In news that might make some pregnant moms do a little happy dance, there’s a shift happening with baby shower gifts. More and more, people are opting for “display showers.” In this new trend, hosts encourage guests to unwrap their gifts beforehand, only tagging them to indicate who they’re from.
These gifts are then arranged in a way that allows everyone to see and chat about them, without the host having to spend an hour pretending to be excited about unwrapping everything.
What is a “display shower”?
Babylist, a registry site for parents, recently looked into what’s driving these trends. They found that skipping the traditional public unwrapping alleviates some pressure on moms, giving them more time to enjoy the company of their guests. One mom mentioned, “I’m quite introverted, and I find it awkward to open so many gifts in front of everyone, but some people love seeing all the baby stuff. So, I thought this was a great way to please everyone.”
Many parents also appreciate the reduced waste and costs associated with not using wrapping paper.
The main takeaway from those who participated? Be sure to make your invitations clear about the gift tag names, but keep track of who gifted what.
Most respondents found display showers well-received, although some faced resistance from older generations. One mom shared, “All the pushbacks were from older generations, and I explained why I was doing it.”
“Don’t sit through an hour of gift unwrapping”
In a Social Media Parenting Group, many expressed their support for display showers and encouraged others to consider this option. One comment cited, “I recently went to one of these, and it was really great that I didn’t have to sit through a two-hour gift opening.”
Another mom, who hosted a display shower, even shared her invitation wording: “Bring your gift without paper or bags. A bow is enough. With this gift tag. We enjoy showing you your gifts and celebrating Mama!”
Some participants felt the term “display shower” might sound odd, opting instead for something more straightforward like “no-wrap shower.”
