around-clock-shower?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:08964cb4-00b6-4e72-8ef1-95f17e7d9092Post:e596ba70-add7-4f8b-a952-f16b6aae0330">Re: Around the Clock Shower</a>:
[QUOTE]I don't agree that no registry means she should decline showers.  Maybe she really has nothing to register for but is happy to see what her friends and family pick out on their own.   I would rethink the themed shower, though.  I don't think guests will naturally distribute themeselves over 24 hours, and I would be annoyed to be invited to a shower where I was restricted in what I was supposed to bring as a gift.  I get that your aunt liked it before, but I am sure she will like whatever you and your mom put together. 
Posted by jessicabessica[/QUOTE]

If I got invited to a shower with no theme and no registry, I would assume the bride wanted cash, and I would decline the shower and not send a gift, unless she was a very close friend and I knew what the deal was. 

ootmother2

I've only been to one "Around the Clock Shower" and the invitation came with an assigned time.  1:00 AM

PITA,, are you cooking or sleeping at 1:00 AM?  This was for my niece, given by one of her mom's friends so I was hesitant to give lingerie (she's pretty shy) but who's using AllClad at 1 AM?

daria24

I personally hate being told as a guest what I have to buy, whether its an "around the clock" shower, a room in the house shower, letters of the alphabet, etc. It's already hard enough to pick out gifts for people, but to be assigned something so specific (and people often get stuck with the crappy times/rooms/letters). I would decline an invite with restrictions like this.

freebread03

rlavach I had to google it--I had NO idea.

rlavach

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_around-clock-shower?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:08964cb4-00b6-4e72-8ef1-95f17e7d9092Post:804289ea-ddf2-4c2c-8a44-e4495236be92">Re: Around the Clock Shower</a>:
[QUOTE]rlavach I had to google it--I had NO idea.
Posted by freebread03[/QUOTE]
I'm glad I'm not the only one. <div>
</div><div>Honestly, I think I'd decline the invite if I was invited to this.</div>

jessicabessica

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_around-clock-shower?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:34Discussion:08964cb4-00b6-4e72-8ef1-95f17e7d9092Post:cdae5fd5-893e-49ba-8b20-41a2c8c37595">Re: Around the Clock Shower</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Around the Clock Shower : If I got invited to a shower with no theme and no registry, I would assume the bride wanted cash, and I would decline the shower and not send a gift, unless she was a very close friend and I knew what the deal was. 
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

If I wanted to go to the shower, I would pick out a gift to bring.  If I suspected a cash grab, I might ask the hostess if the bride was registered anywhere to see if she mentioned cash.  I wouldn't want to attend a cash shower either, but I would try to give the benefit of the doubt. 

If I ever got invited to an around the clock shower, I think my default gift would be an "it's 5 o'clock somewhere" magnet/apron/etc. and a bottle of alcohol.

TiffannieF

Ya jessica I'm with you...I guess its just a preference for J & K.  Most showers I go to I go not only for gift giving reasons (I know the meaning of shower is to shower with gifts) but I also like to go to chit chat, play games, and eat. 

Still not understanding this "around the clock". 

RachelAllison0418

Thanks everyone for your opinions/advice. I've always been pretty creative with gift-giving so it never occurred to me that some people wouldn't be comfortable with this shower theme. J&K, it's certainly not about cash and our family and her close friends definitely know that (distant people aren't going to be invited). I may talk to her about putting together a small registry though. Thanks again

adktd2boots

I went to one about 10 years ago and it was fun.  You just say something like "get the bride something she would probably use around ____ time"

emilye1227

In the last year, I attended an "around the clock " shower and an "alphabet" shower. The time or letter was assigned on the invite. Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun with it! I ended up with the letter X!! I bought the bride the wine glasses and bottle opener they registered for and then found 4 different bottles of wine at the store that started with X! Some people got more creative than others. For example, whoever had R just wrapped everything in red paper. The around the clock shower was fun, too, becaues everyone that had the crazy times felt the need to justify why they picked the gift, which lead to lots of laughing! I know some people switched letters/times and some people would just buy one small thing that played along and then another larher gift that didn't.

J&K10910

I just think we spend so much time advising brides here that prefer cash to simply not register and spread the word if someone asks, and to decline showers, that it only makes sense to assume if there's no registry that the couple prefers cash.

I guess I forgot that there's no place for logic here.

Summer2011Bride

I had never heard of this before! Sounds like a PITA, to be honest.

I wouldn't like being limited as to what I could buy. And I guess, technically, you could buy anything, but that would "ruin the fun." Plus what about people who get odd times like 3 AM? I would feel uncomfortable buying sleepwear for someone, no matter how well I know them.

And FWIW, if she isn't registered, she really shouldn't be having a shower. If she just wants to see family and friends, then meet up for lunch or dinner and don't call it a shower.

RachelAllison0418

Again, thank you for your input. J&K...I, too, have seen a whole bunch of posts about wanting money instead of gifts and people are so often confused about how to go about it. Yes, I understand if they want cash they should not register and decline showers. I assure you that's not how she's thinking, we are very close and she hasn't said a darn thing about wanting cash. I'm not saying it's right, but I've seen a lot of second time or older brides that feel uncomfortable registering for gifts. I have things figured out now. Like I said in an earlier post, I'll talk to her about putting together a small registry. I would feel like a total jerk if we told her that we were throwing her a shower and later said "hey just kidding about that shower thing!" So I don't think that's the direction to go, lol. Thanks so much for your time ladies!

TiffannieF

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_around-clock-shower?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:34Discussion:08964cb4-00b6-4e72-8ef1-95f17e7d9092Post:91889f63-d3d9-4fb7-8906-fd61507b7a6a">Re: Around the Clock Shower</a>:
[QUOTE]I just think we spend so much time advising brides here that prefer cash to simply not register and spread the word if someone asks, and to decline showers, that it only makes sense to assume if there's no registry that the couple prefers cash. I guess I forgot that there's no place for logic here.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]



Still not seeing your logic. Showers have been around longer than registries...what did brides do before?

jessicabessica

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_around-clock-shower?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:08964cb4-00b6-4e72-8ef1-95f17e7d9092Post:91889f63-d3d9-4fb7-8906-fd61507b7a6a">Re: Around the Clock Shower</a>:
[QUOTE]I just think we spend so much time advising brides here that prefer cash to simply not register and spread the word if someone asks, and to decline showers, that it only makes sense to assume if there's no registry that the couple prefers cash. I guess I forgot that there's no place for logic here.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

<div>I feel like this board can give a skewed view of registering, but I do think that there are legitimately people that don't want to register but would like to receive whatever gifts people will pick out for them--wanting cash isn't the only reason why people don't register.  They are just not that prevalent here, where it seems like every other post is a HM registry post.  </div>

morenachica110

I don't know. It's not really for me, but if your aunt loved it so much, then I would do it for her, too. I mean, it's supposed to be in honor of her. That said, I would definitely assign a time because that would get confusing and frustrating really, really quick. Also, include a brief explanation of what's going on because I had NO idea what this was. lol

And am I the only person who thought of sheets/pillowcases/blankets for the late night, early morning times?

andreaet

For one thing the bride needs to register.
You can find "Round the Clock Shower" invitations at invitationbox.com/bridalshower
You can google some ideas on how to throw one or go to the library or book store on shower themes and games.
Good luck!