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Baby Showers
Hostess Gifts for Multiple Hostesses?
What do I do as far as hostess gifts when there is more than one person putting our shower together? My SIL is throwing our shower for DH's side of the family along with help from MIL, aunts, cousins, etc. I have never received a hostess gift for showers I have thrown, but they are all I read about on these boards. What should I do in this situation? A genuine 'thank you to all who helped' on the big day was enough before......
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Re: Hostess Gifts for Multiple Hostesses?
The Mom I'm hosting for has asked me point blank how the co-hosts are helping so she can get them something accordingly.
I'm doing almost everything (financially and time wise). The co-host is making her house available (no small feat). And 2 other people have virtually demanded to help so they're bringing food.
I'm sure a smaller token like small potted flowers would be fine for the co-hosts. Something a bit nicer is usually the norm for the main host. Gift certificate for mani or pedi, etc. is pretty common for us.
And... in our community a host gift is common practice.
If you've never seen it done EVER then no one would miss it, right?
I'm just a bit suprised. I thought hostess gifts were common place everywhere.
Total score: 6 pregnancies, 5 losses, 2 amazing blessings that I'm thankful for every single day.
Well I don't think it is necessary to give a gift. I think a lot of the time when these ladies put these things on they are not expecting it. They want to do it out of kindness. When I hosted my sister's baby shower I did 90% of the work and I did not get anything from it. I did it because I love her and wanted to see her get some of the stuff I knew she could not just go out and buy. I never expect anything out of people when I hostess for any kind of shower.
If you want to give them something I would recommend the Willow Tree with the Thank You on it. It is small and not too expensive yet sends the message you want.
You just need to give something very small with a thank you card to show your appreication. Even a $1 item with a card would be fine. It's what you say in the card that is important.
I can understand when someone doesn't know whether a hostess gift should be given. Growing up in south Texas, I learned that in Mexican culture a hostess gift is not expected - extending help and hospitality to a bride or mother to be is viewed as an honour and social duty rather than a burden. A thank you is usually enough. When I gave my best friend her wedding shower and baby shower, I was surprised to get a hostess gift - I was just thrilled to be able to throw her a party!
I like the idea that someone posted about manis and pedis - basically to say "pamper yourself after all the hard work you've put in - thanks again for your help!"
I think Hostess Gifts are a regional/cultural thing and it'll be different for different situations.
A Hostess friend should not expect a gift- just like the discussions about how a mother-to-be should not expect for her friends to throw her a shower. However, you should at least write a thoughtful "Thank You" note.
For me, I'm in the deep South and we typically do a little "something" but I'm having to keep it very small because for my first shower I had 9 hostesses; tomorrow's shower I have 4; and for my church shower I have 11! That's 24 gifts right there...
For each of their gifts, I've appliqued a ducky to a small washcloth, rolled it up and packaged it with a pouf, soap, body wash, and body scrub. I tied them with ribbon and on the coordinating card wrote: "Thanks so much for being a hostess! Hope you enjoy your SHOWER as much as I did mine" (totally cheesey, I know) The gifts ended up being ~$8 each.
Here are 8 of the "Ducks in a Row":
The Baby Blog.