Baby Shower Questions?

[Greenie]

I've never been to a baby shower. I don't know what to expect. I know that there are presents for baby & me, but that is all that I know. What happens at these things? :scratch I have no idea.

Mine is Nov. 12, when are yours? Also, are you getting your hostess/es a gift? If so, what?

I need ideas, and I'm just tapped. :zzz

Thanks!

[Persephone]

I've been to several showers in my life. Even helped plan one. Basically, it's a chance for people to get together and be excited for you. There's usually light food there, cake, fruit, punch and soda, and they play stupid games. You open people's gifts, and they ooh and aah over how cute it all is, and ask you 20 questions about your baby and birth. :)

My shower is Nov 6th. My mom is planning mine, and I wasn't planning on getting her a gift. I've never heard of anyone else doing that either, but then I'm pretty far from Miss Manners.

[sarahlynne]

Just imagine what happens anytime you get a whole bunch of women together-a whole lotta conversation! My experiences with showers have always included: food of some sort, be it a whole meal or just fancy desserts, games and prizes for winners-unless the hostess isn't fond of games-then there are usually favors for everyone anyway, lots of talking and of course all the baby gifts with lots of oohs and aahs, and the ones at church always include someone giving words of wisdom and encouragement to the new mom-to-be. Hope you enjoy yours!

[Greenie]

Thanks! I just am in the dark.. My SO's Mom, Aunt, and his cousin's Wife are all hosting mine. I thought that it would be nice to get them a little something for their troubles. Probably flowers or something, maybe a christmas ornament.

[jayayenay]

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[ashcox]

When I had a shower for DD, it was from my church so we didn't have any games or anything, just some food (fruit and maybe some cookies/cake type things) and punch and I opened up presents and like someone else said, everyone ooed and ahhed. It was nice. I didn't get the hostesses any thank you gifts (there were 8 of them I think!) but I've since found out that it's sort-of expected to give gifts to the hostesses. I think that depends on where you live, though. And it has just become a commonplace thing around here relatively recently, I hadn't heard of that when I had my wedding shower/was helping with wedding showers. So.... I think it would be okay whatever you decided about the gift giving thing. I don't think we're necessarily going to have a shower this time around since this is our 2nd. That being said, we just started going to a new church though and most of the women in our bible class don't have kids yet and they seem pretty excited about me being pregnant and I think they seem pretty pumped about giving me a shower, they keep wanting to know when I'm going to know the sex of the baby (still waiting for my OB to get around to doing an u/s) so they can plan one, so maybe I will have a shower after all.

[hottmama]

My partner's family is throwing us a baby shower, with men and women invited. The baby shower I had with my son was women-only and had cheesy games and such, it really wasn't that fun. Also I didn't register anywhere so we got a lot of pointless gifts that we never used.
This time, I'm expecting a fun party with presents for the baby (and we're registering and making our preferences clear!) Ours is going to be Nov. 20 (I think?) and I hadn't even considered getting gifts for the hosts (my partner's mom, grandmother, and aunts are collaborating). If we do, I'll leave it up to him.

[ozzyemm]

My shower is Nov. 12, too! I am having a mainstream shower with all the cheesy games, etc. We are even having a baby pool (everyone guesses sex/due date of baby).

That afternoon I will be having a mother blessing. For that, I am planning on giving each guest a "birth bead" (like the ones I will give everyone in the bead swap) as an example of unity and to remind them to pray for me and keep me in their thoughts until the baby comes :D