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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask for baby shower help ARGHHH

35 replies

meladeso · 27/11/2017 22:22

I loathe them.
Dear friend loves them. Like, LOVES them.
It falls to me to plan one for this friend.
Gah.
Tasteful non cringe ideas please?
So far I'm hosting afternoon tea with a few gifts and balloons.
I don't want to let her down!

OP posts:
LivLemler · 27/11/2017 22:45

Oh god. Can't help at all as fortunately my friends aren't fans either. But bumping to help you.

BlueNeighbourhood1 · 27/11/2017 22:48

I was in the pub watching the football with DP on Saturday, there was a baby shower in the other end of the pub. First time this has happened!

Anyway, they came round with a money pot and asked people to guess the dummies in the jar and put a contribution into the pot, winner got a bottle of house wine. Oh and the circumference of the pregnant woman too! Made quite a bit of money to go in the babies first bank account. They also had a light box which looked great for all the photos

Sparklesocks · 27/11/2017 22:50

I think tea and balloons is a good start OP! Asking everyone to bring a baby photo to guess who is who is also quite low key and not too cheesy. Maybe some nice finger sandwiches and little cakes.

Whatsoccuringlovely · 27/11/2017 22:51

I don’t like them either but afternoon tea sounds nice. Maybe some champers? Baby name games?

tampinfuminragin · 27/11/2017 22:53

Baby bingo, guess the size of the bump, some mild decorations and some snacks in someone's living room.

AnonEvent · 27/11/2017 22:53

I loathe them too, but it doesn't matter what we think. If she wants one, make it the very best, most showery, baby shower known to man.

  1. Reveal cake if relevant
  2. Pink/blue balloons
  3. Name the baby food flavour contest
  4. Photos of everyone as a baby guess who's who
  5. Guess the baby's weight, date and name contest

No holds-barred, full-throttle, baby showerage.

Then dust your hands and toast to a Job Well Done and never think of it again.

TheBlueMeaniesAreComing · 27/11/2017 22:54

I hate baby showers for myself but I like going to other people’s. Just keep it simple and calm. One of the best games I’ve played at one was to get every guest to bring a baby photo. Number them on a large sheet and get people to guess who is who. The last shower I was at was mostly family and the amount of laughter from trying to figure it out was so much fun. Don’t play the guess the food out of the nappy game. It’s just horrible. At my very low key thrown on me as a surprise shower we played games based around baby items. Filled bottles with sweets, guess how many are in them, baby item bingo, guess the nursery rhyme. Just make it silly and fun and you can’t go wrong.

MargaretCavendish · 27/11/2017 22:55

They got contributions from random people in the pub, blue?! Shock

MargaretCavendish · 27/11/2017 22:57

I've only ever been to one shower and found it not-quite-as-horrendous-as-I-expected, but I don't get why games are necessary at all? I haven't been to any other type of social gathering with enforced party games since I turned eight. Can't everyone just have a drink (alcoholic or non, as they wish), some nice cake and a chat and then go home?

TheBlueMeaniesAreComing · 27/11/2017 22:57

We also had a quiz with different rounds, music, movies, general baby info, random medical info related to babies pregnancy and labour. Some of the questions where random example what are babies born without 1 elbows 2 knee caps 3 knuckles. Random but it worked

allthecheese · 27/11/2017 22:58

I went to a lovely one recently where every guest had been allocated a letter, which they printed out then drew something beginning with that letter to create a 'baby's first ABC's' book. A company then puts it together as an actual book. Not expensive, doesn't take long, and went down well.

thecatsthecats · 27/11/2017 22:59

Pub strangers asked to take part in naff shower games?

Just when you think you've heard it all.

(Off topic, but today a woman round at work with a card and gift collection - for the miserable sod who left 6 months ago! I will never understand humans)

greendale17 · 27/11/2017 23:00

I really don’t understand why people on MN hate baby showers so much

MrsFoxPlus4 · 27/11/2017 23:00

My friend had a large jar at hers, little pads of paper & pens to right a little keepsake & leave it in the jar.

Flouncer1 · 27/11/2017 23:01

I would do afternoon tea, no games, few nice balloons and flower table pieces in applicable colour/s and one large hamper gift from everyone with gifts for mum only.

However if your friend loves baby showers she may want the whole shebang and you'll have to deliver.

greendale17 · 27/11/2017 23:01

**Pub strangers asked to take part in naff shower games?”

I have seen people participate in naff hen party “games”

MargaretCavendish · 27/11/2017 23:03

I have seen people participate in naff hen party “games”

Two wrongs don't make a right!

I also consider hen parties to be another inherently (and very similar) nice thing - a group of women who may find it hard to all get together without this sort of 'excuse' celebrating a happy milestone for one of them - which people ruin by insisting you have to have organised fun. If you can't just enjoy each other's company without playing cringey games or doing expensive and ludicrous activities you should probably just quit while you're ahead.

LRL2017 · 27/11/2017 23:14

For my baby shower at work the girls did me pin the dummy on the baby which was fun. Also as a keepsake they made me a scrap book. They had two separate types of cards in them. One they filled in length of birth, weight, date predictions etc and one was advice cards that they filled in. I loved it and something to look back over and give to my daughter when she is older.

LRL2017 · 27/11/2017 23:16

Also they got little plastic baby bottles and filled them with sweets :)

boredofmyoldname · 27/11/2017 23:16

You have my sympathies OP, I really can't get on board with the whole big party for an unborn person thing!

With that in mind though remember that whilst you're in charge of planning, it's about your friend.

What is it she loves about baby showers? If it's all the cheesey games, stereotypical gender decor and bring the centre of attention then low key and "non-cringe" isn't going to cut it!

RoseRuby26 · 28/11/2017 00:03

Match the baby name to the celeb is a good game

BeALert · 28/11/2017 02:04

I've been to quite a few baby showers. None of them have involved any games. Till I read this thread I had no idea that was even a thing.

We just have some nice food and drinks, give the mum-to-be some presents and wish her luck.

WineAndTiramisu · 28/11/2017 02:23

One I went to recently had a load of cheap baby gros, fabric pens, iron on motifs, lace etc, and we all decorated them which was quite fun

Other than that, tea and cake was staple!

Original poster
meladeso · 28/11/2017 05:46

Some brilliant suggestions there thank you so much.
I like the photos,
And the celeb baby names,
And a little book we can write guesses and advice in,
And possibly the decoration of babygros...

Thanks all!

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 28/11/2017 05:49

Yes does she want tasteful, non cringe or does she want full on cringe?

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