vent: i don't know a shower hostess or some guests...

gracielou314

so, my MIL (who is not a host) has a friend that is helping host one of my showers and also invited some ladies that I've never met in my entire life. They weren't invited to our wedding, so I have no idea why she invited them to the shower. They aren't ladies that were a huge part of DH's life either. They are MIL's former coworkers.

I'm just anticipating the awkwardness when I open a gift and read the card and have no idea where to look to thank the person.

 

georgi611

My MIL is inviting some neighbors and a few of her old coworkers that I have never met, but I am confident she will introduce them to me before we open gifts. 

cchill01

It is an odd feeling, but they'll understand.  My sister's bridal and baby showers were filled with her MIL's friends.  Of the 60 invitees, my sister could identify a little over 1/2 of them.  Usually, they'll sit together at the shower and then you just look in that general direction.  Also, make sure MIL at least introduces you.

mylittlesunshine

Ditto.

I have been to two baby showers where the hostess (grandma) invited co-workers. When we all got seated, we went around the circle and introduced ourselves and how we knew the mom-to-be. No biggie

chouli77

One of my friends threw my shower. My mom was invited and she invited 3 of her girlfriends. I wasn't put out because my mom doesn't know all my girlfriends, and having people w/ her would give her someone to socialize with which freed me up to chat w/ other people. The materialistic benefit is I get more gifts for my LO. I have no problem with thank-you cards. I just got the addresses for the ladies from my mom and sent them out. At my shower, the joke was "look at this table full of grandmas for little Archer!"

gracielou314

mylittlesunshine:

Ditto.

I have been to two baby showers where the hostess (grandma) invited co-workers. When we all got seated, we went around the circle and introduced ourselves and how we knew the mom-to-be. No biggie

I like this. Maybe I'll ask the other hostesses to do something like this. Will it be awkward, however, when we get to those ladies and they say, "oh, we don't know mom-to-be?"

I think i'm thinking too much into it. I am very grateful that there's people who want to shower us.

Cupcake36

My mom wasn't my shower host, but all of her co-workers are really excited that she's finally going to be a bubbie, so she invited about 20 of them to my shower (knowing that only about 1/2 would come).  I was able to fake it pretty well when opening gifts, but I did have one awkward moment when opening one gift as there was no card.  So the gift-giver just said "that's from me".  Well, it was one of mom's co-workers and I didn't remember her name to tell the person writing the gifts down who this one was from.  Luckily, she eventually told my friend "It's from me, ____". 

It'll all work out, and nobody will blame you.  It's a very overwhelming time, and people realize that and will be forgiving. 

JessieCupcake

cchill01:

It is an odd feeling, but they'll understand.  My sister's bridal and baby showers were filled with her MIL's friends.  Of the 60 invitees, my sister could identify a little over 1/2 of them.  Usually, they'll sit together at the shower and then you just look in that general direction.  Also, make sure MIL at least introduces you.

This. Just glance in the general direction.

Also now that I think about it, when I'm at a shower I tend to give a little wave when the honoree looks at me when she opens the gift. Maybe the ladies you don't know will do that too.

 

mikeandcristina

My mom did the same, with 5 of her coworkers that I've never met and multiple gifts from others I had never met and that weren't there (but she had invited)... I didn't even know they'd be there! I had her introduce me when I first arrived, and made a mental note of where they sat... I got alot of great stuff, so I can't complain! Just think of all the goodies you'll get!

As for the card, I simply read them to myself and passed them around for everyone to read... it took some of the staring eyes off of me too, which I liked!