Baby Showers

Self addressed envelopes?

I'm hosting a shower for my friend tomorrow.  I have been to showers where the guests were asked to write their address down on a provided envelope so when the thank you cards are done they just have to be matched with the envelope and dropped in the mail. I always thought it was weird and am leaning towards not doing it but I see how it could be a help to the mommy to be.

 Curious about everyone else thoughts on this? Helpful? Tacky? 

Re: Self addressed envelopes?

  • SUPER helpful...especially if invites weren't mailed and there's no formal mailing list to get from the hostess.

    My step-mum did this at my shower over Christmas...and I'm having another shower on Sunday and the hostess just sent me a text today and said she would be taking care of buying the thankyou cards...and using this idea as well.  

    It's nice not to have to worry about going out and buying cards...and then going to the post office later...IMO.   GL! 

  • I thought it was tacky when it was suggested for my bridal shower, but it saved me SO much time and actually helped ensure that people got their thank you cards in a timely fashion.  I would highly recommend this, and what we did was had a raffle.  We put all the envelopes in a hat, drew one and that person won.  That way, you kind of make a game/fun out of it.
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  • No offense to others, but i think it is crazy tacky to ask people to address their own thank you notes. Surely someone has a list of addresses  -- after all, invitations were sent. 

     If you wanted to help the mom with this, rather than make guests do it, I would do them for her. That could be a little bonus "shower" gift that you give her when the day is done. But, I highly doubt she will mind writing thank you notes for her friends and family who have come to her shower.... 

     I guess this varies by region, everyone I know would be stunned by this... 

  • imageJennifer2008:

    No offense to others, but i think it is crazy tacky to ask people to address their own thank you notes. Surely someone has a list of addresses  -- after all, invitations were sent. 

     If you wanted to help the mom with this, rather than make guests do it, I would do them for her. That could be a little bonus "shower" gift that you give her when the day is done. But, I highly doubt she will mind writing thank you notes for her friends and family who have come to her shower.... 

     I guess this varies by region, everyone I know would be stunned by this... 

    I agree with this. I don't think the guests should address their thank you notes. The host could help new mom by maybe printing labels with the addresses on it? To me, that'd be better than having people handwrite their own envelopes.

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  • Maybe just have out a pretty pad of paper where people can jot down their addresses rather than the actual care envelopes themselves.  It comes across that you need the info, but isn't perceived as tacky since no one is writing anything on the thank you card that they're set to receive later. 
  • I don't like it.  And I've always had a moment of freak out when I would get a piece of mail addressed to me in my own handwriting.
  • I think it's tacky.. everyone is taking the time to travel, shower the mom and celebrate the new baby..they shouldn't be addressing their own thank you notes!  I think it's a better idea if the host or a friend offers to address them to help her out but asking each guest to do their own is a no-no.
  • Everyone is busy, and each of those guests took the time to shop for a gift and take time out of a precious weekend to attend a shower.  The Mom-to-be can absolutely spend 30 seconds addressing an envelope.  Good grief.
  • I hadn't heard of it until the friend planning my second shower mentioned it.  She asked me to bring my thank you cards so that the guests could put their addresses on them to make my life easier.  I think it's a great idea!
  • I had 2 showers. My mom had people address their own TY cards. My MIL did not. It took me about 1 month after the shower to get the addresses from MIL so I could send out the TYs.

    My suggestion would be to buy a nice little address book as a gift to the mom-to-be and ask people to write their addresses in it. But as host you should have everyone's address so you could easily give her this list as well.

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  • Tacky.
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  • Helpful.  Honestly it takes less than 30 seconds for the guest to write their own address so I've never felt "put out" or annoyed when I was asked to do it at a shower I attended.

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  • imageJennifer2008:

    No offense to others, but i think it is crazy tacky to ask people to address their own thank you notes. Surely someone has a list of addresses  -- after all, invitations were sent. 

     If you wanted to help the mom with this, rather than make guests do it, I would do them for her. That could be a little bonus "shower" gift that you give her when the day is done. But, I highly doubt she will mind writing thank you notes for her friends and family who have come to her shower.... 

     I guess this varies by region, everyone I know would be stunned by this... 

    I agree.

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  • Sure it helps the mom-to-be and also only takes a few seconds to write your own address on an envelope.  Probably would only take a few seconds to write your own thank you note as well.  It is very tacky to ask the guests to write their own address on the envelope.  I never ever do it...even if they "entice" me with a possible gift if you win in the drawing.  lol

    It would be different (maybe) if the shower was like at week 39 or 40...then I could see it.  But even then...it is best if the hostess writes out the envelopes.  In my family that is what is done and everyone's envelope is put in a basket for a door-prize drawing.

  • A lot of people in my family do this for showers and I've never liked it and declined my aunt's generous offer to do it for my bridal shower that she hosted.  I definitely rationally see how it's a time-saver, but every time I have to write my own envelope for someone else's thank you note it makes me feel like all the person cared about was the present and can't be bothered with following up.  Perhaps it's just because those I've experienced doing this extend the lack of effort to their thank you notes too and basically write, "Thanks for the _______.  Love, _____."  For me, I'd rather get a somewhat later note that they addressed than a more prompt one that I did. 
  • I think it's tacky. You might as well ask them to write out their own thank you notes at that point.

    Unless you have zero brain skills, I can't imagine it's that hard to (a) write out addresses or (b) print out mailing labels.

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  • imagelindsaynjason:
    I hadn't heard of it until the friend planning my second shower mentioned it.  She asked me to bring my thank you cards so that the guests could put their addresses on them to make my life easier.  I think it's a great idea!

     I agree! This simple step takes 30 seconds out of a party that's supposed to be about making the mommy to be's life easier anyway! It's especially helpful for younger moms who maybe emailed or facebooked part or all of their guest list and don't have snail-mail addresses. I don't know, I guess in some circles it's ok and others it isn't'. When it comes down to it it's your shower and your friends and family, they know and love you so whatever you choose I'm sure they'll understand.

    Go for it girl! 

  • Super tacky.  If you're so lazy you can't spend 20 seconds addressing a thank you card, you don't deserve the gift that they got you.  I don't care how busy or crazy you are.  Someone took the time and money to buy you something nice, took a day out of their life to come to your shower and be there to support you, and you can't spend a few extra seconds to write an address?  Lazy, spoiled and ungrateful.
  • This is so lazy.

    Why not just skip the thank you cards and hand everyone a piece of paper that says "thank you for the gift" as they leave. Confused

     

  • I wouldn't do it. The guest of honor should be willing to take the time to address her own envelopes.
  • imageJennifer2008:

    No offense to others, but i think it is crazy tacky to ask people to address their own thank you notes. Surely someone has a list of addresses  -- after all, invitations were sent. 

     If you wanted to help the mom with this, rather than make guests do it, I would do them for her. That could be a little bonus "shower" gift that you give her when the day is done. But, I highly doubt she will mind writing thank you notes for her friends and family who have come to her shower.... 

     I guess this varies by region, everyone I know would be stunned by this... 

    yeah this.  and besides, i like to address my own envelopes.  i'm crazy neat and don't appreciate sloppiness at all....sorry.  either way, as teh pp said, it is really tacky

  • IMHO - kinda tacky.  If the invitations were all mailed out, you should already have the addresses.

    For my bridal shower - we put the guest address list in excel in a format that's real easy to export to address labels.  The hostess printed out a second set of address labels for me when she sent out the invitations.  She also had a pre-printed out guest list so when I opened the gifts she recorded everything right on there and sent me home with it.  Couldn't have been an easier or more organized way to do it!  Since she's co-hosting the baby shower I'm hoping she does the same this time!


  • As a guest at a baby shower, I will gladly put my address on an envelope for  a friend who had a zillion other things going on.  I seriously don't think people mind filling the cards out, especially when it is usually a well meaning hostess and not the mom to be requesting it.  I had it done for my shower and liked having the envelopes.  Of course, I had already bought thank you cards I adored and was sad I had to use the ones that fit...ha.  Can't win them all.
  • If you have "enough time" to sit down and accept free gifts, then you have "enough time" to put address on the darn envelope.

    If you do this, just admit you're lazy and don't look for excuses and reasons why "you're too busy" to figure out how to put addresses on things.

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  • Helpful, but tacky.

    When this has been done at showers I've attended, they've "disguised" it by using the envelopes to draw for a prize. I NEVER fill one out. Seriously-I've taken the time out of my schedule to come celebrate and bought you a present, but you can't take 30 seconds to address an envelope. RUDE!

    But that's only my opinion.
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