Baby Showers: acceptable in the UK?!

My friends and family are coming over soon and want to throw me a baby shower which sounded like a great idea at first since it's what I'm used to in the States but I know that in the UK they're not that common and a lot of Brits think they're really tacky.

I haven't seen anything posted on here since 2005 so I'm not sure what feelings towards them are nowadays, has anyone had one recently?

They're getting to be a bit more common now. My work colleagues threw me one and they're all British. I warn you, they don't always know what an actual shower is. They honest to god thing it's just an event where they all watch you open their gifts. No games, sometimes no food. I've never heard anyone describe it as tacky. (but if they think it's just a gift giving event, they might)

My workmate who threw the party had thrown a previous shower with me for another work friend, so she knew what to do. A good number of my colleagues had never been to a shower so they were pleasantly surprised at the fun little games and stuff.

I'd say go ahead and do it. Maybe make a point on the invite that they're in for a day of food and games or something like that.

You probably came across some threads for me if it was in 2005. My British friends didn't really get it beforehand but they were very game to attend. My American mother and cousin hosted my shower 'in absentia'. Basically they had me write out instructions for the shower that I had to read out. If you have an American hosting it, it makes it a bit easier.

In Ireland, baby showers are considered bad luck because they feel you're tempting fate. So if you have any Irish friends in the UK, don't be surprised if they don't come! Like Balmerhon, I think my British friends would have been game to attend one, just to see what all the fuss was about!

I know of two British born women who have had babies since I've lived here and they've both had baby showers (albeit minus the games which suits me just fine!) 

I threw one for my British BFF Rosemary, and my Brit friends enjoyed it, knew nothing about it, but did enjoy it, and she threw one for me. Its not the norm, but its acceptable! Not tacky at all!

They didn't enjoy coming to my son's Bris nearly as much as the baby shower! lol!

I was thrown one via skype with my mum-in-law and sister-in-law here.  They had never been to one, knew nothing about them. My mom in her usual vague using wrong words way failed to convey to mum-in-law about refreshments or decorations.

I am determinded when sister-in-law is pregnant I'm throwing her a proper one, with games and decorations and refreshments.

I wouldn't say the mindset is thinking it's tacky, so much as thinking it's cheeky.  You're basically inviting people to come to a party you're throwing for yourself (or someone's throwing for you) and to bring a gift for an as unyet born baby...

However, they are gaining in popularity in the UK as people are learning more about them.

In Ireland, baby showers are considered bad luck because they feel you're tempting fate. So if you have any Irish friends in the UK, don't be surprised if they don't come! Like Balmerhon, I think my British friends would have been game to attend one, just to see what all the fuss was about!

My MIL's from Lincolnshire and she's of the same mentality.  We hardly had anything in our house for our daughter until she was born because of this. 

Jewish tradition is also to have nothing for the baby in the house before its arrival, what most people in the Jewish community do is buy everything and have it delivered once the baby is born. Its considered bad luck to have a nursery set up before baby is born!

We got a lot of the hocus pocus superstitions also.  I had to (almost literally) fight with DH and MIL to bring baby stuff into the house and have it set up.  Seriously who wants to give birth to a human being and then come home to START setting up the nursery.  No thank you!

I think a lot of people don't know what the showers are and like others mentioned, it does seem a bit selfish if it's just "bring me presents, watch me open them and then go home".  Having games and fun and using it as a day to celebrate friendships makes it a different atmosphere that I think they would appreciate much more. 

I wanted to have one for my sister-in-law, but her friends have definitely all expressed how "tacky" and "American" they feel it is when speaking to my husband, so I don't think I'll be going ahead with it...

I wanted to have one for my sister-in-law, but her friends have definitely all expressed how "tacky" and "American" they feel it is when speaking to my husband, so I don't think I'll be going ahead with it...

But do they understand about the games etc? Yeah sitting around watching someone open gifts is a bit tacky-ish. Games make it totally better.

But do they understand about the games etc? Yeah sitting around watching someone open gifts is a bit tacky-ish. Games make it totally better.

Definitely agree.  The misconceptions of America/Britain know no boundaries!  I love a good reason to get together with lots of friends and chit chat, play games, etc.  I know many baby showers that have included alcohol!

I think part of the stigma also includes who you invite.  I have been invited to baby showers (in the US) for people I didn't even really know (like a very casual work acquantance that I had spoken to out of politeness on 2-3 occasions).  To me, that does send out more of a "buy me and my baby presents" attitude than if it is a smaller and more intimate party amongst good friends and family.

I would prefer to contribute to a small collection for work people as opposed to going to a party when I don't really know them.

But do they understand about the games etc? Yeah sitting around watching someone open gifts is a bit tacky-ish. Games make it totally better.

Omg, I HATE the games at showers. Seriously, they're the worst part, by far. They're almost always really cheesy and not in a fun and silly way, just in a childish and groan-worthy way. Last summer, I went to a bridal shower where they didn't feed us beyond a couple of small appetizer things and cake (and it was at 1 PM so absolutely prime lunch time!) but they had games! Ugh, out of whack priorities, if you ask me! And that terrible bow hat/bouquet thing. The hostess tried to get me to make that for the bride, probably because I was the only person from the "younger" generation in attendance who wasn't a hostess or the bride but there was no way I was assembling that monstrosity. Also, I'm very much not crafty and would have no idea how to, really.

Maybe I'm just a grumpy pants or not enough of a girl but if I go to a shower, I want to have some lunch, chat a bit and then just watch the presents being opened. That's the point, after all!

Omg, I HATE the games at showers. Seriously, they're the worst part, by far. They're almost always really cheesy and not in a fun and silly way, just in a childish and groan-worthy way.

I think it depends on what games you do. At my baby shower in the states we decorated onesies. We had different sizes and everyone got to design a couple with fabric pains, stencils and brushes and I picked the winners. Everyone got really into it and in the end I got like 24 onesies for the girls to wear.

Also, making it a rule that you can't say the word 'baby' during the shower gets really funny by the end of the day. I had this at a couple of showers (one at a friends and one at mine) and everyone got really competitive about it and it was such a laugh.

I think you have to have some entertainment at a shower, whether it's games or something else. Just sitting around talking is no good. After all, you're inviting people to come shower you with gifts, the least you can do is show them a good time.