Baby Showers!

I need a lesson in baby shower etiquette. Okay, maybe not fully, but as I’m preparing a list for each of the upcoming baby showers I am struggling with who to invite.

There are the obvious people: close family, close friends, co-workers….people that I see, talk to, or keep in touch with on a regular basis.  That is the easy part. 

It’s all of the “others” that I struggle to know where to stop.  Friends of my mom that I never see, yet she insists on inviting.  Great Aunts and fifth cousins that I only see at funerals, yet my Grandma would have her feelings hurt if we don’t invite all of them.  Friends that invited me to their baby shower eight years ago, yet I haven’t seen them for over six – and now they are popping back up on Facebook to congratulate me. 

My concern?  I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

·    I don’t love showers.  Don’t get me wrong, I love going to them for close friends and family – and love the idea of “showering” someone with gifts.  I don’t love the ones where I don’t know anyone and they last for hours and I have to play stupid games.  We’ve all been to those.

·    So to follow that point, not everyone wants to be invited to a baby shower.   

·    Showers = gifts.  And I feel bad inviting people that I’m really not that connected to, because that makes them feel obligated to buy a gift. 

·    The more people invited, the more cost for the hostesses.  And while they would never complain and are gracious enough to host a shower for me – I still don’t want to obnoxiously invite too many people!

·    The more people there that I hardly know – the more awkward belly patting involved.  Because let’s be real, only people who hardly know you and are over the age of 65 really feel compelled to rub your baby bump.  Can you say: awkward?

Moral of the story – I have three showers scheduled (including a shower hosted by my co-workers) – and I am trying to keep the guest list for each at an absolute minimum.  That said, I still have to be sure to please everyone with requests (Mom, MIL, Grandmas, etc.).  And I’ll feel a little guilty when I invite some people that I hope do not feel obligated to come or send a gift...but I’m hopeful that I’m following all etiquette appropriately!