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Bridal showers and baby showers are SO boring

jenna8984jenna8984 member
First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
in Registry and Gift Forum
I have my sister in law's baby shower tomorrow uuuugh. I can't stand sitting through these things...I have no problem giving you gifts but why do I have to waste a Saturday to sit and watch you open them all?! Booooring. Am I just a bitch or do others also feel that these are torturous?? 

(And no, I'm not having showers for myself in the future. I already declined my bridal shower because I think they are so old school and gift grabby- just because I'm spending my life with someone I love, why should I expect my friends to stock and furnish my home?) 

                                                                 

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Re: Bridal showers and baby showers are SO boring

  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    jenna8984 said:
    I have my sister in law's baby shower tomorrow uuuugh. I can't stand sitting through these things...I have no problem giving you gifts but why do I have to waste a Saturday to sit and watch you open them all?! Booooring. Am I just a bitch or do others also feel that these are torturous?? 

    (And no, I'm not having showers for myself in the future. I already declined my bridal shower because I think they are so old school and gift grabby- just because I'm spending my life with someone I love, why should I expect my friends to stock and furnish my home?) 
    You do know that an invitation is not a subpoena, right?  If you really can't stand these kinds of events, just RSVP no.

    That said, I don't mind them, especially if there are others I know and it's properly hosted (ie: a meal!).  It's only a few hours of my life to celebrate something special in someone else's life.  NBD.
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  • jenna8984jenna8984 member
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    LOL I know I don't have to go but when the baby is going to be your niece it would be so rude not to. Even for friends I would feel so guilty for not going, I feel like it's a woman duty that you have to suck it up and go to these. I'm jealous that men don't have these unwritten obligations lol 

                                                                     

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  • jdluvr06jdluvr06 member
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    I tend not to like bridal or baby showers either. I love buying gifts for people but I don't do well in a more toned down party setting. Plus I tend to get along better with men and I'm not good at small talk with other women.
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  • JMalettasJMalettas member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
     Lol. For me, it totally depends on the shower, and how it's hosted. I've been to fun showers, and really boring ones too! If it's close friends, I totally get feeling obligated to go, but if it's just a random co-worker or acquaintance, I'm likely bowing out & sending a gift! 

     *J
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  • emmyg65emmyg65 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    I dislike them too and didn't have a bridal shower. But if you plan it like a regular party, with ample food and booze (mimosa bar!!) and encourage socializing, instead of sitting and opening gifts or playing dumb games, I think it can be nice.
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  • photokittyphotokitty mod
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited January 2014
    I hate shower games with a passion. If a shower doesn't have them I'm happy, and the that typically shaves an hour of the shower. I'm also happier if the shower is 2 hours, not 3. As long as it is properly hosted I'm pretty good, no games ~ I'm grand!
    :kiss: ~xoxo~ :kiss:

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  • misshart00misshart00 member
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    I love showers and enjoy planning them. I agree with PPs. You could've just been busy that day.
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  • Jen4948Jen4948 member
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    Sometimes I enjoy showers, sometimes I don't.

    I don't like "shower games" or party situations where I feel left out because I either don't know most of the others present or am not familiar with their topics of conversation.

    When it comes to opening gifts, it depends on how many there are to be opened.  I can stand showers with around 20 gifts, but much more than that and I tend to tune out.
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  • csuavecsuave member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper

    I don't like them for the most part and end up declining quite a few shower invitations, especially for people that aren't my closest friends.

    Things I don't like: too large of a guest list making the shower go very long; games (most of them); people from different circles and not enough people that I know; forced crafting; non-edible favors.

    Things I do like: family only so it ends up being women family time; small groups of close friends doing a more informal get together instead of a traditional shower; cocktail party type of shower (possibly co-ed); yummy edible favors.

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  • climbingsingleclimbingsingle member
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    I'm with you. I find baby and bridal showers completely torturous. Games are the worst. 

    The last baby shower I went to, I had to address my own thank you envelope and there were not enough seats for everyone. I got to stand for almost the whole time. If you can't seat all of your guests in your home, don't host a shower. Or don't invite so many people. I was so irritated. 
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  • ei34ei34 member
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    I decline shower invites for those I'm not close to or those where there won't be any other guests I know.  But I always have a blast at showers for those in my inner circle (my family members and close friends).  I should add that showers in my inner circle include unlimited wine and tons of Italian food (and we don't play "shower games").  It ends up being a fun party, hanging out with my sisters, cousins, etc.  If our showers weren't like this I probably wouldn't like them either...hope your SIL's baby shower was okay!
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  • jenna8984jenna8984 member
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    @eileenrob I totally wish I was Italian. Nobody in my frech-canadian family cooks well and none of them drink!! so we just sit around not saying much...lol

                                                                     

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  • Fairyjen1Fairyjen1 member
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        I'm not a huge fan of showers either. I really, really dislike shower games. When I host a shower I don't have games. I've only hosted a few and so far no one has complained. 

        The showers I have the best time at have no games, lots of good food and gossip and cake! That's all they need :)
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  • mizangimizangi member
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    I love shower games! I went to about 6 baby showers in one year and by the end I could do that baby word letter jumble game with my eyes closed.  I actually took myself out of the running for the prize because it was so unfair to the others.  I know showers can sometimes be boring, especially if you don't know a lot of people there, but they are nice for the new mother/bride to get some stuff to start her new life with.
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  • JaniV123JaniV123 member
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    mizangi said:
    I love shower games! I went to about 6 baby showers in one year and by the end I could do that baby word letter jumble game with my eyes closed.  I actually took myself out of the running for the prize because it was so unfair to the others.  I know showers can sometimes be boring, especially if you don't know a lot of people there, but they are nice for the new mother/bride to get some stuff to start her new life with.

    If eel the same way! I enjoy them a lot and i dont mind games as long as they are respectful games.


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  • thisismynickname2thisismynickname2 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    I don't mind baby showers because that's the one time you get to celebrate the new mother and baby.
    I hate bridal showers because you're already celebrating the marriage: it's called a wedding.

    And they're always on a gorgeous weekend afternoon, ugh! Lol. (Yes I've declined my own offer of a bridal shower.)
    ________________________________


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  • themuffinman16themuffinman16 member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    edited January 2014
    I find showers really boring, too.  It's not the socializing I hate, it's the dumb overdone games. I hosted a Jack and Jill baby shower for my twin sister and had fun with it.  We had bobbing for nipples, really messed up version of Baby mad libs, Georgie porgie pudding eating contest (someone with a blindfold feeds other person with pudding.)  So messy, but we had bibs.  A lot of people did not enter, but Laughed their butts off as they watched us. We also had ladderball, and kan jam, and then some typical shower games for people who like that stuff.
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  • VerizonGirlVerizonGirl member
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    In my area, a bridal shower is a time for the women to get together and share real practical tips and suggestions about building a foundation for marriage, tips on what to do / not to do on the wedding day through the ceremony and reception, some honeymoon/travel tips, and a lot of advice on how to prevent problems or identify and deal early with problems during the tricky first year of marriage.

    It's not all about opening gifts. Not at all.  It's a readiness meeting, where the already-marrieds talk to the almost-married.  It's very helpful, and it's exactly the kind of thing that's done at the baby shower with advice on dealing with pregnancy / labor / hospital / healing / baby / etc.

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  • thisismynickname2thisismynickname2 member
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    VerizonGirl said:

    In my area, a bridal shower is a time for the women to get together and share real practical tips and suggestions about building a foundation for marriage, tips on what to do / not to do on the wedding day through the ceremony and reception, some honeymoon/travel tips, and a lot of advice on how to prevent problems or identify and deal early with problems during the tricky first year of marriage.

    It's not all about opening gifts. Not at all.  It's a readiness meeting, where the already-marrieds talk to the almost-married.  It's very helpful, and it's exactly the kind of thing that's done at the baby shower with advice on dealing with pregnancy / labor / hospital / healing / baby / etc.

    I think you're lucky, honestly. Maybe I'd want a shower if it were for something useful like this.
    ________________________________


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  • MollyandDMollyandD member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper
    I've been to some showers that were really fun and some that were really long and boring. It all depends on the situation.

    The most fun, in my opinion, had a few games, but mostly just encouraged socialization. The boring ones had no games or too many games to even take a break to eat.

    If you ever plan someone else's shower, please think of that while you plan. Have a few respectful games, but more than that, try to encourage guests to eat and talk to one another. Nothing sucks more than showing up while you only know the person of honor, and sitting awkwardly while that person is busy. The hostess from my friend's bridal shower greeted me as soon as I came in, she offered me food and coffee, and talked to me like we were friends already. It made me feel welcome and comfortable.
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  • WildMageletWildMagelet member
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    I've only been to 1 non-work shower as an adult.  I had fun.  They did a few games but mostly it was just talking.  The only shower games they played were a gift-bingo (each gift during the "ooh" and "aah" unwrapping had a # on it, I got bingo twice, lol - they also had a 'rule' that you could claim a new prize, which was wrapped, or steal one from somebody else who had previously won.  It turned out super competitive) and a Guess the # of diapers in the diaper cake, thing (also me, all the way).  The mom-to-be runs a baking business out of her home so everything was super yummy. 

    None of my close friends have gotten married or had babies yet so I'm not sure what the norm is for my circle.  I'm excited about the prospect of planning them, though.  I especially like the idea of the mimosa bar a PP suggested ;)
    Formerly known as flutterbride2b
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