Baby Shower Invitations Asking You to Celebrate

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by: ginathompson
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Word Count: 631
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2009 Time: 6:53 PM
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I have some good friends who are pregnant for the first time and due this next month. I offered to throw them a baby shower. They were not so keen about the whole thing when I approached them. Given that they are not the kind of people who like to be in the spotlight, I was not surprised. "So, you just send out baby shower invitations and people have to buy you things?" They asked. Given that I myself am an outspoken opponent of any shower that makes people feel obligated to buy something, I saw their point and wanted to come up with something different. I also know that baby showers represent something altogether more fulfilling emotionally than the average greedy bridal shower. A lot of brides and grooms are waiting until later in life to get married. They have jobs and are usually combining the belongings of two households when they get hitched. In the old days, young couples did not have much for their households and bridal showers helped fill that void. Guests receiving bridal shower invitations should be asked to help celebrate, not reach into their pocketbooks. Friends and family will always want to give gifts anyway, but you want them to feel unencumbered and inspired when doing so.
My friends who were against the idea of a baby shower were afraid of those same bridal shower expectations. I assured them that guests receiving baby shower invitations would be the same people who were overcome with a desire to help as soon as they heard the news of the pregnancy. For couples who have never had children, the things that you need for a baby are not things you have on hand, no matter what your socio economic status. When you are expecting your first child, you have no idea what you need and where to start. Having a baby shower allows people who know what they are doing to lend a hand and give you some things they think will be special or helpful. I had no idea what a Boppy pillow was before our baby shower, and it turned out to be the thing I relied on most (next to my husband) for the year after we had our first child. Shower invitations will also be received by people who have no idea what having a baby is like. You have now given them an excuse to buy something adorably printed with little doggies from Baby Gap.
We decided to go with a theme that made my friends feel like they were not setting an expectation of lots of gifts. Their guests received shower invitations that asked them to attend a "Knowledge and Myths" party. Guests were asked to contribute some kind of baby safety item (outlet protectors, baby gate, baby monitor, etc) and some kind of nursery supply item. Additionally, ahead of time, I sent an e mail to all those who received shower invitations requesting that they send me their favorite bit of helpful parenting advice and the silliest piece of advice they ever received. I took all the tidbits, had them professionally printed and bound, and gave them to the expectant couple. The books were a big hit and my friends adored that everyone shared such helpful information and entertaining tales. They were, of course, now stocked with diapers, cream, magazines for labor and delivery, swaddling blankets, lullaby CDs, etc. The baby shower invitations did not set forth any expectation of gifts beyond the scope of the theme. I am almost certain everyone gave something in addition to the supplies and safety items specified in the invitation. But everyone seemed to enjoy offering support, advice and humor to the expectant couple. And that is what it is all about.

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