Turning up to baby shower with no gift?

[OMeOMy]

I'm having a last minute panic as I'm due to attend a relative's baby shower tomorrow and have not bought a gift (young baby of my own, no time for anything, this is is first social thing I'll have done without the baby). It's at a cafe and we're paying for own own food plus the mum to be's. I plan to but a gift when the baby is born. Is this a massive faux-pas?! Should I try to cobble together some sort of gift this evening?!

@rebekuh

A few years ago, i was invited to attend a baby shower at a posh hotel. The cost to attend was £50 for afternoon tea

Plus gift 🤣

Wow!

@Twizbe

A lot of people, myself included, feel it's bad luck to give a gift for a baby before it's born.

I usually make a present (crochet) for friends but I never finish it until baby is here.

The few baby showers I've been to, I just tell the mum to be that I have a gift in progress for baby but I'll give it once they are here.

If they ask, I brush it off as a silly superstition but I don't like to chance it.

It is not a British tradition anyway. I think it is considered by many to be tempting fate. It won't hurt to wait until the baby is born!

I can see that's probably where it started but I'd say it has indeed merged into a catch all term for a party in late pregnancy

I think that's limited to those in UK who don't know the background, and it does look really bad.

It simply wouldn't be misunderstood in the countries where it originated, or where it has been fully and properly assimilated, any more than the difference between a bridal shower and a hen/bachelorette party would be misunderstood