to ask for your help with my baby shower?

[HackneyHoney]

Ok... I know the baby shower idea doesn't go down well on here, however I am having an afternoon tea instead of a party with games, simply to get all of my friends together before baby arrives. I am clearly stating no gifts and am paying for the afternoon tea and food simply to say thank you to my close friends and family for their support through this awful pregnancy (I'm coming out of the end of the tunnel now however have had numerous complications and couldn't have got through it so solidly without these people). Nothing huge and not dozens of people. I've had a lot of miscarriages (3, which is consider a lot) and thought at one point this pregnancy was going to end this way. The fact that our baby is seemingly healthy is just incredible to me at this point.

I am quite clearly stating that I do not want gifts as the greatest gift of support has already been given. I am also not going to call it a baby shower as I think it's a weird term and implies you want to be showered with gifts. This makes me a little uncomfortable...

I need help with ideas? I was thinking afternoon tea in a cafe somewhere. Lots of sandwiches/cakes.

Is this an awful idea? AIBU to even consider this?

Enjoy your baby shower. Call it a Before the Baby Arrives get together if you like.

I would second/third avoiding games. If you did want to do something fun that’s baby related you could ask everyone to reveal their childhood nicknames, or something that keeps everyone in the group and us conversational rather than gimmicky.

Have fun, make the most of this time and good luck for the safe arrival of your tiny one.

Lovely idea, people will probably still bring a little gift especially if they know you are paying. Enjoy it!

HackneyHoney we had it in a cafe. We had a sandwiches, quiche, sausage rolls, shortbread, cream cake and a brownie.

Sounds lovely. I did the same a couple of years back and held it in my garden. A couple of people bought cakes with them and I had a lovely time seeing my friends and family before baby was born. Quite a few of them aren't into babies so it also worked that they didn't feel obliged to come and visit too early after the birth and we were able to meet up after 6 weeks or so instead.

I just had a nice lunch out with my friends and called it that. Didn’t have any gifts. I think people will want to get you gifts if you are paying though as it will feel like more of an event and they will feel obliged to.