Modern traditions have multiple baby showers for the expectant mother and each one has a time for opening the gifts. But is it really necessary to open gifts during a baby shower?
The answers to this question are mixed. There are some people that would want to do away with this entirely, while the others view it as a necessary portion of the celebration. What do you think, should this tradition stand or should it be removed entirely?
If the mother-to-be is feeling rather tired at the end of the baby shower, it would not be considerate of the visitors to force her to open all the gifts, especially if there are a large pile of them waiting. At this time, a compromise may be reached and some friends could help her open the gifts or she could open just a few of them.
If the baby shower is one with a theme and all the gifts are, for example, diapers and baby wipes, these would not actually need to be wrapped! The hostess could suggest that the presents be brought unwrapped but with a card and everything cataloged as they arrive then displayed prominently on a table in the party area. That will easily and practically take care of multiple presents.
For those that feel that opening the gifts publicly is the least the mother-to-be can do in appreciation for the gifts that were carefully chosen for her, this is the highlight of the baby shower. These people are sticklers to tradition and love to get their thanks in person.
Why not have some of the friends help the mother-to-be tackle the gifts? They can make the gift-opening methodical and go along much more quickly, which is important if the baby shower is a large one with plenty of guests. One can hand a gift to the mother-to-be who opens it and thanks the giver and then it's passed on to another friend who takes note of who sent it and what it is then passes it to the visitors to admire.
Some baby shower planners suggest holding a game while the gift opening is going on. There is one fun game that entails listing down what the mother is saying while she is opening the gifts and putting it onto mad-lib sheets that were handed out to the guests earlier. After the opening, the stories are read out loud to all the guests.
Or why not have the visitors themselves help the mother-to-be distract the other guests while the gifts are being opened? As each one presents their gift to the mother-to-be, they will have to give her a bit of advice about being a mother or a suggestion based on what happened to them in the past. Have someone listing down their stories and suggestions in a keepsake book so that the mother-to-be can review whatever was said at the time.
So, should opening gifts be a necessary part of the baby shower?
Since there is a raging debate going on about this very subject,
there is only one answer that can settle this question for the baby
shower you will host: let the mother-to-be decide what is right
for her.