do you have to open your gifts at your shower?

I told my mom I want a PEEK a BOO shower
If you want to bring a gift, do not wrap it. That way my guests arent bored with me opening endless toasters
Unless a guests wants me to open something specifically I will not be having a traditional shower

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Posted by Kim51103

I think u should open your gifts.....i mean yes sometimes it gets boring......but maybe u could spice it up...open some.....and maybe play a game or something....then open a couple more!!!

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At my friend's shower, one of the BM's kept track of all the things she said in response to the gifts and then inserted into a story which she read at the end, kind of like mad libs. It was really funny.

I agree that its sooo boring to open the gifts at the shower, but people expect it. They want to see your reaction to what they got you.

this is the one that I'm dreading! My mom insists that I open gifts, but even if I love something, I know that I'm not going to be so excited the way most people are during their showers. I hate people watching me open gifts, so I think we're going to have a Jack and Jill instead, but we'll see.....

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Posted by nygirl77

It's fun to see what the bride gets. I have never been to a shower where gifts weren't open. You can still play games - ie: Bridal bingo, while the gifts are being opened.

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Yeah and i can totally see that... but it's still no fun for the bride. She can't participate! She's too busy to do anything else!

I am going to open gifts because the guests at my shower want me to. My cousin chose not to open gifts and my sister was going to not open them for her e-party and everyone was like omg open the gifts! how can you not?! lol they wanted to see them so bad! so she ended up doing it b/c that's what the guests wanted and she didn't mind, it was fun.
I have to admit, at my cousins, part of me wanted her to open them because I wanted to see all the nice stuff she got. I think it is interesting but I did think others would find it boring but apparently not my guests because they are all so into me opening them at the e-party and the b-shower.
I would ask around, get the general census of your guests and do what they feel, unless you really do or do not want to, in which case you should follow your instinct b/c it's your shower.

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Posted by IslandPrincess

this is the one that I'm dreading! My mom insists that I open gifts, but even if I love something, I know that I'm not going to be so excited the way most people are during their showers. I hate people watching me open gifts, so I think we're going to have a Jack and Jill instead, but we'll see.....

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Whats a Jack & Jill shower?

This is the exact reason why i did not have a shower. I personally think showers are incredibly boring and refused to sit and have people watch me open gifts.

But that being said - as boring as it is - i think if you do have a shower you should open the gifts. It is true that your guests do want to see you open gifts (i dont think they care about all the gifts - just specifically theirs because honestly everyone knows what is wrapped up - it was on the darn registry! It has to be one of the gifts on it - unless someone did something special with it like a towel cake)

I know you want to hear otherwise but i think 'tradition' kinda rules on this one. Someone else said have yoru close family give you your gifts afterwards - but i doubt that is going to go over well with the family members.

Good luck

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Posted by aliwnec10

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Posted by IslandPrincess

this is the one that I'm dreading! My mom insists that I open gifts, but even if I love something, I know that I'm not going to be so excited the way most people are during their showers. I hate people watching me open gifts, so I think we're going to have a Jack and Jill instead, but we'll see.....

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Whats a Jack & Jill shower?

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Girls and guys come to it, instead of just girls, and it's just a basic party. It would be a little more expensive b/c it's more people but I would feel more comfortable opening gifts b/c FH would be there with me and he is perfect when it comes to things like that and he would be fine opening them... But that's just my opinion.

okay but let me ask this... at Engagement parties & the actual weddings, you don't open the gifts. (at least all that i've been to). So should a shower be so much different? All the engagement parties i've been to, no one opened the gifts and none of the guests were insulted. So what is the difference between that and a shower?

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Posted by aliwnec10

okay but let me ask this... at Engagement parties & the actual weddings, you don't open the gifts. (at least all that i've been to). So should a shower be so much different? All the engagement parties i've been to, no one opened the gifts and none of the guests were insulted. So what is the difference between that and a shower?

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the idea of a shower is to 'shower the bride and/or groom with gifts' the whole point of the thing is gifts. An engagement party is to celebrate the engagement of the couple. Gifts are secondary, nice but not to be expected.

I hate! I hate! I hate! I hate! I hate!!! The opening of gifts at any shower! I feel that it's something that should be done at your own home where you can enjoy it and make it very personal! I have been refusing to open presents at my shower by my family insists that I must do it a co-worker suggested the cellophane and I loved that!!!! but when I suggested it to my family they think I'm just crazy! I am a little eccentric with certain things (not really wedding related) but this is one think that I just don't want to have to do, I love being the center of attention but opening presents you just start to get ignored after half an hour!!!! I have been to parties where they played all sorts of games and after about half an hour I get sooo bored!! I get bored after half an hour of helping someone open presents!! I think it's a stupid tradition that needs to get broken!!!

FH's suggestion... we shouldn't have registered then we could really have been surprised to see what everyone buys us! Obviously he has no clue but I still love him!!

I have a great answer for all of you....I went to a bridal shower where all the gifts were wrapped with a clear wrapping where you can see what is inside. It was great the maid of honor wrote that on the invite, 'to pls wrap with clear paper'. Bride just lifted gift by gift and said thanks!!!!!

I agree - I think it is totally boring to watch but I think you should still open them because you don't want to offend people...I have also heard about asking people to wrap gifts in clear paper - maybe that is an option?
I saw - work fast and take lots of breaks and play lots of games so people don't get bored (probably wishful thinking.. )

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Posted by GeorgeGiuliana

I hate! I hate! I hate! I hate! I hate!!! The opening of gifts at any shower! I feel that it's something that should be done at your own home where you can enjoy it and make it very personal! I have been refusing to open presents at my shower by my family insists that I must do it a co-worker suggested the cellophane and I loved that!!!! but when I suggested it to my family they think I'm just crazy! I am a little eccentric with certain things (not really wedding related) but this is one think that I just don't want to have to do, I love being the center of attention but opening presents you just start to get ignored after half an hour!!!! I have been to parties where they played all sorts of games and after about half an hour I get sooo bored!! I get bored after half an hour of helping someone open presents!! I think it's a stupid tradition that needs to get broken!!!

FH's suggestion... we shouldn't have registered then we could really have been surprised to see what everyone buys us! Obviously he has no clue but I still love him!!

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Oh don't worry... i definitely mentioned the idea of the clear paper to my FH's family (who is throwing the shower for me), but they pretty much shot that down in all of 1.5 seconds.

I know a few of you think i'm a huge pain the butt who should just give in and open the presents... but i'm not one who likes to be the center of attention or even noticed. I like to blend in with the crowd. I don't like to be on display and if i hate something someone buys me... you can definitely tell it in my face. I'm not all about weddings to begin with and i'm not a fan of traditions. This is one i'd LOVE to change. I'm a practical person and this whole opening gifts for the whole time is just pointless to me. But that's just me.