My Mom is throwing my shower. She wanted me to have one shower, not one with famile and then one later with friends. (which was the original plan as I live about an hour away from most family and didn't want everyone driving all over the place)
Since my mom insisted on one large shower, there will be about 40 people there. I REALLY hate when I go to a large shower and it lasts for hours and hours because 5 different games are played.
Would it be rude to ask my mom NOT to plan any games? She already has favors (nice ones, but more like prizes instead of one for everyone that attends) maybe suggest she work them in with a drawing or by placing something under a few of the chairs?
Re: Can I request no games?
This is a good alternative. If you mom has already purchased prizes (sounds like prizes not favors since not everyone would be getting one) then obviously you'll want to give them out. You could also set a timer while you're opening gifts for every 10 minutes or so and when it goes off the person that brought that gift gets a prize. There is a bit of a problem if several people go in on the same gift! Not sure how many will be at your shower, but if you have more than 40 I'd go with the quick type "games" like drawings, etc. There were 50 at one of my showers and we had 3 games...they took a total of 45 minutes, "dinner" was about 30-45 minutes and gift opening took about 45 minutes. The shower lasted 3 hours so the rest of the time was spent socializing. Plus, they waited about 10-15 minutes for most everyone to get there (late comers).
A couple thoughts:
First, yes, you can request no games. HOnestly, I think MANY people would be thrilled to not have any games! I like to go to showers and see friends, catch up, see the mom to be. I could care less about the games. They are a time suck, to be honest.
And the idea of 5 makes me shudder. I went to a wedding shower once that had about 5 games. I t really did take FOREVER and I left before the gift opening. At least 2 hours had passed between eating and the games. I didn't have another 2 hours to dedicate! I would have given another hour, but after FIVE games, I had no guarentees that the rest of the shower would actually move quickly.
However, past that. If you're inviting 40 people, chances are not everyone will show. if 30 show.... eh, that's a pretty normal sized shower. That doesn't really say "large" to me. And if you're relatively effecient w/ the gift opening, then the shower overall doesn't have to take that long.
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
I would just think of games that don't take up any time. Things like the clothes pin game, putting a few x's on the bottom of serving plates or even passing around a jar of jelly beans or mini pickles to guess the number. Prizes can then be given after gifts are all opened. Here are some ideas:
https://fireflii.htmlplanet.com/games/babyshower.html
We did raffle tickets. Found baby shower themed ones at michael's it was easy. Best way to not have a forever shower is for someone to keep it moving along. Mine lasted forever because I was busy visiting people and no one was moving it along, I had to ask my sister what's next to get things prgressing. I was exhausted afterward.
Here's an idea that is memorable, fun, and doesn't take up a lot of time:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/93368995/wishes-for-baby-cards-unique-baby-shower