Shower question here, too

DuckDuckGoose123

I know it's early to be thinking about showers, but I've already got my mom, SIL, and good friend at work talking to me about them so I feel like I need to get a sense of what's up.  Here's the background:

At work we have a tradition of throwing showers for expecting coworkers, including the guys, and I've organized a few of these myself.  They're usually a dinner out somewhere, and folks get the honoree a few small gifts, there's cake, etc (no games and all that - lately they've all been for male coworkers and their wives, so they're more guy-oriented).  I've planned some of them for male coworker friends, and since I announced at work last week, those male coworkers have told me to be sure to include them in my work shower because they'd love to be there.  Very sweet.  

A friend of mine at work, who is also an outside-of-work friend, told me she wants to throw me a shower.  She's flexible about it being a work shower or one outside of work.  My mom and SIL want to throw me a shower as well, but as they live out of town, I'm thinking it makes sense for them to coordinate with my friend here and do just one shower.

Most of my close friends (who I spend time with outside of work) are also coworkers, and I think it's too much (and an imposition) to invite them to two showers.  I'd rather just have one non-work shower and invite all my friends (I don't have a lot of family around here so having separate friend and work showers wouldn't work) to it, but if I did that I probably wouldn't include the guys from work because we're not friends like that.

See my confusion, LOL?  I think one shower with family and friends would be perfect, but I don't want to blow off my not-as-close work friends who still want to be included.  Would it be sufficient to have one shower outside of work, invite personal friends and the work friends who have asked to be included, and call it a day?

DuckDuckGoose123

I should clarify, the reason I'm asking so early is that my work friend is already all over getting ideas together, and context (work v/s non-work) makes a difference.  And my mom has been bugging me about putting a guest list together so she can start giving family a heads-up in case anyone is going to travel for the shower (I doubt they will).

colik23

You could do a work Diaper party, and then do an everyone else regular shower. So you could still do your work party and and have the guys enjoy that. Then have you big shower all your other work friends and family can attend.

DuckDuckGoose123

That's a great idea!  So you don't think it's an imposition to invite someone to that as well as a regular shower?

gymnst1013

I would maybe let them do both a work and non-work shower but be sure that whoever is organizing the work shower to tell everyone gifts are not necessary - maybe even addressing it specifically with the people that would be going to both so they don't feel obligated to buy 2 things.

DuckDuckGoose123

I was thinking of doing no gifts at all for the work shower for anyone - just the company would be lots of fun.  But knowing my friends they'd disregard that, and I'd feel awkward anyway.

Those are two good suggestions.  I'm leaning toward no gifts and seeing if that sticks.

colik23

If people at work feel funny about the no gifts, just tell them diapers, cause we didn't have to buy diapers for DS untill he was 6 months old!! Which was wonderful! That way people are only spending like 20 bucks, and its not anything huge.