To think American baby showers are tacky and rude

[DaraMahini]

Anybody agree with me that baby showers (which americans have) are just tacky and quite rude?

I know it is the done thing over there, but it seems to me that if you live in America, you get pregnant and all your friends and family fork out and buy everything for you, including the expensive things like cots, pushchairs and car seats.

• butter

onmyfeet I loved the diaper game too, one of my favourites. We did one where you had to guess the baby food in unmarked jars and matching up baby animals with their mothers.

Another American here, but I didn't have/want a baby shower. I know a shower is meant to be lovely and just to celebrate the new baby, but I did feel like it was just asking for presents, and I didn't like the idea of it. I was 34 when I had my first baby, and didn't 'need' for friends and family to buy a bunch of expensive items to get us started. I had a few women friends in the States who had 3+ showers, and at that point, it gets a little ridiculous, in my opinion.

I am much more suited to friends and family buying a little something for baby upon arrival...much more sensible, imo.

Its about living in a community and having community spirit in many instances, not always about buying new things or expensive items. Its a tradition that in some families gets out of hand, just like Christmas does, or birthdays or Valentine's day - or anything you can use as an excuse to get stuff that you don't need or cannot afford. But as a basic tradition - where it may well have started with people sewing you a quilt for the baby or a neighbour making a cot, or a friend passing on her own kids clothes - its a nice thing. Widen your perspective OP.

onmy Thanks! It was lovely.

I also got to meet up with some of DD's close school friends who she sees all the time but I rarely see since they left school and University.