Some opnions were harsh. Up to the Mother to be if she wants to open her gifts in front of everyone else or not. This first question jad nothing in it about being micro managed just she wasnt comfortable in opening gifts in front of people. Nothing wrong with that. She isnt devaluing the gift at all.
You do realize that she came and asked "is this rude"? She asked peoples opinions. Opinions is what she got. You ran in here assuming OP isn't a big girl and can't handle it. WK be WKing.
This reminds me of the "Im crying at work and my boss is annoyed with me. What should I do?" post.
PP - "You suck it up girlfriend. You have a job to do."
WK - "You guys are so mean. OP you cry if you want you're boss needs to understand you're pregnant and pregnant women cry sometimes. Don' let these haters get you down"
OP when she came back, "Thank ladies you guys are right! Thanks for the honest feed back"
Here's a news flash. You can't tell people how they should respond to a post on the internet, just like you can't in real life. If you need someone to tell you what you want to hear, the way you want to hear it, go tell it to your mom not strangers on the net.
Don't do the clear wrapping paper thing. I think that would rub me the wrong way more than just not opening your gifts would. Wrapping stuff is already annoying...then to have someone tell me what kind of wrapping paper I have to use kills the fun that was left in it. You can also have your SO open gifts with you if he's there. Then you aren't alone, but it is just a suggestion.
It's rude to not open the gifts at the shower. It's rude to ask guests to bring unwrapped gifts.
That being said, OP, don't overthink this. First, it's a baby shower, not a public speech. By the time you get to the gift opening, you'll have been socializing with your guests - your friends and family - for an hour or so. Maybe you will have played games and will be having fun. The gift opening won't feel as awkward once you're in the swing of things. Second, while your guests will want to see what you're getting, they will be chatting among themselves, going to the bathroom, getting a drink, grabbing more cake. It will not be all eyes on you all the time.
If it is still too much to handle, you should consider having a more intimate shower with fewer guests.
If I was told to use clear wrapping paper or that it was a "display shower", I would wrap the gift. Probably four or five times. I probably wouldn't attend either - just send a gift, if I would have been so inclined to do so before the tacky invite.
I HATE going to showers. I HATE the games. Like PP said, I only like the cake and watching the presents be opened.
My favorite is the person who included gift tags in her invitations. "Please come to my shower and don't forget the gift! But don't wrap it because I'm too uncomfortable to unwrap gifts in front of you, but not uncomfortable enough to ask you to buy me stuff and bring it to me under these specific conditions." I'm sure the shower was a blast though.. :-q
Oh goodness me! Alot of very critical opinions on this already expressed here! Quite harsh ladies! If people being invited knows your personality they will not take offense to you opening presents later. Its about celebrating you and bubs. Its your day. If people get their nose out of joint then so be it. All you have to say if you want to , is you know I shy and with these pregnancy hormones I am emotional right now... or nothing at all! Presents wrapped or not wrapped etc. Really is it a big deal? People who love you are not going to care with your demands or expectations, some may think you are alittle pregnancy godzilla but who cares. I would also think of others who cannot afford expensive gifts or bring just a card etc. I think opening in front of others can be uncomfortable and not just for the Mummy to be. Set out a nice table for gifts, etc and people can be discreet about it.
Even if they know you, it doesn't mean they aren't thinking it's a rude move. I say get over it for a couple of hours so you don't risk offending anyone. Once you start opening presents you will start to get over the stress of being in front of anyone. Do it when food is served, no one will pay much attention to you when food is in front of their face.
Okay, seeing as there's plenty of rudeness how about a little niceness.
Mainly, I know anxiety can be a bit of a pain. So, try and have cake or snacks to occupy your guests a little while you open them. (If you have them wrapped, that is. And who gives a flip of some commenters think it's rude/tacky it's YOUR party.) Also, look at it this way - it's not a show you are performing. It's presents! Your attention will be mainly focused on what you're receiving. You'll be just as occupied with what you get as they will. At my wedding shower I was mainly focused on who was passing me what and who it came from.
At the end of the day just try to breathe and enjoy a moment where you get to open your little one's blessings.
Okay, seeing as there's plenty of rudeness how about a little niceness.
Mainly, I know anxiety can be a bit of a pain. So, try and have cake or snacks to occupy your guests a little while you open them. (If you have them wrapped, that is. And who gives a flip of some commenters think it's rude/tacky it's YOUR party.) Also, look at it this way - it's not a show you are performing. It's presents! Your attention will be mainly focused on what you're receiving. You'll be just as occupied with what you get as they will. At my wedding shower I was mainly focused on who was passing me what and who it came from.
At the end of the day just try to breathe and enjoy a moment where you get to open your little one's blessings.
If I took the time to pick out a gift, used my money on said gift, scheduled my weekend plans around a shower that is in the middle of a Saturday or Sunday (especially in the summer time when I would rather be on the lake).....that person better open their damn gift in front of me. I don't care if they feel awkward (I felt a little awkward at my shower as well, but still opened all of the gifts), they can suck it up. If they asked for the items to be unwrapped or in clear wrap, I would side-eye, and the RSVP "no", and hang out on the lake.
How did she even find this thread?! It had to be burried and gone by now!
Dude....its still totally worth commenting on, because you know people don't bother to search and it is only a matter of time before more posts like this pop up. Read it here first, folks! HAHA!
Peoples comments crack me up, and guess what it is 100% ok to feel shy and awkward and not open gifts in front of people. These social rules are absolutely stupid. Just ask that the gifts not be wrapped and place them on table for people to see. To say you shouldn't have a baby shower because you don't want to conform to rules you didn't make is stupid. The shower is about you and baby.
Peoples comments crack me up, and guess what it is 100% ok to feel shy and awkward and not open gifts in front of people. These social rules are absolutely stupid. Just ask that the gifts not be wrapped and place them on table for people to see. To say you shouldn't have a baby shower because you don't want to conform to rules you didn't make is stupid. The shower is about you and baby.
Just because you don't think etiquette is necessary doesn't mean it's stupid. Now pull your shirt down over your bloat and go find something better to do other than posting TOU violations.
Peoples comments crack me up, and guess what it is 100% ok to feel shy and awkward and not open gifts in front of people. These social rules are absolutely stupid. Just ask that the gifts not be wrapped and place them on table for people to see. To say you shouldn't have a baby shower because you don't want to conform to rules you didn't make is stupid. The shower is about you and baby.
Just because you don't think etiquette is necessary doesn't mean it's stupid. Now pull your shirt down over your bloat and go find something better to do other than posting TOU violations.
Wow. Just wow, people. I was going to post towards the people replying, but it got mean, so I'll rephrase .Annascr1 said:
This may be a strange question, but I'm pretty shy and a tad awkward. I really don't want to open gifts at the baby shower infront of people. Is this considered rude? I would send a really nice personalized thank you note. I just hate the idea of thirty people staring at me while I open and graciously thank them for the gifts. ( sorry if this has already been asked but I didn't see it )
You have nothing to be ashamed of. Introversion is not something you should have overcome or set aside. You do you. A lot of people are replying that you would be rude or tacky. Not really. There are SO many different baby shower trends going on right now. TheBump is supporting and giving us tips on them all the time. Do what is right for your comfort level and your family/friends. There is the unwrapped party idea. Lots of people are hating on it here, though I don't know why. If you make it clear in your invite, no one is surprised. You can make it part of your theme, make everything unwrapped. Do a Naked Cake (A cake that was minimal or no outer frosting - they are adorable and don't give sugar overload)! If it is part of your theme, it is considered planned and cute and thoughtful. If you are worried about being center of attention; that is reasonable. The baby shower is named after baby, but we all know it is really about the Momma. Lots of attention. An idea I saw recently is to, instead of a baby shower, do a "Sip and See" or otherwise named. A few months after baby is born, have friends and family come for a meet and greet. They bring presents and leave them on the table. They get a drink, refreshment, see the baby, coo a lot, and then leave. You can have more people attend, because they aren't expecting to stay for long, and it isn't expected that you open presents at the sip and see. It is focused on baby. Lots of moms that are having 2nd or so kid are doing these, because they already have the basics, and presents aren't the crib and such. Either way, if you don't want to open presents at the party; don't! It is your party. I hope it goes well. Happy Gestation.
@TinkerSmith Nice WK'ing, to bad this post is almost 1 year old. Meaning, that OP is planning their child's first birthday at this point. Also, OP has not been on since Nov, 2015.
There are many current threads with active posters that you can WK on.
Re: Baby shower gifts
Married Bio * BFP Charts
I HATE going to showers. I HATE the games. Like PP said, I only like the cake and watching the presents be opened.
Mainly, I know anxiety can be a bit of a pain. So, try and have cake or snacks to occupy your guests a little while you open them. (If you have them wrapped, that is. And who gives a flip of some commenters think it's rude/tacky it's YOUR party.)
Also, look at it this way - it's not a show you are performing. It's presents! Your attention will be mainly focused on what you're receiving. You'll be just as occupied with what you get as they will. At my wedding shower I was mainly focused on who was passing me what and who it came from.
At the end of the day just try to breathe and enjoy a moment where you get to open your little one's blessings.
shes probaby had her shower and her baby by now
Here's some puppies!
Now pull your shirt down over your bloat and go find something better to do other than posting TOU violations.
You do you. A lot of people are replying that you would be rude or tacky. Not really.
There are SO many different baby shower trends going on right now. TheBump is supporting and giving us tips on them all the time. Do what is right for your comfort level and your family/friends.
There is the unwrapped party idea. Lots of people are hating on it here, though I don't know why. If you make it clear in your invite, no one is surprised. You can make it part of your theme, make everything unwrapped. Do a Naked Cake (A cake that was minimal or no outer frosting - they are adorable and don't give sugar overload)! If it is part of your theme, it is considered planned and cute and thoughtful.
If you are worried about being center of attention; that is reasonable. The baby shower is named after baby, but we all know it is really about the Momma. Lots of attention. An idea I saw recently is to, instead of a baby shower, do a "Sip and See" or otherwise named. A few months after baby is born, have friends and family come for a meet and greet. They bring presents and leave them on the table. They get a drink, refreshment, see the baby, coo a lot, and then leave. You can have more people attend, because they aren't expecting to stay for long, and it isn't expected that you open presents at the sip and see. It is focused on baby. Lots of moms that are having 2nd or so kid are doing these, because they already have the basics, and presents aren't the crib and such.
Either way, if you don't want to open presents at the party; don't! It is your party.
I hope it goes well.
Happy Gestation.
Nice WK'ing, to bad this post is almost 1 year old. Meaning, that OP is planning their child's first birthday at this point. Also, OP has not been on since Nov, 2015.
There are many current threads with active posters that you can WK on.