Collecting Baby Shower Stuff
The world of baby shower stuff, which is comprised of collectibles and other items, can actually be quite competitive and is symbolic of an entire sub-culture of North American and worldly behaviour that dominates some families. While it may seem arbitrary at first, the notion of collecting baby shower stuff denotes that people in your family or friend's pool are having children and having lots of showers for them. This can serve to be competitive when it comes down to being invited to elite parties and occasions that celebrate such things.
There are people that simply circulate through the party scene to collect the goods, like the baby shower stuff, and then brag about their items and their friends to that end. It may seem somewhat silly, and it is, but it is also a cold reality of human nature that comes around even at the most celebratory times in human life. Instead of being at a party for the guest of honour, some people elect to show up for the baby shower stuff and the gifts, even the food. They treat it as a way to "get stuff", not as a way to show support and celebrate with the party's guest of honour.
Curbing The Enthusiasm
In order to curb this type of behaviour at any of your baby showers, make sure that you create something spectacular for the gift or the favours and leave the hassle of the collecting process to someone else. You are not a distributor of baby shower stuff; you are putting on a celebratory occasion for your friends or family and being proud of accomplishments and children. Do not fall into the trap of catering to selfish people and ensure that your party is about what it is supposed to be about and not all of the extras and potential possibilities.
So the baby shower stuff you offer should be celebratory in nature and not about pandering to the collective elite. You should ensure that your guests are the focus, that you have a good time, and that your guest of honour ends up having a wonderful experience at her baby shower that lasts a lifetime and enjoys the time with her family and friends around her as support. This is the focus, not the gifts or the baby shower stuff, but the real love and attention of a few family members and some friends.
