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35 Moms Share The Worst Baby Shower Gifts They Ever Got In This Honest Online Thread
Baby showers are a time to celebrate the little one on the way and give special (and needed!) gifts to the mom-to-be. So imagine you were invited to one. And that means you gotta find a gift. The reality is that expectant parents already have so much on their plate, so you want to get them a gift that’s going to be actually useful. A quick Google search shows thousands of baby shower gift ideas, from cute little toys to useful gadgets, the options are endless.
So picking up a present shouldn’t be much of a challenge. But many moms out there who received pretty questionable stuff from their baby shower guests claim this is not exactly the case. “What is the worst baby shower gift you received?” asked one Redditor on the Baby Bumps subreddit. The question seems to have hit close to home for many moms out there as they shared the weirdest and most inappropriate stuff they got to unpackage during their baby showers.
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I got a kids size 10 shirt… like, one that a big kid could wear. We were really confused but said thank you and moved onto the next gift… the friend pulled me aside and apologized because he didn’t know anything about babies. We had a laugh about it and it’s still in my (almost) 4 year old’s closet. We have him put it on around his birthday every year and send a picture of him to our friend who gifted it to us. It’s tradition now lol
Bored Panda reached out to Tiffany Jenkins, the internet’s most loved content creator, best-selling author, wife, mother, and the author of her blog, “Juggling the Jenkins”. She has more than 5 million followers and counting on her Facebook page, and has been featured on national TV shows like The Today Show and The Doctors. Tiffany happily shared a couple of great ideas for baby shower gifts as well as some other insights into parenting.
When asked what is the best baby shower present a guest can bring, Tiffany said it’s hands-down diapers and wipes. “Babies go through an astronomical amount of diapers, having a stockpile of all different sizes ready to go is magical. There's nothing worse than going to grab a diaper when your baby has a blowout, and realizing that you're out. Taking a newborn to the store wrapped in a towel for diapers is always awkward,” she explained.
I was super excited to find a turquoise pottery barn crib on craigslist for $75!! Made a fb post and everything.
Well for my shower my BiL and SiL decided to buy me a crib! Not so bad, but when I opened it she goes "this is so that you don't have to use that street crib, cuz let's be honest, it's a street crib". In front of everyone!! I grew up on second hand items and it was such a slap in the face, I wanted to just cry
A cross…for my Jewish child. Yes, they knew.
My mom had a friend who was Turkish. We are German. In their culture (she said) it is normal to gift a new baby a necklace or bracelet made of gold. It is lucky or something... We didn't know this tradition and mom was very confused when her friend showed up with jewelery for me, then 2 weeks old. I mean it's nice, the necklace got a big "L" on it and the bracelet spelt "Laura". But for my mom it was weird. She put it on me when we visited this particular friend and otherwise never. Now I'm thinking about selling it. I mean solid gold...!
It's also a tradition in southern Italy. It's implied that they are meant to be sold if needed. Me and my brother got a lot of bracelets for our baptism and at some point my father got them melted in a chain necklace for him and a fancy bracelet for my mother.
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Am I strange cause I think it's nice to get a halfmoon or David's Star for my Christian child? Wouldn't have a problem there (catholic lady here, but I also think catholic church in Germany sucks. )
You are not strange, these people see this as a war of religions. In Europe, where we have a much more relaxed attitude, we can see this as an offering in the sense of diversity.
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Uh, oh - the last time someone got a cross for their jewish kid, it didn't go very well
I feel slightly bad for laughing about this...
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Yes a weird gift for a baby shower, especially if you knew something off about them anyway.... That being said, my dad received a cross from his muslim buddy when he visited home. Then my girls parents knowing I don't believe in anything brought me some idol from Jerusalem. I always just see it as a nod of good faith and that person just sharing what they think is special to them would be like special to others. Not done maliciously. But then again sometimes it is meant that way. All about the situation
Then have a jeweler melt it down and shape it into a Star of David. Problem solved.
Exactly. Melt it, sell it, give it to somebody else...Just don't start a war
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vampires. don't know if the star of david keeps em away, but this might....so there's your answer. it's to keep vampires out.
I show a vampire movie when I was a kid. I don't remember the name of the movie but what I remembered was in this one scene. Vampire's to-be victim holds up a cross to ward off the vampire and vampire goes "We aren't afraid of what we don't believe in." because vampire followed different religion before turning. Anyways long story short my mind was blown and I was shitting my pants thinking what to do during vampire attack from then on. Until then I always thought making cross (I am not Christian) will rid you for vampires. Something to keep in mind if you come across non-Christian vampire is, You can never go wrong with stake.
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That was just mean!!! I'm not of the Jewish faith and know better. If the person didn't know what to get the baby they should have asked😳😳😳😳😳
Put the chain on the other side and wear it upside down; that should freak them out.
You are to be stoned to death immediately. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ5YU_spBw0
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I don't understand what it is in some religious people that makes them have this need to try and push it on others. Just be happy that you found your 'truth' and that it enriches your own life. What did she hope to accomplish by doing something so rude? I'm an atheist and don't talk about it at all because it's not appropriate. But a woman I know at work knew because she knew my family personally (we weren't close. She just knew my mom from a job they worked together years prior. So it wasn't like this was just talk between friends). She kept sending me emails about finding God and every conversation we had she had to throw some dig in about how I need to have faith and people who don't have been abused in some way. She would ask me what happened to me. I finally had to take it to management. I just don't get it. And these people always act like they're just trying to help but it's in the same way that guys think they're 'helping' by hitting on you even after you asked them to stop. It's something that's trying to be forced on me even after saying no thank you. Then they act like you're the wrong one.
You need to buy your child a Star of David. Let her keep the cross. If they get into a bad situation, they can switch them out. What? The cross repels vampires. The star doesn't except for in Mel Brooks movies.
I've seen a Hamsa hand being given to a Catholic child on their baptism.. the couple who gifted it said it was for protection
Gotta say I've mellowed over the years. I am Jewish, but I've [really] learned to accept gifts when given from the heart-any denomination.
I’m telling you that would’ve happened to me had I not been so brazenly overt about the fact that my son was being circumcised. I actually alerted my ex in-laws by email because I know they were going to make a comment. SMH. divorce them!
In India, people give cash or jewellery as an investment into the child’s future. It could be a tiny silver bracelet with bells on it, silver feeding utensils since they are sterile, or a silver rattle. Parents can sell these items at a later date for school fees, etc. practical, yet pretty!
Gold is supple and malleable. Easy to reshape into a little hand flipping the bird and regift back.
I feel like everyone is missing the point. It's not the necklace is that Jews don't believe in Jesus. Our symbol is not the cross. It's offensive and no Jew would wear one. It's the equivalent of giving a Christian a Star of David or a Muslim a cross. It's not our symbol. It's a really offensive gift.
Honestly - I'd love a Star of David or a Halfmoon! But if it's offensive, that's not okay. I didn't know it's really such an issue instead of a "whoops". I would probably feel a bit self-conscious wearing a Star of David, though, because it feels to me that it would be more offensive to wear one if one isn't Jewish? But I find it much more pleasant than a cross.
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Why did someone downvote you? It's really rude and offensive!
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I wonder which sect they come from that they thought this was subtle enough?
I tried to think of circumstances under which this would be funny. Honestly, drew a blank.
An old Jewish man walks into a Jewelry store. He tells the clerk that he and his wife were about to celebrate their 50th anniversary, and he would like something gold. The clueless clerk pulls out a selection of crucifixes. The man picks one up and asks how much it would cost. The clerk tells him that it would be $1,800. The man asks, "how much would it be without the acrobat?".
This is funny!! All my comments have been downvoted for addressing how offensive this gift is and how this reeks of antisemitism. This whole thread is disgusting.
Load More Replies... can you f*****g Jews just stop whining for once for f**k's sake??? they gave something that had meaning to them, like a lucky charm or something, sharing their culture, but you idiots just keep playing victims all the time...
Because we are? Proportionally we're the top hate crime victims in the country but no one reports it.
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A giant bag of sexist girl clothes from Target from my MIL, after we specifically had a discussion about how much we hate sexist baby clothes and will never put our daughter in anything like that. We tried to return them but they were so deeply discounted Target couldn’t even take them back. They all went straight to Goodwill.
Another great idea to bring to the baby shower is baby clothes in larger sizes. “My babies grew like weeds and would only get to wear an outfit a handful of times before it became too tight,” Tiffany said and added that “Having new clothes in bigger sizes already in the closet is incredibly helpful.”
“ZIPPER pajamas,” Tiffany added to her go-to baby shower gift list. However, it should never be snap-button pajamas. “I learned this the hard way. Waking up exhausted at 3:00 am to change a diaper is hard enough... Trying to snap 64 buttons back together while your kid thrashes around like a baby alligator is like the eighteenth level of 'Jumanji,’” she told us.
My MIL gave me this beautiful "sleeping bag" that was handmade and my SO used it when he was a baby so it actually ment a lot to me cause we dont really have the best relationship. The day after my baby shower she told me she wanted it back and I can borrow it from her if I wanted to use it. felt very awkward about it because I told everyone of this lovely present...
First baby... A card from my sister in law, pretty much saying I'm not ready to be a parent and that she hopes i "don't damage the child." It came with the "What To Expect," book series for birth through age 5. Lol. Also... She spent the entire party ragging on me to everybody. I had met her once prior to this. She was excused
MIL had a shower with all her friends and gave me the presents afterwards. I wasnt even invited
For those guests who are in for a splurge for the expecting mom, the best expensive gift is a gift card. “Sometimes moms don't realize what they need until they are already knee-deep in motherhood, remembering you have a gift card to use for it is a huge relief later on.”
Although according to Tiffany, any gift is a nice gift, there are a few that aren't the best, if she’s being honest. “A baby drum set, for example—is not a fun time for the mom. Toys that make a lot of noise or take up a lot of space aren't the greatest. Definitely don't get her a gift certificate to a gym, and I'd skip the lingerie.”
My husbands family thought it would be funny to give me a box of condoms, this was a shower for our second son. I was NOT pleased as a 38week pregnant woman. 1 because sex was the last thing on my list, and 2 how tacky and rude can you be. Oddly enough nobody fessed up to who brought the gift when I asked? I know my face indicated I would be murdering whoever it was.
A gift set of baby medicine that all expired before she was born
Why would you even give baby medicines as a baby shower gift? You get them for free from your health care insurance if they really need medication.
Fisher Price Rockn'Play bassinett...we got lucky but the headlines were so true. After I told the gift giver about the near deadly encounter with our newborn, she became annoyed that we returned it through the recall claim. We're no longer friends.
When asked whether guests are always expected to bring in a gift, Tiffany said that there is definitely an expectation to bring a gift, “since that's pretty much the main purpose for a baby shower.” She added that “I do think some people just enjoy being around others and feeling like the center of attention for a day as well. I wrote on my invitation that they didn't have to bring gifts, I just wanted to celebrate. They brought gifts anyway, of course.”
My mother in law got us an ugly bookshelf after asking us if we had one and after we told her we did (and had it all set up in our small nursery). She also got us a wipe warmer after she knew that we were against using one (don’t need babe getting used to warm wipes when we are on the go so frequently). She then made a loud comment about how this other babe in the fam is probably much more protected from Covid because of all the breastfeeding (and I’m vaxed AND freshly boosted). She knows we’re not breastfeeding and just took it as a chance to give a jab. I made up for it though - after opening all of the gifts at the shower I proudly announced and thanked my mom for giving us the best gift of all - several weeks of sleep (via a night nurse). Everything she does is deliberate - but two can play the game.
A wipe warmer!? You've got be kidding me. I can't even believe such a thing exists.
So when my son was born, my brother in law gave me a card. When I read the card, he wrote that he bought 2 football game tickets. One for him and one for my husband…… And he got me, the one who had a baby in her belly for roughly 10 months absolutely nothing.
Cute that Dad got thought of, but in general it would have been even nicer to give a gift to both ( football tickets for Dad and a day of babysitting for Mom). When I had my Son the only gift I got was a diaper service for 1 month. Everything else was 100% geared towards the baby.
Moreover, Tiffany said that she’s noticed lots of her friends doing "virtual" baby showers nowadays, “which is cool. They put out their 'wishlist' on social media a few weeks ahead, then on baby shower day, they go live and open the gifts.”
“I think moms feel like they need a ton of gadgets and contraptions and baby furniture and the latest carseat in order to bring a baby into the world,” she said and added that “The truth is, babies don't need nearly as much as we initially think. All they really need is food, a place to sleep, something to catch their poop, and love. The rest is just a bonus!”
My own mother gave me a notebook for my baby shower that was supposed to be filled with supportive messages from people who attended. Except that her own message was so scathing and pretty much just repeated in different ways how much I was going to struggle as a mother. I got good mileage out of passing it around and laughing at it with my husband's family, who are well aware of how insane my parents are
As long as they know that their parents are insane, there's nothing that the parents can do or say that will hurt or upset them.
My sister got me a random basket from target that says "Baby" on it with a target grocery bag with random baby goods like wipes and such ._. Not wrapped or anything. The gift itself wasn't so bad but then my mom went on a 15 minute speech about how beautiful her gift is and how wonderful my sister was to take the time to make me a beautiful basket despite her busy schedule.
They came to the baby shower for a full 10 minutes, complained about the party, my sister only talked about herself and her pregnancies and how much she had it worse than me.. asked how much I weighed and tried to compare. then left. I was glad they left before other people showed up.
Don't get why OP let them stay for 10 minutes. She should have thrown them out after 5.
A box of uncooked pasta and girl stuff ....FYI I don't know if its a boy or girl and made that clear to everyone that the gender is a surprise.....and the pasta i can't even explain
A “my first 5 years” memory book, with a kids name already in it and the “when we found out we were expecting” says Thanksgiving 2013
Not me but my SIL received a “time out chair” from a relative when she had her first. It was a children’s rocking chair with a clock imbedded in it and lots of s**tty sayings on it like “you have to think about what you did” and creepy stuff like that. Also it was clearly for an older child and not a newborn. We all had a good laugh about it after then donated it.
A dirty teddy bear that smelled like cigarettes. When we called for the story, thinking maybe it was a childhood toy that had been saved, he said “ohh no, I just found that at the thrift store”
Used and open items. came from my SIL’s brother in law and his wife. I am all for hand-me-downs, but like..open containers of baby power and butt cream that are half used, as their present…lmao. Oh, and it was all packed in a dirty, used diaper backpack.
My friend’s BIL got them a giant abstract painting meant to personify the terror of a nightmare for their nursery….it was literally the scariest thing I’ve ever seen and he was not at all kidding. He really didn’t get why it freaked them out…
A onesie that says "every dog needs a baby" and I have two cats. Zero dogs.
I have a pretty “crunchy” friend who marked a bunch of stuff as purchased on my registry and then gifted “natural” versions of the items…I have to think it was just her being thoughtful (as in, she was thinking she got the “better” version of the thing I registered for) but a lot of the stuff she got is just packed with essential oils. I also put a good amount of research into the items I wanted so it was just kind of annoying and I don’t really believe in herbal tinctures or organic always being better. I just want diaper cream and soaps/lotions/nipple cream that works! Oh and a lot of it wasn’t returnable.
My best friend got me a 50 cent machine ducky and five dollars. I wasn’t upset until she asked for the $5 back for gas money.
A dog toy that I’m fairly certain had been used (no tags, and there was a stain).
A homemade blanket with a sewing needle stuck inside it that we discovered when baby was a few months old.
An absolutely hideous baby onesie dress in black, bedazzled with the words “My First Little Black Dress” in pink.
I think I threw it in the garbage instead of donating it.
A thing to hang on the wall of the baby’s room that was covered in ribbon strung with loose beads. Nothing was knotted or secured in any way. Several beads fell off as I lifted it out of the box. So… they gave me a choking hazard for my baby
MULTIPLE pillows for the tooth fairy. Like, what?? And they were shaped like teeth or had a pocket shaped like a tooth, no denying that they were designed as tooth fairy pillows.
Not offensive, just hilarious.
Those puff snacks that expired before the baby was going to be old enough to eat them.
a box of smoke infused dirty books
we seriously left them in the garage they reeked of smoke so much.
I think smokers just don’t realise how much the smoke gets through to everything if they smoke in their home. My mum smokes and every time she gives me something I have to wipe it down, air it or wash it.
My grandma got me a can of beans and canned enchilada sauce... pretty sure they were from her pantry and they were like 10 years old.
Unless Grandma is always stingy, I'd like to say Grandma did her best. Be kind.
Got a onesie from someone that said “best younger sister” when I’m a FTM with only one baby. I gave the onesie away.
I assume it was second hand and the fabric was still okay? People are giving an awful lot of clothes away for stupid reasons. It is not that the saying was offensive or anything, it just does not fit (same as the one with the dog). Is it really that important? The baby will grow out of it in a matter of weeks! Be glad that you have another set of clothes to change the small one into after a carrot or spinach accident and be done with it...
A pink Sonicare electric toothbrush, for my newborn son.
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Chill. They're simply answering the prompt when asked what was the worst baby shower gift they received. It's not that serious.
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We asked our guests to gift a copy of their favourite children's book with a message written inside for the baby. It was amazing. We got beautiful books and amazing stories and wonderful messages. We received books for ages from baby to pre-teen. Its the shower gift that just keeps giving and our kids love the $2 cardboard books and the messages inside as much as the more expensive books (and some even more).
What an amazing idea! And even less financially fortunate friends can participate evenly.
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It runs the gamut between "ungrateful recipient" and "actively dangerous/thoughtless giver". And there's some overlap, just to be fair.
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With the exception of the obviously malicious entries, people forgot the meaning of the word gift. People don't HAVE to give your ungrateful asses anything.
This posting just made me kind of angry and sad at the same time. I couldn't imagine being so ungrateful!
I am totally with you! So many ungrateful and entitled people publicly complaining about GIFTS. How about - you don't get anything? Better? As a child I had clothes and toys that my parents already got second or third hand for my (much older) siblings. Then they travelled down the line to me and then further on to my nieces and nephews. Nobody gave a flying duck about what was printed on the shirts, if the colour is still in fashion or how many children all around our village had already worn this piece before. If it is still okay, say thank you, wash it - good to go!
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Baby showers aren’t a thing in the UK and I’m so glad. Yes, we gift to friends and family when a new baby comes along. But it’s all very ad hoc … you tend to give when you visit, whenever that is. All this “look what so and so got me” and showing off presents sounds horrible to me. However, there’s a tradition in Scotland… which I didn’t know until I had a kid, despite being Scottish! … to put some money in a new baby’s pram. I mean total strangers in the street. Not everyone does it, but some older folk did it (just small, token amounts) when I went shopping with bubba for the first time, and a golfer stuffed a tenner in the pram when I was out for a walk! 😆🥰
I like that idea. I'm sure USAers would take it wrong.
Load More Replies... I have my friend's baby shower next month. Based on this list, I'm pretty confident that what I've got her (and baby) will be a success.
..a faux fur onesie with „dad couldn’t keep his d**k in his pants“ sequined onto it. Loosely.
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My mother and my aunt actually gave me one of the best presents...A huge box off second hand baby clothes. Why spend money on brand new clothes when second hand ones were used less than 4 months. There were some pretty good outfits in there. Turned out they'd spent a couple of weekends going to garage sales and second hand stores to find the best stuff.
It's a party that knocked up women have before they squeeze out their crotch goblins, with the sole purpose of expecting people to give you presents. If you're invited, it's basically been decided for you that you are to provide some of the extravagant "necessities" for someone else's kid, or be judged extremely harshly and maybe lose that person as a friend because you didn't drop enough money on them.
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FB first-time-parent friends set up a wish-list on so people could send them stuff (they are NOT well-off) if they wanted so I anon selected and sent baby socks, a couple of onsies, and added 2 big jars of a very good instant coffee - tastes great and is instant... From later posts, that was the most appreciated thing, lol.
I probably shouldn't have read this post, but I think the idea of a baby shower is yet another stupid Americanism which just reinforces the tired idea of the 'celebrity' of motherhood. Yawn.
Well, that's what you get when you assume. The concept of baby showers in different forms is pretty old. Part of my (not American) family comes from a culture that's been doing a version of it for ages. More recently, more people seem to need to turn everything it a major event for social media although I imagine those people would have done so anyways. Then there are people having lowkey hang-out-with-friends-before-I'm-constantly-exhausted events that don't feel the need to broadcast it.
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My newborn daughter got a cute little hoodie that said "I love my daddy". I was a single mom who was getting regular nightmares and panic attacks about "daddy", who was an abusive douchebag.
As a Brit I've never quite got my head around baby showers, especially when I found out the 'shower' means 'shower me with gifts'. In the UK, of course, people give gifts to newborn babies and their parents, but we don't have a system for demanding them. I find it astonishing that you can throw a party for literally no other reason than telling people they have to come and give you things. It always seemed a bit entitled to me. If people that know they don't know what to give are being told they have to, I'm not surprised some of the presents are a bit off.
You should hear teachers complaining about the gifts they get.
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Lots of spoiled ladies...gifts were given..be greatful that you got anything.
There are so many weird assumptions that the receiver was rude or ungracious to the giver. A lot of these are just objectively bad ideas to give as baby gifts. Not recommended. That's all. It ain't that deep. The people commenting things like "Shut up and be grateful that you even have a grandmother to given you random expired foods." are doing a lot of projecting.
My MIL tried setting up a baby shower with the ladies at her church (at the time I was quite open about having other spiritual beliefs). I respectfully declined, worried they were going to try to take it as opportune time to convert me or shame me. But they showed up to my place, anyways, with the gifts. It was an awkward moment. I think I may have offended my MIL and I now feel like I should have just allowed them to throw me a nice shower. They bought my daughter one of those super saucers and an electric swing that drove my mom up the wall. It was not a fun time. I don't recommend those super saucer things. Although they look fun the "interactive" toys are all attached with limited functions. The teethy ring barely reaches your baby's mouth. It's super loud when they jump in it and it entertains them for maybe a couple minutes. It's awkward to play with them because they have this Saturn's ring separating you from her/him. I can't even say they're safe. I accepted the gift, tho.
Some of those rings are super loud, but others are fine. As for getting use out of it, this really depends on the kid. One of my kids LOVED bouncing around in it and the other would curl up his legs under him rather than go in. I'm lucky that there's a very active swap on FB in my area. You can give different things a try without spending loads of money. For example, a bumbo seat was super helpful for about 2 weeks with one kid. I would not have spent the $50 to buy one new but appreciated getting to use one while it helped and then pass it along.
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I would never have a problem with someone giving me a cheap gift, but I think it would bother me to be given something expired or dirty when it's for a baby. Fact is, most places have some equivalent of a dollar store and even if it's something just cute and funny, it can be clean and new for next to nothing. Then again, I think the general idea of having a party to elicit gifts from people because you're having a baby is also weird.
Not a baby shower gift but my mom found a thrift shop lingerie top and gifted it for me when I got married, which I opened in a restaurant with her, my MIL and friends. I am not a lingerie person, attractive, etc. I never wore it.
As much as I love thrifting and some vintage lingerie can be gorgeous and well-made, that's a line I can't cross. Too intimate for me, even if it gets dry cleaned.
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You need a car seat for the appropriate age, diapers, wipes, a bassinet, swaddling clothes, NON-BPA bottles, a bottle sterilizer, an electric pump (if you are going use a pump) and that's about it to get started. Then, check the new parents' baby gift registry to see what they want.
"PeOPlE ArE So UnGrAteFUl" So many saints on BP who've never disliked a gift I guess.
My best friend gifted my second born son a football at my baby shower. At first I thought it was cute, she's really into sports, but then I read the note.... "So your son knows what team to play for when he grows up". I'm Pansexual and everyone around me knows that I raise my children to be WHOEVER and HOWEVER they choose. Screw her, my son is now 13.... His favorite color is pink, loves to dance and hates sports. I'm one very proud mama.
Some of these were awful, some of them were just not well thought out....all of them made me nostalgic for the times when my friends, siblings, and cousins were having kids and that spiraled into some weird existential crisis from realizing how old we've gotten. What I think I'm trying to say is that this BP post was a pretty wild ride to start the day with lol.
If you can't afford to buy a gift, then don't. I would rather get nothing then some used old nasty stuff.
I'm sorry but a lot of these people are just entitled, ungrateful people. A LOT of these things can be re purposed, cleaned, aired out what not. To get rid of a onsie because it mentions a dog and you don't have one... smh. The baby can't read, no one cares, I promise no one will stop you and be like omg you have a DOG?! no, they will be like awww your baby is so sweet ,cute, (whatever adjective you want).
So many of these just reeked of entitlement. Why do people have to drop a ton of money on you just cause you happened to boink without protection?
Registries have been a thing for decades. It's to help people who can't decide what to buy pick something the parents want or need and to avoid duplicate gifts. You don't HAVE to buy something from the registry, it's just there if you need ideas or suggestions.
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Chill. They're simply answering the prompt when asked what was the worst baby shower gift they received. It's not that serious.
Load More Replies... We asked our guests to gift a copy of their favourite children's book with a message written inside for the baby. It was amazing. We got beautiful books and amazing stories and wonderful messages. We received books for ages from baby to pre-teen. Its the shower gift that just keeps giving and our kids love the $2 cardboard books and the messages inside as much as the more expensive books (and some even more).
What an amazing idea! And even less financially fortunate friends can participate evenly.
Load More Replies... It runs the gamut between "ungrateful recipient" and "actively dangerous/thoughtless giver". And there's some overlap, just to be fair.
Load More Replies... With the exception of the obviously malicious entries, people forgot the meaning of the word gift. People don't HAVE to give your ungrateful asses anything.
This posting just made me kind of angry and sad at the same time. I couldn't imagine being so ungrateful!
I am totally with you! So many ungrateful and entitled people publicly complaining about GIFTS. How about - you don't get anything? Better? As a child I had clothes and toys that my parents already got second or third hand for my (much older) siblings. Then they travelled down the line to me and then further on to my nieces and nephews. Nobody gave a flying duck about what was printed on the shirts, if the colour is still in fashion or how many children all around our village had already worn this piece before. If it is still okay, say thank you, wash it - good to go!
Load More Replies... Baby showers aren’t a thing in the UK and I’m so glad. Yes, we gift to friends and family when a new baby comes along. But it’s all very ad hoc … you tend to give when you visit, whenever that is. All this “look what so and so got me” and showing off presents sounds horrible to me. However, there’s a tradition in Scotland… which I didn’t know until I had a kid, despite being Scottish! … to put some money in a new baby’s pram. I mean total strangers in the street. Not everyone does it, but some older folk did it (just small, token amounts) when I went shopping with bubba for the first time, and a golfer stuffed a tenner in the pram when I was out for a walk! 😆🥰
I like that idea. I'm sure USAers would take it wrong.
Load More Replies... I have my friend's baby shower next month. Based on this list, I'm pretty confident that what I've got her (and baby) will be a success.
..a faux fur onesie with „dad couldn’t keep his d**k in his pants“ sequined onto it. Loosely.
Load More Replies... My mother and my aunt actually gave me one of the best presents...A huge box off second hand baby clothes. Why spend money on brand new clothes when second hand ones were used less than 4 months. There were some pretty good outfits in there. Turned out they'd spent a couple of weekends going to garage sales and second hand stores to find the best stuff.
It's a party that knocked up women have before they squeeze out their crotch goblins, with the sole purpose of expecting people to give you presents. If you're invited, it's basically been decided for you that you are to provide some of the extravagant "necessities" for someone else's kid, or be judged extremely harshly and maybe lose that person as a friend because you didn't drop enough money on them.
Load More Replies... FB first-time-parent friends set up a wish-list on so people could send them stuff (they are NOT well-off) if they wanted so I anon selected and sent baby socks, a couple of onsies, and added 2 big jars of a very good instant coffee - tastes great and is instant... From later posts, that was the most appreciated thing, lol.
I probably shouldn't have read this post, but I think the idea of a baby shower is yet another stupid Americanism which just reinforces the tired idea of the 'celebrity' of motherhood. Yawn.
Well, that's what you get when you assume. The concept of baby showers in different forms is pretty old. Part of my (not American) family comes from a culture that's been doing a version of it for ages. More recently, more people seem to need to turn everything it a major event for social media although I imagine those people would have done so anyways. Then there are people having lowkey hang-out-with-friends-before-I'm-constantly-exhausted events that don't feel the need to broadcast it.
Load More Replies... My newborn daughter got a cute little hoodie that said "I love my daddy". I was a single mom who was getting regular nightmares and panic attacks about "daddy", who was an abusive douchebag.
As a Brit I've never quite got my head around baby showers, especially when I found out the 'shower' means 'shower me with gifts'. In the UK, of course, people give gifts to newborn babies and their parents, but we don't have a system for demanding them. I find it astonishing that you can throw a party for literally no other reason than telling people they have to come and give you things. It always seemed a bit entitled to me. If people that know they don't know what to give are being told they have to, I'm not surprised some of the presents are a bit off.
You should hear teachers complaining about the gifts they get.
Load More Replies... Lots of spoiled ladies...gifts were given..be greatful that you got anything.
There are so many weird assumptions that the receiver was rude or ungracious to the giver. A lot of these are just objectively bad ideas to give as baby gifts. Not recommended. That's all. It ain't that deep. The people commenting things like "Shut up and be grateful that you even have a grandmother to given you random expired foods." are doing a lot of projecting.
My MIL tried setting up a baby shower with the ladies at her church (at the time I was quite open about having other spiritual beliefs). I respectfully declined, worried they were going to try to take it as opportune time to convert me or shame me. But they showed up to my place, anyways, with the gifts. It was an awkward moment. I think I may have offended my MIL and I now feel like I should have just allowed them to throw me a nice shower. They bought my daughter one of those super saucers and an electric swing that drove my mom up the wall. It was not a fun time. I don't recommend those super saucer things. Although they look fun the "interactive" toys are all attached with limited functions. The teethy ring barely reaches your baby's mouth. It's super loud when they jump in it and it entertains them for maybe a couple minutes. It's awkward to play with them because they have this Saturn's ring separating you from her/him. I can't even say they're safe. I accepted the gift, tho.
Some of those rings are super loud, but others are fine. As for getting use out of it, this really depends on the kid. One of my kids LOVED bouncing around in it and the other would curl up his legs under him rather than go in. I'm lucky that there's a very active swap on FB in my area. You can give different things a try without spending loads of money. For example, a bumbo seat was super helpful for about 2 weeks with one kid. I would not have spent the $50 to buy one new but appreciated getting to use one while it helped and then pass it along.
Load More Replies... I would never have a problem with someone giving me a cheap gift, but I think it would bother me to be given something expired or dirty when it's for a baby. Fact is, most places have some equivalent of a dollar store and even if it's something just cute and funny, it can be clean and new for next to nothing. Then again, I think the general idea of having a party to elicit gifts from people because you're having a baby is also weird.
Not a baby shower gift but my mom found a thrift shop lingerie top and gifted it for me when I got married, which I opened in a restaurant with her, my MIL and friends. I am not a lingerie person, attractive, etc. I never wore it.
As much as I love thrifting and some vintage lingerie can be gorgeous and well-made, that's a line I can't cross. Too intimate for me, even if it gets dry cleaned.
Load More Replies... You need a car seat for the appropriate age, diapers, wipes, a bassinet, swaddling clothes, NON-BPA bottles, a bottle sterilizer, an electric pump (if you are going use a pump) and that's about it to get started. Then, check the new parents' baby gift registry to see what they want.
"PeOPlE ArE So UnGrAteFUl" So many saints on BP who've never disliked a gift I guess.
My best friend gifted my second born son a football at my baby shower. At first I thought it was cute, she's really into sports, but then I read the note.... "So your son knows what team to play for when he grows up". I'm Pansexual and everyone around me knows that I raise my children to be WHOEVER and HOWEVER they choose. Screw her, my son is now 13.... His favorite color is pink, loves to dance and hates sports. I'm one very proud mama.
Some of these were awful, some of them were just not well thought out....all of them made me nostalgic for the times when my friends, siblings, and cousins were having kids and that spiraled into some weird existential crisis from realizing how old we've gotten. What I think I'm trying to say is that this BP post was a pretty wild ride to start the day with lol.
If you can't afford to buy a gift, then don't. I would rather get nothing then some used old nasty stuff.
I'm sorry but a lot of these people are just entitled, ungrateful people. A LOT of these things can be re purposed, cleaned, aired out what not. To get rid of a onsie because it mentions a dog and you don't have one... smh. The baby can't read, no one cares, I promise no one will stop you and be like omg you have a DOG?! no, they will be like awww your baby is so sweet ,cute, (whatever adjective you want).
So many of these just reeked of entitlement. Why do people have to drop a ton of money on you just cause you happened to boink without protection?
Registries have been a thing for decades. It's to help people who can't decide what to buy pick something the parents want or need and to avoid duplicate gifts. You don't HAVE to buy something from the registry, it's just there if you need ideas or suggestions.
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