Book Raffle?
catch2010
member
While on the hot topic of books in lieu of cards, the family organizing my shower want to do exactly this. I have no preference, but I did ask that they please make it clear that this is optional, as I don't like the idea of telling someone what their gift should include.
What do you think of a book raffle? I've been to several showers with diaper raffles, but I've never seen this done for books. The invites are going to include a cutesy poem that my mom loves about bringing a book, but do you think "If you would like to enter the book raffle, please bring a storybook" along the top would make it perfectly clear that this is optional?
I really don't want people to feel like they need to go run out and get a storybook in addition to a present, especially with money getting so tight for all of us, and I like the gesture of making it a raffle, but I don't know if that's too much.
Re: Book Raffle?
For hours entertainment, see thread about this a few titles down.
If wishing wells are common in your circle, you can always do a "book wishing well".
Yeah, I read that thread! Very spirited!
I've never heard of a "book wishing well," but I'll Google it. Thanks for the suggestion!
Around here wishing wells are a staple at every shower. Usually things like binky's and baby spoons get thrown in. Nobody spends more than a dollar or two because the stuff is never wrapped or labled. If you have a book wishing well you will most likey get smaller cheaper books but personally I'd rather have them than the other dollar store stuff.
I agree.
So then, word it so that it's an optional thing without a raffle? Any ideas on wording? Like I said, the organizers really want to do this so I don't want to rain on their parade, and my mom looooves this poem she found online.
Edited to add: We don't really do "wishing wells" here, so I think that verbage would confuse people, but essentially a wishing well is what I'd want to see happen, I think.
Like I said in the other thread, no matter how you word it, it's still a dictation and no reasonable guest would feel comfortable refusing it.
Substitute other words in and you'll see what I mean.
"In lieu of throwing your trash on the floor, please bring it to the trash can to throw it away"
"If you'd like to, please flush the toilet after you're finished peeing"
"Please refrain from smoking"
These may be extreme, but let's just be real. If someone (who you love, otherwise you'd not be inviting them) asks you to do x instead of y, you're going to do it, even if they say it's optional. Putting that direct request pressures your guest to comply and a hostess shouldn't be comfortable pressuring their guests.
He's the single greatest thing I've done in my life and reminds me daily of how fun (and funny) life can be. He's turned out pretty swell for having such a heartless and evil mother.
Last month I got an invite that said "please park in the street, parking lots are for residents only".
I forgot to get offended, I guess.
I think people are way too quick to get offended anymore.
im on the opposite end of this... as i mentioned in other posts. i could see how someone *may* get offended, but it's fairly common where i'm from (or at least my group of family/friends) to ask for diapers or books. i actually think the book idea is cute. and i think the diaper idea is practical. i have never been offended to be asked to bring these ideas. and i change my budget for these items accordingly.
We recently did a diaper party for my sister. i wrote on the invite that IF people brought a package of diapers they would be entered into a raffle. it was optional, not mandatory.
I think people are way too entitled nowadays.
I'm not sure how a raffle seems self-entitled at all. It's OPTIONAL. Which means - you aren't expected to participate, thus the guest of honor doesn't feel entitled at all.
The fact that they think their guests are just sitting on piles of cash and would want to spend more than they already have is pretty entitled. If it's truly optional for your guests to bring something extra, don't tell them to.
He's the single greatest thing I've done in my life and reminds me daily of how fun (and funny) life can be. He's turned out pretty swell for having such a heartless and evil mother.
So now I'm curious. Which do you think is more rude: a book raffle where the hostesses aim a shotgun at the front door and demand tribute in the form of Little Golden Books because the sugary poem about the book being optional was a LIE, or an overemotional pregnant guest of honor poo-pooing all of the things that the hostesses would like to do out of fear of being "tacky," leaving the guests to sit there with nothing to look forward to other than being a captive audience while the harpy clutches her gifts with her talons and cackles about everything being "soooo cute?" </sarcasm>
Seriously, I decided to just let them include the poem without explanation and let people figure it out (or call the hostesses if they can't), and if they want to do a raffle, it will be a nice suprise for those who chose to bring a book. Thanks for the helpful and class act comments alike, you all were informative and entertaining.
If an ungodly odor fills your home in late September, it's from my tacky-assss shower.
HAHAHA love it!
And when the guest doesn't take that option, which, let's face it, really isn't optional, the MTB will then be bitching that that person is so chintzy they couldn't spend an extra $3 on MEEEEEE.
And so do I!!!!!!!! CTHU!
THAT would be tacky. But that wasn't what the post was about, was it?
But that's ultimately what you're doing when you start throwing out more "options" of things your guests can bring you in addition to their gift.
So that's why I can only see the floor, my head is obviously in the wrong place. Thanks for pointing that out!
You are clearly not getting our point. I will spend what I'm going to spend, don't tell me WHAT to spend it on. And yes, I have seen plenty of threads where people say, "If they are going to be so cheap that they can't spend an extra few dollars then I'd rather that they just didn't come".