A friend of mine at work has a SIL who is due in May, however she's hundreds and hundreds of miles away from anyone she knows (besides her husband) and supposedly is in a brutal
internship residency and can not take any time off work to come in town until after her internship is over next August.
I pretty much said, "too bad. She doesn't get a shower." My co-worker still wants to give her one because there's a lot they need.
This is what I suggested to my co-worker. Please let me know if any of the options (except maybe the last two) are terribly rude, or if you have better ideas for me to pass along! Thanks.
First Choice: She realizes what an honor it is that her SILs want to throw
her a shower so she takes the time off work to drive down here for it and properly greet
the guests that give her gifts and to greet the hostesses that were sweet
enough to give her a shower.
Second Choice: You get the mother on Skype and her husband drives down here to
properly greet the guests that give them gifts and to greet the hostesses that
were sweet enough to give her a shower.
Third Choice: Immediate family of parents and siblings agree
amongst themselves to send the presents the couple will need the most first, early (and make
Christmas presents sent heavily baby themed). And then you do a “Welcome Home,
Baby!” shower when they get back next summer that you invite lots of guests to where she'll get more of the 6mo+ presents.
Fourth Choice: She doesn’t get a shower on this baby. Maybe she’ll get one
on the next kid if she has one. Tough s***. Showers are gifts and not
requirements. If she can’t be in town to receive the gift, she doesn’t get one.
Life isn’t fair.
Fifth Choice: Try to hook up a skype connection to a big screen. She
registers only on Amazon or for items at places that offer free or low-cost
shipping. You serve your guests food and they’ll eat while they watch her open
her presents on Skype. This does not work though if the guests have to pay
through the nose for shipping.
Sixth Choice: Try to hook up a skype connection to a big screen. She and
the guests watch you open the presents. Then you ship to her only the necessary
items, assuming she pays for the shipping.