A 'sprinkle party'? Really? Draw the line America, for the love of God.

[TiffinayAchingsFeegle]

So not only do we have baby showers but now America are doing sprinkle showers.

A mini baby shower for your second, third etc etc etc baby.

But just a 'sprinkle' the essentials apparently.

And you know a friend of a friend in the UK will think it's a good idea and then their friend will pay back the favour and before we know it, we're as bad as America.

I'm American, and you know what? Most holidays and customs I grew up celebrating in the US were "imported" from some other country/culture. It is considered poor form to belittle or scorn customs/holidays that originate from another culture. For example, some of my American friends of Hispanic heritage celebrate the fiesta de quince años for their daughters, and while I don't do this myself, I don't become enraged and shriek that Mexico needs to "draw the line" so that the custom doesn't take further hold in the US. That would be racist. And xenophobic. See how that works? Why is it OK for people in the UK to belittle American culture and holidays? You don't seem to belittle the culture/customs of your other immigrants... (for example, do the customs associated with Diwali really irk you, OP? Should India "draw the line" and curtail their customs so that you don't have to witness a handful of them drifting into your own sphere?).

I recently had Thanksgiving with a group of American expats, and a few European "locals", all of whom were happy to show up and eat. I could tell that they Europeans didn't really "get it", but I would be so sad if one of them showed up here to mock and scorn.

I'm British but live in the US. Sprinkles aren't a new thing here - just because you've just heard of them, you're jumping on your high horse pretty late!

EmilyAgain has it right above.

Why is it OK for people in the UK to belittle American culture and holidays?

Because US culture is hegemonic, EmilyAgain. If you really can't see the difference between the US and Mexico in terms of structural power, then perhaps you need to look again.

Most of us complaining about American customs love other American customs and culture and so on. But it's OK when a new custom drifts across the Atlantic to say "eurgh, no thanks, not this one".

The hegemonic argument is used quite frequently to justify negative comments about American customs and Americans on MN.

There are a lot of Americans on MN. We are here for a variety of reasons, but most of us have a connection with the UK which is strong and affectionate. In my case, I went to university in Scotland, traveled extensively all over the UK, and go back to visit when time and budget allows.

Discussions like this one are fine; I enjoy them because I think that cultural differences are always interesting. But there are almost always posters on these threads who seem to use them as an excuse to bash Americans, sometimes in very veiled and subtle ways, but definitely snarky and a bit rude. It often seems personal because, in some cases, I think it's meant to be.

I have had a baby shower, and been to a couple of others. None were about presents but about all friends getting together for a good time before the baby arrives. The have all been lovely and not at all tacky or grabby.

Think I might have a Tinkle Party for DD to perform her first potty wee in front of gasping and adoring guests.

what a load of utter bollocks but then I totally object to all things baby shower

Pfb gets a shower.

Middle born a sprinkle.

Poor last, forgotten child, draws the short straw again with a rub down with a damp flannel.

^ oh so true^

Ah c'mon, not wanting to import another zillion new crappy American customs isn't anti American (necessarily)

My mind went straight to potty training. I envy those whose minds went to sex!

But there are almost always posters on these threads who seem to use them as an excuse to bash Americans, sometimes in very veiled and subtle ways, but definitely snarky and a bit rude.

It's ok. We Americans know we're awesome. If they really cared, they'd make better movies and TV shows to infiltrate us.

Sprinkle showers... never heard of them. It's probably just pinterest or mommy bloggers giving a name to what we always do with new babies. Show up with a gift to say hi to either baby or pregnant mom to wish her luck.

Have no idea what US showers are like but the UK versions I've seen have all been a bit ostentious, grabby and just generally cringey. Some traditions translate well to other cultures and some don't. I think baby showers (let alone sprinkles) just don't.

I can't say I've been to an ostentatious, grabby or cringey one. Most are pretty low-key. There's always a gift list, usually a few stores, range of gifts. There's cake, nibbles, punches, small talk, presents, then you leave.

Baby showers weren't done when I had my dc (over a decade ago) and I'm ttc (have been for years) we have no baby stuff any more so I'd be gutted if people thought I didn't deserve to have a bash because it's not my first.

They're in someone's house, or an apartment or townhouse clubhouse, golf clubhouse, function suite, I've been to a couple in country clubs. Still, not at all cringey. It's just the done thing there.

The gift list thing is both cringey & grabby to me. It's just not done here. If it was simply a party for the mum to be then it might be ok but to ask for gifts is just a bit off.

To be clear, not all Americans embrace the idea of a "sprinkle." Baby showers thrown by friends/family are pretty generally accepted here, but the whole sprinkle thing is much less common and is definitely considered tacky by a LOT of people. I'm Jewish and we think it's bad luck/tempting fate to buy things before the baby arrives, but my DH's family did throw a small shower for me when I was pregnant the first time. It was nice but kind of awkward, as a major part of the tradition is you have to open the gifts in front of everyone and I hate being on the spot like that. But if anyone had said anything about throwing a sprinkle for baby #2 I would have shut that down in a hot second. I would not feel comfortable with that at all. Not one of my friends has had a "sprinkle," and I would say we are overall a fairly typical bunch of American women. Fortunately the sprinkle is more of a niche thing and has not yet gained widespread acceptance.
I shouldn't even tell you ladies about the latest thing I heard, which is a shower invitation that requests all gifts to be unwrapped. I guess the idea is the shower will go faster if the girl doesn't have to unwrap each gift, but my feeling is if you're inviting that many people that is a problem in itself. But again this is NOT what most Americans do.

The whole idea is to set up the new parents as they embark on life with baby. Way back in the days of sod cabins on the prairie or crowded tenements or vast new towns of little red brick boxlike houses in the post war period people had both the need for both a community spirit and material goods -- often really simple things like blankets or Q tips or little knitted baby cardigans and booties.

Nowadays it is done for the same reasons, and even though many new parents could afford to outfit a baby and baby's room themselves, gifts are greatly appreciated and parties certainly are.

The gift registry is done out of a spirit of practicality, because everyone appreciates what a pita it is to have to return items, especially stuff that is bought online. Your average American post office is not somewhere you can just pop into and get out of having accomplished your objective quickly and with friendly customer service. You might have to walk a long distance from where you parked, or take time from your lunch hour, or schlep your baby and wait in a line for ages in order to return something. Or head to a store and wait in line for ages, with your newborn in tow, and then you get store credit in a place you might not want to shop in, and with an expiry date that might not be convenient for you.

There really isn't grabbiness involved.

Your average American post office is not somewhere you can just pop into and get out of having accomplished your objective quickly and with friendly customer service

And the average UK ones are? Not where I've ever lived

'If it was simply a party for the mum to be then it might be ok but to ask for gifts is just a bit off.'

See, that would strike me as cringey. What exactly is it then? 'Um, yeah, um, a mum-to-be.' I'd want to bring her a gift.

YY, the gift list is seen as practical. You don't get duplicates, and people can club in together and buy a bigger thing or a gift voucher.

Mind in gutter. That is all...