Let me start by explaining the back story here. I work at a very large high school with lots of employees and where I work is 3 hours away from where the wedding will be held. It is the tradition in my department to always throw showers for house warmings, babies, engagements, and weddings. It seems to be the general consensus that even when bridal showers are thrown, the guests do not all expect to be invited because we are just such a large school and it would not be feasible.
With that being said, someone in my department has offered to throw me a shower. I told her my dilemma which is that even though this is a tradition, and everyone at the shower is not all invited to the wedding, I do not want to appear "gift grabby". The lady in charge still says invite the whole department as it's tradition and she doesn't want anyone to feel left out. That brings me to my next question- because I am not inviting all of these people to my wedding, what should I ask for in terms of gifts. The lady hosting the shower has asked what I want the theme to be (me and FI already live together and I already will have had my other bridal shower at this point). Does anyone have any suggestions for a theme that would be cheap and easy for my co-workers? I have heard of a gift card shower and a recipe shower, but no other ideas. Anyone have any other suggestions that I am forgetting?