Low key/less commercial babyshower alternative?

[squizita]

My DM and Dsis want to throw something for me. I think it would be nice to have a little get together but...

I'm a bit of a nervous nelly as I'm pregnant following loss, plus I'm quite laid back and having been to normal babyshowers they can be a bit 'glossy' and commercial compared to my usual style (they were lovely events, but I can't picture myself at the middle of one IYSWIM).

I've heard mention of other, lower key pregnancy celebrations, blessing-type events - has anyone been to one/know anything about them?

Thanks!

My mums friends are in a knitting group, and they organized a shower for me. They had no prior knowledge of showers, so they simply presented me with all my knitted (and other items) all wrapped prettily, had drinks and cake, wanted to know all the gossip on the baby, and did a couple of games.
It was simple and lovely x

We went out for afternoon tea for a friend.
It was lovely, and not at all sickly.

We put on afternoon tea for a friend. Everyone brought a fish.

Dish even!

Haha fish I was wondering what crazy friends you had.

I went for afternoon tea with a small group for a friend, no pressies and no games just lovely cake and a chat

I was in exactly the same position. Suggested a low key afternoon tea, and in the end it was forgotten about so I escaped

Thanks all :) My mum loves putting on a few sarnies and a cake... might just suggest a simple tea! :)

When one of the ladies in our church is having a baby we throw her a bead party. Everyone brings the usual party nibbles (drinks, cakes etc) but we also each bring a bead or a charm to thread onto a bracelet. The bead usually has a meaning, so for example- I chose a small pink round bead to symbolise a girls and a circle because the girl was going to complete their family. We also all bring a verse, a prayer and a message to stick into a little notebook (you could equally do a non-Christian version with encouragement, advice and good wishes) that she can take to the hospital with her along with the bracelet for when she's in labour.
I'm looking forward to my bead party, goodness knows I'm gonna need all the prayer I can get haha!

Two of my friends are taking me out for a champagne high tea a week before I'm due. They wanted to invite loads of other people, and do all that games shit.. but I'm really uncomfortable with that because I don't believe in celebrating something that hasn't happened yet. So, I said thanks for the offer, would be nice to see just the two of them, and lets do tea. So we are.

Hevava that sounds a great idea. :)

Afternoon tea sounds like a lovely idea.

My friends recently threw me a low-key shower at a ceramics painting studio which was lovely.

I read of a shower where everyone was asked to bring a children's book that held special meaning for the giver. (Hopefully they didn't end up with 10 copies of Each peach pear plum or something!)

I recently organised a babyshower for a friend at an old fashioned tearoom and it was lovely. We all bought gifts for the mum to be and made a pass the parcel making sure she got it every time of course, it started off huge and it was really good fun, I looked online and the thought of melting chocolate into nappies and other weird games definitely not for me!!!!!! We took lots of pictures and all of us printed them off and we got her an album with them all in and she loved that too xxx

We had a BBQ had lot of food with friends and family of both sexes as we knew that we wouldn't be seeing them again for a while as we are 150 miles away from everybody. Didn't worry about playing games as wanted it to be more of a catch up rather than a baby shower

The bead party sounds like a blessingway, it doesn't have to be as woo as some of these suggest.

Thanks all. :)

"Everyone brought a fish"

I am tickled silly by this!

I feel a bit uncomfortable about an organised event where people are traditionally expected to bring presents.

I do like the idea of afternoon tea. But then I like the idea of cake, at any time, in any context. I'd be comfortable with the idea of everyone baking a cake and then everyone sitting down and eating the cakes.

Basically I want cake.

Belly, would you like a cake? I think you need one.

Ooh yes please!

I didn't want one due to not wanting to be in the centre of attention/expecting gifts thing but my friends really wanted me to have one. So it's a handful of friends (only my close test not the whole world and people that I vaugly know) and even tho I said no presents my friends want to, so I've put a small list together but nothing would cost over £5 pp! (Long sleeved vests, cardigans)
The only games I'm having is -
Guess the baby picture (works as only close friends are there)
A sweepstake for due date and baby's weight
True/false on my daft pregnancy stories (is it true I cried hysterically because we ran out of frosties)
I don't know what's happening about food but I think my friends know me we'll enough that food is important to me lol!
This is happening at my sisters I think there will be about 10 of us in all.

I'd been to other baby showers where it's all about the mum and you have to lick brown crap out of nappies in front of your friends work colleague from 4 jobs ago.... Awkward!

It can be as low key as you want it to be really, at first I didn't want one but I am looking forward to a girly get together before spud arrives xx

Bellyrub exactly... I went to one and they WROTE DOWN what each person brought like a roll call (the lady organising was American and didn't get this was a bit in Britain at all).

Yeah I'd rather just have cake too.

The fish thing made me laugh out loud properly for the first time ever on mn!! I was thinking "the crazy people....she's gonna have a baby to look after, the last thing she needs is 12 bloody goldfish to feed and clean!" Hahaha.

Some lovely ideas here :)