What do you think of baby showers? - if indeed you've ever heard of them.

I have never heard of crowd funding and do not like the sound of it at all.

I don't like them have never known anyone who has given one and wouldn't like to be invited to one..... I dislike all things connected with 'expecting' because however low key of course people feel obliged to take things to keep face
A different thing but more money related stuff, a distant very distant relative died yesterday I see on FB today they have set up a crowd funding page to pay for the funeral They all own their own homes and have very good jobs why would they even think of asking others to ' give him a good send off'

Presents or money from the heart is lovely expectations or pressure is horrible in my opinion

....and I agree that most of our imports from US ( do we import anything from anywhere else ) seem to be crassly money related

I don't like them because I'm superstitious about giving anything before the baby's arrived safely and the mother is well.
I even thought I was tempting Fate by knitting a blanket well before my first Gdc was born! However I didn't buy anything until she'd arrived safely, after which at least I knew it was a girl before zooming hotfoot to John Lewis baby dept.

It's definitely not all about spending money Bee.

I've been to a few now and thrown 2 for my daughters. We did tiny sandwiches ( willingly made by Grampy) , tiny cakes and a general afternoon tea theme. Nothing more than I would generally serve guests.

One friend arrangedthe games, all thatwas needed were a few nappies, pens, paper etc.

I made all the themed decor from my craftstash.

Everyone bought their favourite book, new or pre loved .

It was a joyous celebration in anticipation of a new arrival . I loved it.

I agree Iam , great fun all round.

My dd has just been to a baby shower. It was low-key and no one gave the expectant mother a pram so no superstitions were invoked. There were about a dozen people including expectant grannies and aunts and the rest were friends.

I asked if gifts were also given after the baby arrives and apparently some people do give something, some don't and some people give something pampering to the new mum.

No, Iam, but I've never been asked to one! I'm sure it is great fun, but my grandmother ( and, to a lesser extent, my mother) was a very superstitious woman, and I suppose some of it rubbed off on me.

Have you been to any baby showers Daddima? This isn't meant as a confrontational question. I posted previously about my reservations about baby showers, for all the reasons given here - scary to receive gifts before your baby arrives safely, tacky US import, etc. Having somewhat reluctantly hosted one for one of my daughters, I lost anxiety and prejudice.
Great fun, all those friends gathered together, silly guess the date, weight etc games. Lots of nibbles, tea, coffee, soft drinks and eve a drop of fizz for some non pregnant attendees. I organised a second baby shower a few months later, for another daughter, this one attended by previous baby shower baby - now thankfully safely with us.

Maybe a throwback to my mother's era, but I feel uncomfortable about buying major items until a baby is born. We chose the pram and paid a deposit, but didn't collect it until baby arrived.

exactly maggiemaybe, fun - shocking!

Because it's all about spending money.

Well, it's more about having a bit of fun, really. How much or how little you spend is entirely up to you.

i love them, both DD's gave birth exactly a week apart, and both had showers, youngest was self catered and about 20 people came, eldest was organised by her best friend and was an afternoon tea in a hotel, both equally fun but the afternoon tea was less stressful on me as I didn't have to spend hours baking and running around making tea and coffee. Now in grandma heaven as I have 2 beautiful granddaughters both under 10 weeks who I totally adore.

I can take or leave them, but just wonder why every idea that comes over from America has to be labelled tacky/crass?

Because it's all about spending money.

I can take or leave them, but just wonder why every idea that comes over from America has to be labelled tacky/crass? Hallowe'en customs, proms, baby showers - understated or over the top, they are what we make them, surely?

We were lucky enough to be in New York one year for the Easter parade, and it was fantastic, fun and not at all tacky.

We did an afternoon tea for my DIL , no alcohol as she couldn't drink. We told people not to bring a present but a book. This could be a much used former favourite of their children, no need to be new. We had a really lovely afternoon but I think some of them go a bit OTT .

Not keen on the whole idea.

Anything where people get together to share fun and friendship and in this case the imminent arrival of a baby sounds like a good thing to me.

Love them, for all the reasons given by Imperfect, kittylester and Iam. They are whatever you decide to make them. Gifts are not compulsory, and at my DD's everyone put in £5 which was enough for the organiser to buy several small presents, all very personal and useful. The main purpose was to enjoy one another's company and have a fun afternoon before the baby arrived.

Tacky American, but I will attend. Afternoon tea, drinks, and sweets. The ones I have gone to usually don't last too long. Good wine does a bit to makes shower bearable.

My dd have had2 and at each one they asked for the guests to bring their favourite bedtime stories. We had tiny sandwiches cakes and tea in China cups and saucers.
No over spending at all.

I wasn't being critical.Just stating a fact.

Greenfinch

Sorry! I only come on here about once every 3 months.

I agree with Iam.

Another crass American import

My DiL is a births and deaths registrar and is vehemently against them. Especially for a first born. Even these days so much can and does go wrong, and I believe many stores such as John Lewis will still hold all the baby's things until after its safe delivery. The angst of returning everything must be torture if your baby hasn't survived.

I'm sure they are lovely parties. So are the large weddings with all the trimmings. But I personally don't like them as I feel it's just yet another commercial pressure to persuade people to spend more money than they'd like. Something else to add to the list of must does and must haves. Your baby hasn't been welcomed properly without one so you're not caring enough.

Don't like them and don't attend if I'm invited