Do Guys Go To Baby Showers? Interesting Facts & Hints
A baby shower is famous as a culture of gift-giving for a lady who is going to be a mother in the near future. So, it is a nice and unforgettable experience for a mother. Historically, it has participated only in females.
But, with time, it has been changed, and men also appear in those celebrations. So, many people doubt whether men are allowed to attend them. Therefore, it is important to discuss; do guys go to baby showers? Accordingly, this article is all about baby showers and the role of guys in them.
Do guys go to baby showers? Yes. A baby shower can be simply identified as a celebration of the good news of having a baby shortly, where the mother receives gifts from her relatives and friends. In the historical sense, a baby shower is celebrated only with the participation of the females. But, at present, we can see that guys also participate in them. When talking about the baby shower etiquettes today, they seem to be casual and celebrated with the presence of the family and friends. The people who participate are expected to bring gifts.
So, deviating from the historical baby showers, you can include guys in the baby shower by coming up with both men and women-friendly fun themes, serving non-traditional food, making the men get creative with lullabies, etc.
Accordingly, in this article, I have covered what a baby shower, traditions, and etiquette of baby showers at present, do guys go to baby showers? Finally, I have provided some tips to include men in the baby shower.
So, Let’s get started!
What is a baby shower?
A baby shower can be simply defined as; the celebration of a lady’s pregnancy with the participation of her relatives and friends. There are different names for this celebration in different cultures. But the meaning is the same.
Here, the participants are showering the lady who is going to be a mother shortly with love, joy, and gifts by expressing their joy and excitement to welcome the new baby. So, it is a nice time for all the relatives and friends to be together.
It is said that the baby showers that we know at present are relatively new inventions. But this gift-giving for the upcoming parents has also taken place in the past also. But, there are differences between these past and present celebrations.
It has been found that the ancient Greek and Egyptian people also celebrated this by giving gifts and wishes to various gods and goddesses.
When it comes to the middle ages, the baby’s baptism has been used as the opportunity to offer gifts for the new parents. This gift-giving happened in the renaissance period also.
And the baby showers that we know today have been shaped up during the Victorian period. They were celebrated as tea parties where gifts for the new parents and various games were included. They came to be popular after the two world wars.
Do guys go to baby showers? Historically, guys do not attend them, but, at present, we can see that they also participate in baby showers.
And there is no rule to have baby showers; they can be taken before 4-6 months of the birth of the new baby. Anyway, this is an unforgettable, nice time for the new parents.
Traditions and etiquettes of present baby showers
Baby showers have an evolution that started from the very past, dating back to the Greek and Egyptian periods. Have guys gone to baby showers in early times? No, it was a celebration that took place only with the participation of the women.
When talking about the traditions and etiquettes of the baby showers at present, they take the shape of a casual celebration with the participation of the family and close friends.
According to the preferences of the new parents, they can celebrate it as a casual event at home or as formal celebrations at selected nice venues.
And the gift has not left the stage from the past until now. So, everyone who comes to this should bring a gift for the new parents. Here, the guest list depends on the preference of new parents to have in the celebration.
Most of the time, apart from the family, they invite friends who are an equal number of women and men and those who are similar in age and attitudes towards men who are attending the celebration.
And there will be more participation of the men when a male family member throws the shower.
But, some people like to have baby showers only with the participation of females at present also. But, most of the baby showers are mixed or co-ed at present. There will be many male relatives and also the friends of the father for these celebrations at present.
And these celebrations have come to be known as diaper parties with the arrival of new versions through the fathers of the babies.
Do guys go to baby showers?
Do guys go to baby showers is a commonly asked question with the changes of the traditions and the etiquettes of baby showers because generally in the traditional society, no men participated in them.
In the traditional society, baby showers were organized and held mainly by the mother with the participation of females. Here, they wanted not to speak information about childbirth and postnatal care in the presence of men because they didn’t want to embarrass anyone.
Men also didn’t treat it as a big issue as they thought that anything related to childbirth and childcare was not their business but interest and a business of the women.
At the same time, the women didn’t want the celebration to give men another chance for men to have fun and enjoyment.
In the 21st century, these events became mixed events. Not only women but men also came to the stage to play important roles in it. Diaper parties and co-ed showers are turning points in this.
So, many people use this situation as the best chance to bring their families and friends together. Therefore, this celebration is important for the men also.
On the other hand, when focusing on the child-caring process, men play a great role in the present society with an increase in women’s employment. So, with these changes, baby showers do not close their doors for men.
Most of the themes, games, etc., also have been associated with the male attitudes in the modern baby showers. Fathers play a major role in organizing baby showers and even invite their friends to take part in them.
So, when guys go to baby showers, what do they do? While women are sharing all the information related to baby birth like; pregnancy, labor, and delivery, nursing, etc., the men go to chat with the other men that he knows in the party by having the full use of the time to have fun and enjoyment with his friends and relatives.
A diaper party is an example here. Accordingly, we can say that the guys attend the baby showers.
Tips to include men in baby showers
Although guys do not attend the baby showers in the traditional society, we can directly answer “yes” at present for the question; do guys go to baby showers?
Then, how do you include them in the celebration? Here, I will provide the answer to your question with more details.
1. Including a fun theme for both men and women
Here, you can create the invitation by specifying both men and women to convey the idea that both sexes can participate in the baby shower.
There you can incorporate games, food items, etc., for the invitation to encourage the presence of guys.
2. Serving non-traditional food
You should have an idea about the favor of men to do this. Most of them enjoy baby-shaped cookies. So, you can include them on the menu and encourage them to come to the baby shower.
You also can choose a food theme that favors men over women. With that, they will happily engage in the celebration.
3. Gifting fun
Gifting is a continuous tradition in a baby shower. So, here you don’t specify a gift to bring.
The couples are allowed to bring any gift they like; shopping together but do not show each other and with that surprise gift-giving, all can have fun.
Let them explain the reason for their favor on the specific gift.
4. Sharing the experiences game
This is a fun activity and is able to strengthen the bond between men and women as they come out with things they have not shared previously.
Here, there will be a bag for both men and women, they have to write a lesson that they have learned from their parents, and the guest will read it, and all get the chance to guess who has written the specific advice. It will be very funny with everyone’s lessons.
5. Making the men creative with lullabies
Here, you should select three songs that are very famous on the radio at the moment and divide men and women into two groups.
Then, ask them to come out with a lullaby according to the song’s tune and rhythm. This is very funny, and all get the chance to show their creativity.
6. Changing diapers activity
This is a fun activity, especially when there are couples who haven’t had babies yet.
Here, you want to provide men with dolls, diapers, pins, and clothes by blindfolding them and choosing the one who is the fastest diaper changer. So, it is very funny for both men and women.
Conclusion
We have discussed; do guys go to baby showers with more details. I think this article will be important for everyone as I have discussed some important areas of concern like; what is a baby shower, traditions, and etiquettes of baby showers at present, do guys go to baby showers, and finally, I have provided some tips to include men in the baby shower.
Baby showers have their roots in the past, which dates back to the Greek and Egyptian periods. Simply, it can be defined as; a celebration of a lady’s pregnancy and showering her with gifts, love, and best wishes. Traditionally, men are not allowed to participate in them.
But with the changes of its traditions and etiquettes with the time, now men also participate in those celebrations. You can organize a men friendly baby shower by including fun themes that do not distinguish men and women, serving non-traditional food, creating fun gifts, etc. Likewise, you can convey to your unborn baby that women and men surround him.
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