Wedding Etiquette Forum

Note in a book?


I justreceived a baby shower invitation today requesting guests to bring a book "in lieu of a greeting card."

This was discussed recently and I wasn't sure to resurrect the old thread or start a new one, but since I had a question about it and the other thread fell back a few pages... I just started a new thread.

There is a request to write a note inside from me. I have no idea what to write. Is it supposed to be from me to the baby? To the parents? Words of wisdom? Congratulations on the baby shower? I have no idea. I hate this idea. Baby showers should be for the parents, not the baby. Anything I write should be to the parents, not the baby, but I have a feeling that's not what's expected of me. How do you write something to someone that doesn't exist, yet?


In general... I am actually super bummed about this in lieu of request. I always give a book at a baby shower, along with something else off the registry. As a notorious bookworm in my group of friends, this should come as no surprise to any of them. Now I feel like instead of it being something I want to do, it's something I have to do. It takes the fun out of it. It was something I felt was... not creative, but... different, I guess? A little something sorta special I liked to do. I thought it was a special touch, something I knew the parents to be would like a appreciate that they hadn't thought to register for, ya know? Now... it's something I'm supposed to give because it's requested. While I will still have fun choosing the perfect book to give, it just won't be the same.

Anyway, what sort of note should I write?
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Re: Note in a book?

  • When I've done this as part of showers, I write a note to the kid about how I enjoyed this book growing up and I hope they do, too.
  • I think you're making more out of this than necessary. It's pretty common at baby showers and IMO, way better than Hallmark cards.

    You can either write a note to the mom to be or to the baby. One of DD'S favorite books had a note in it from my oldest friend to me.
  • I would just find a quote about reading and write that in the book and sign my name.  I did this recently and used a Dr Seuss quote I like: 

    "The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss

    I too don't like being told to bring a book, but I can't complain about people trying to start a library for a baby so early in life. :)

  • I would probably write a note to the baby. 
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  • I would just find a quote about reading and write that in the book and sign my name.  I did this recently and used a Dr Seuss quote I like: 

    "The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss

    I too don't like being told to bring a book, but I can't complain about people trying to start a library for a baby so early in life. :)

    I may or may not be stealing this quote ;)


    Thanks for the replies so far, everyone!


    I'm not sure if I'm comfortable writing something ON the book directly, I may write it on nice stationary and slip it inside, instead. Would any of you side-eye that? I may just be channeling my inner Madam Pince on this.



    image
  • I would just find a quote about reading and write that in the book and sign my name.  I did this recently and used a Dr Seuss quote I like: 

    "The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss

    I too don't like being told to bring a book, but I can't complain about people trying to start a library for a baby so early in life. :)

    I may or may not be stealing this quote ;)


    Thanks for the replies so far, everyone!


    I'm not sure if I'm comfortable writing something ON the book directly, I may write it on nice stationary and slip it inside, instead. Would any of you side-eye that? I may just be channeling my inner Madam Pince on this.



    I get not wanting to write on the book itself but the idea behind this is that in years to come the "baby" will sit down an look through these books and be able to read what was written to him/her. If you put it on a piece of stationary it will get lost/torn/possibly eaten by the baby long before he/she learns to read.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • I hate personalized writing in books because I feel bad if I want to get rid of them in the future, though sometimes they're interesting to read when you get a used one. You could buy/create a pocket to glue on the inside of the front or back cover and just stick your note in there. If the book you get has a blank page you could write it on that.
  • I love that most people wrote something little in my daughters books.  It makes me think of that person every time we read it and my daughter is getting old enough that we talk about who gave it to her.  It's personal preference for sure, but we really like the little notes in her books.

  • I justreceived a baby shower invitation today requesting guests to bring a book "in lieu of a greeting card."

    This was discussed recently and I wasn't sure to resurrect the old thread or start a new one, but since I had a question about it and the other thread fell back a few pages... I just started a new thread.

    There is a request to write a note inside from me. I have no idea what to write. Is it supposed to be from me to the baby? To the parents? Words of wisdom? Congratulations on the baby shower? I have no idea. I hate this idea. Baby showers should be for the parents, not the baby. Anything I write should be to the parents, not the baby, but I have a feeling that's not what's expected of me. How do you write something to someone that doesn't exist, yet?


    In general... I am actually super bummed about this in lieu of request. I always give a book at a baby shower, along with something else off the registry. As a notorious bookworm in my group of friends, this should come as no surprise to any of them. Now I feel like instead of it being something I want to do, it's something I have to do. It takes the fun out of it. It was something I felt was... not creative, but... different, I guess? A little something sorta special I liked to do. I thought it was a special touch, something I knew the parents to be would like a appreciate that they hadn't thought to register for, ya know? Now... it's something I'm supposed to give because it's requested. While I will still have fun choosing the perfect book to give, it just won't be the same.

    Anyway, what sort of note should I write?
    Yes! I posted this week about that.

    Live fast, die young. Bad Girls do it well. Suki Zuki.

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