Bridal showers used to be much more specific - a kitchen shower, a linen shower, etc. Usually gifts that were MUCH less expensive than a wedding gift. Now everything has kind of gotten mushed together and that's why people's hides are chapped at having to buy a $60 deviled egg plate for the shower.

A friend of mine was married recently. She basically expected that everyone would throw her a bunch of showers. This included an engagement party/shower, a couple's shower, bridal shower and bachelorette shower. Yes, all four. Ridiculous. I got roped into helping plan and pay for the engagement shower. Since I was her only bridesmaid who lives in the same state as her, I planned and paid for her bridal shower at my house. Gifts from me were expected for every shower on top of it. I never received a thank you for her for the engagement shower. Not verbal nor a written thank you. I received a voicemail for the bridal shower thanking me and she mumbled something about owing me a hostess gift (which she never ended up getting me). Additionally, I never received a written thank you for that either. That's the thing that gets me the most about showers. People who do not thank every person who gave them a gift. I also hate when the thank you notes arrive months after the gathering. I made sure to send my thank you notes out within a week after my bridal shower and my baby shower. I figure that if people take the time to get me a gift that I could take a few minutes out of my day to write a thank you for it. Needless to say, I'm not quite as close with this friend anymore. I just couldn't get past the tackiness of the whole situation.

Come to think of it--the last two baby showers I attended were hosted by the families! These people are from Texas, too--they should know better! ;):p The parents in the first case actually registered for Burberry clothing for a baby. Wtf.

I can just imagine the looks on their faces the first time the baby has a diaper blowout while wearing said Burberry clothing!

I was once in a Gucci store where there was a Gucci baby carrier and shoes on display. No price tag (i.e., if you have to ask, you can't afford it). Again, can you imagine the parents' reaction when the baby has a diaper blowout while in that thing?

</threaddrift>

evey year i look forward to the new PFW calendar.

You mean the nanny's reaction? ;)

When a friend of mine (from a well-off family) graduated high school around 2000, her grad party invitations included a sample of things she needed for her dorm and a note of where she was registered. :confused: When I was graduating, I asked my mom if I was supposed to be registered somewhere and she said "Absolutely not. That was not how things are supposed to go but I didn't want to talk about her at the time because that was your friend." :p