The rules surrounding baby showers used to be firm. Now, pregnant women around the world are ditching these long-established traditions and for what? For extra presents? For better cupcakes? It’s time the original rules governing baby showers were followed.
Baby showers were originally set up in towns and villages as a way of helping families prepare for parenthood. When a woman fell pregnant, the locals would organise an baby shower to give her everything she needed to raise her baby and any further children she decided to have. Now, baby showers have become lavish events where the thought of giving an already used bassinet or high chair doesn’t even cross a guest’s mind.
Original baby shower rules went as follows:
* Baby showers were held for the first pregnancy only;
* Gifts were donations of goods or selected at whim, with no registries;
* Food and drinks were a collaborative effort;
* The sex of the baby was never revealed;
* Silly games were played with little rewards like chocolates or some potpourri if you were lucky;
* The expectant father was not included.
Now, all these traditions have been thrown out the window. Baby showers have become events where the mum-to-be is worshipped and treated like a princess. She is given hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of spanking new gifts whilst nibbling on delicious finger foods and cupcakes. Gifts are purchased from the gift registry only. The sex of the child is often revealed by the colour theme at the event or perhaps a flurry of pink or blue balloons being released from a box. The father-to-be is often in attendance. And, the most controversial change of all:
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