baby shower question

ac_in_dc

My oldest sister wants to throw me a baby shower. Which is awesome and I totally appreciate it.

Thing is, she lives about an hour outside of the city. And a lot of my friends that live in DC don't have cars or anything. I feel kind of bad b/c my other sister threw a bridal shower for me and it was the same situation. Although only a couple of my friends came b/c I didn't invite a ton of folks and there were a lot of ppl on summer vacation.

Sooo...how close a friend would you have to be to someone to drive out an hour to a baby shower? Would an evening or co-ed shower be better? Should I tell her to keep it just with family? Would you feel put out being asked to get me **yet another** gift just 6 months after a wedding?

I think baby showers generally are kind of fun (baby stuff is cute) and I love getting to see my friends & family, but DH and I can buy our own baby stuff if we need to, and I can always throw a party for folks myself at the christening. WDYT?

JK10910

I wouldn't mind one bit!  But I love getting baby gifts for people ,so maybe I don't count.  Could your sister perhaps have the shower somewhere more accessible to your friends?

betrothed123

I don't think an hour is too far to drive, but I live in the country, so that's probably more common for us.

mandapanda78

AC, living in DC I actually think driving an hour is not that bad. I would do it and have done it for people I'm not exactly best friends with. This goes double if any of them know eachother and can carpool. 

Galaxy8227

I don't think an hour is too far to drive if it is for a close friend or family member.  If it was longer than that I would probably just send a gift through the mail. 

JessAndTrav

I think it's far, but couldn't she host it somewhere other than her home? Where I'm from, you can get a room at the community center for relatively cheap. Have you or her talked about that as a possibility?

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I would prefer a weekend shower.

I would not mind buying a gift.

Can she host it elsewhere, like a restaurant? I know you can't demand it, but if you say, "I really appreciate the offer, but so many of my friends live in the city and don't have cars. So I don't think they'll be able to make it." She might take the hint?

danieliza1127

What about having it somewhere closer in so people wouldn't have to travel as far?

I would travel an hour for someone I was close to.  I also would NOT feel put out about buying you a baby gift!  I think you would really regret not having a baby shower.  They are fun and all of the baby stuff is so cute, and you'll get SO much stuff.  As first time parents, I think you should do it rather than just trying to buy all of that stuff yourself.

laurening

I wouldn't have an issue with a baby shower 6 months from the wedding. It's an awesome occasion!

With a car, it wouldn't be a big deal. if I didn't have one and didn't have a ride, I would probably decline unless you were one of my very best friends.

ac_in_dc

Good input. Yeah, I may try to do a little research on options closer in...while attempting not to cross the fine etiquette line of planning my own shower

[Deleted User]

I would love to buy a baby gift 6 months after a weddding.  I love looking at the baby stuff, visiting babies and then going home alone 

I would go to a shower in the US that was an hour away.  In London I would go if I could get there on the tube or could get a ride no question.  

danieliza1127

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_baby-shower-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:15395f08-ca1b-464b-b443-9e9fec5ff6acPost:e80476f3-c18a-416a-a606-a858ee9a3480">Re: baby shower question</a>:
[QUOTE]Good input. Yeah, I may try to do a little research on options closer in...while attempting not to cross the fine etiquette line of planning my own shower
Posted by ac_in_dc[/QUOTE]

I think since she offered to host one for you, there's nothing wrong with suggesting holding it closer in so that your friends can come.  She doesn't have to take your suggestion, it's just a suggestion.  What about your own house?  Could she host it there?

Also, re: the Christening party.  I'd be a lot more likely to give a nice baby gift at a baby shower and a small trinket type gift at a Christening.  That seems traditional to me.  So if you need things to really get the nursery set up and daily life with baby set up, don't expect that for the Christening.

pooh8402

I've driven 2 hours for a baby shower. *shrug* in Texas, you get used to driving since all of your friends are so spread out.