Shower vs. birth announcements

thebigmare

BTW, I think my mom is just trying to get out of hosting the shower...but she suggested today that instead of inviting all of the relatives to a shower that I should just sent birth announcements. She said that she sent them when I was born to far away relatives and they sent presents at that time. But to me the shower isn't just about the presents. It's also about my family getting together to welcome in another family member!! And besides, if I had to invite these people to my wedding (that I paid for) and they had the "tact" to ask me at my wedding (and then again at my brother's 1 year later) about when I'd be starting my family, I think that means they want to be invited to a baby shower.

What are your thoughts about a shower vs. birth announcements?

Also, my mom thinks that they are "too old" for showers. She actually said something like "Do people even have showers anymore? I haven't been to one in ages." My dad's cousins are like his brothers and sisters. They were really close growing up especially since he's an only child. They all got married and had kids way before my parents even met. We're talking like 15-20 years. So my mom was invited to their grandchild's showers (years ago), just not their great-grandchildren's (now). And she thinks it's weird to invite them now.  What do you think?

krin08

We had a baby shower and sent out birth announcements.  I am like you and I liked having our baby shower because I love to see my family! But on the topic of birth announcements, in my experience (my LO is 5 months old) we didn't receive any presents when we sent them out.  I sent mine out so people who weren't able to come see her in the first few weeks after she was born could have a chance to see a picture of her.

dragon_chica

krin08:

We had a baby shower and sent out birth announcements.  I am like you and I liked having our baby shower because I love to see my family! But on the topic of birth announcements, in my experience (my LO is 5 months old) we didn't receive any presents when we sent them out.  I sent mine out so people who weren't able to come see her in the first few weeks after she was born could have a chance to see a picture of her.

This and I think you're complicating things way too much!  Just have a shower and invite whomever YOU want there.  Once LO arrives send out a birth announcement to everyone and their momma.

EastCoastBride

Yeah, it's not one or the other.  I had a shower and sent announcements.  People who didn't come to the shower, a few of them sent gifts.  But by and large, the announcements did not end w/ a flood of gifts (which I wasn't looking for anyhow).

But in the end, if there is no one to host, there is no one to host.  I fyou want to get family together to welcome the new member, wouldn't it actually make sense to throw a "meet the baby party" AFTER the baby is here? 

Before the baby is here really makes it about the gifts. Lets be realistic about that.