Jack and Jill baby showers are co-ed. Even before the nursery rhyme was around, the phrase “Jack and Jill” meant a general boy and girl pair. For a baby shower, this means that both of the baby's parents will be part of the day, and they can each invite friends and family.
What is it called when men have a baby shower?
Sometimes referred to as the “Manshower” or the “Dad-chelor,” the male version of the baby shower has, in recent years, become a thing. (Really.) In some ways, the all-male version of the baby party resembles its female counterpart: Manshowers involve a group of (usually) friends.What is the first thing you do at a baby shower?
Open GiftsFirst, you can have guests send their gifts to the expectant mom ahead of time. Then, during the shower, she'll open all the goodies for everyone to see.
This article was written by Luisa Figueroa. I am the owner, designer and maker of the My Little Love Heart range of baby gifts and accessories. I have worked within the fashion industry for over 15 years and specialising in baby gifts and accessories for the last 7. My love of fashion has enabled me to work and study around the world.What could be better than spending hours surrounded by loved ones who want to celebrate your impending motherhood by showering you with gifts? Having someone else foot the bill; that's what. You have a lot of expenses coming up in your near future, but paying for your own baby shower isn't one of them. The person or people who host the shower typically pay for everything. All you should have to do is show up with a smile.
Etiquette Says
Traditionally, the mom-to-be's closest female relatives—her mom and sister(s) and the mom and sister(s) of her partner—were the only family members who couldn't host a baby shower. For many years, that was considered inappropriate, because it could appear as if the family was hosting a shower just to get gifts for themselves.
Instead, other women who were close to the mom were expected to host. Aunts, cousins, coworkers and close friends of either parent-to-be would organize the showers and pay for them. Often, multiple people will team up to organize the event and split the cost.
Today's Traditions
Happily, the strict etiquette rules pertaining to baby showers are all but ignored today. That means a woman's mom, sister, mother-in-law or sister-in-law can host a shower without hesitation. And while it was once traditional that only women would attend a baby shower, that rule no longer applies either. The baby's father can attend the entire event if he'd like to, and you can ask that other men be invited too.
However, remember that some hosts may still care about traditional etiquette and might be unnerved by the idea of inviting men to the shower. Throwing a shower is a generous gift, so talk to the host about her ideas for the shower and respect her wishes if you can. If she insists on a ladies-only shower but your husband really wants to come, you may have to make a tough decision about whether to disappoint him or graciously decline the host's offer altogether.
Shower Success
Love being the center of attention? Hopefully, you'll get to do it several times in the months leading up to your baby's birth. Many first-time moms have two or more showers, depending on who steps up to host. Some moms also get showers for new babies even if they have older kids.
At minimum, it's normal to have one shower for the mom's family and one for her partner's family. Your coworkers may throw a separate shower. You may invite friends to one of the family showers, or have a separate shower for just your closest pals. And if you have close family in multiple cities, you may have multiple family showers in different places.
But while it's now appropriate for anyone to host your shower, it's always inappropriate to invite the same group of people to multiple showers, since a shower invitation is an implicit request for a gift. However, your mom, mother-in-law, partner and close siblings may want to go to both family showers and even another one hosted by friends. Make sure there are no other crossovers, or at least reach out to those people to stress that they shouldn't feel obligated to give you multiple gifts.
As for the shower itself? The person who's paying for everything gets to make the planning decisions about refreshments and activities, but she should ask for your input about scheduling and the guest list. After all, it's your party.
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References
- Emily Post: Baby Showers: Welcoming the New Baby
- Real Simple: Who Should Cover the Cost of a Baby Shower?
Writer Bio
Cooking, travel and parenting are three of Kathryn Walsh's passions. She makes chicken nuggets during days nannying, whips up vegetarian feasts at night and road trips on weekends. Her work has appeared to The Syracuse Post-Standard and insider magazine. Walsh received a master's degree in journalism from Syracuse University.