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01-18-2013 at 1:32 PM
Vkeo79
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Combined Baby Shower?

Hi ladies!

 It is still very early on but I'm already thinking ahead.  (I can't help it, I'm excited!) My sister informed me early last week that she and her husband are expecting. My husband and I also found out a few days after, that we are expecting as well! Call it coinsidence, or crazy luck, but my sister and I are both due in September only about a week apart.

 So my question is, what are everyone's thoughts on having a combined baby shower? We of course wouldn't be throwing our own. Our other sister and my mom would be throwing the shower but it makes sense that it would make things easier on our family (aunt's, cousins, grandma, ect. ) Thoughts?

 Thank you!


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01-18-2013 at 1:36 PM
EastCoastB...
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If you do this- the ONLY people who should be invited are people who would have been invited to your individual showers.  As in- if your friends wouldn't be invited to her shower, then they shouldnt' be invited to this shower.  Because no matter what you say - people WILL feel obligated to buy both of you a gift.

No one should be put in that position. 

If your friends want to throw you a shower, great - have 2 showers.  Same w/  your sister.

But a combined shower should be only for "combined" guests. 


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01-18-2013 at 1:38 PM
Estwd2
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As long as you stick to just family and mutual friends, I don't see a problem with it. Basically if you would have the same exact guest list at both showers, then yes. I would not invite people who would not have been invited to the other's shower - so your friends, your ILs, etc.That would be really awkward because you don't want them wondering if they are supposed to buy for one or both of you.

Also, congrats!


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01-18-2013 at 1:41 PM
Vkeo79
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Well that's actually exactly what I was thinking. If we did do a combined shower, it would just be family and close family friends that would have been invited to both showers regardless. I wouldn't want to invite any of my personal friends becasue I agree, they would feel obligated to get my sister a gift and I wouldn't want to put them in that position.

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01-18-2013 at 1:42 PM
Helenahhan...
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Awww-- how fun-- congrats to you and your sis.  It will be really nice to have cousins growing up so close together.

I would only do a combined baby shower if you are keeping the guest list to immediate family; meaning that all of the guests invited would be people that you would invite to both of your showers if you were going to have separate ones.

I think it will get hairy if say, you want to invite your personal friends (friends from college, work etc that don't know your sister) and vice versa. 

Think about if you rec'd an invite like this and you only knew one of the MTBs.  Would you feel obligated to bring gifts for both?  I probably would, and I don't think I am alone in thinking like that.  It might make your guests feel strange, and you don't want to do that.

Also, would you open up gifts at the same time?  Would you open them together?  Would you have to coordinate both opening the gifts from Aunt Mildred at the same time?  Logistically it might get confusing.

I think once the excitement wears off you might decide that separate showers is best, and if not I wish you only the best.

 

Edited to add -- I should have just said -- Ditto PPs!


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01-18-2013 at 2:20 PM
mccall35
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My sister and I are in the exact same situation, only we are due a week apart in March! Like you, my 2 older sisters offered to host showers for us, and the idea of a joint shower was tossed into the mix. However, for many of the reasons mentioned by PPs, we opted to do 2 seperate showers, as it became more and more obvious that there were people we wanted to invite, that wouldn't necessarily be invited to both showers. Also, as neat as it is to be soo close in due dates, a part of me wanted to be able to have "my day" where me and my new little bundle of joy were the centre of attention. I think my sister felt the same way! Best of luck with everything!!

- A  
01-19-2013 at 3:20 AM
rhubarb123
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Vkeo79:
Well that's actually exactly what I was thinking. If we did do a combined shower, it would just be family and close family friends that would have been invited to both showers regardless. I wouldn't want to invite any of my personal friends becasue I agree, they would feel obligated to get my sister a gift and I wouldn't want to put them in that position.

If this is the way they are going to do it then I think it is a great idea.  I take it both of your are FTM's?  It will be fun as your LO's grow up to have someone their own age to play with at family get-togethers.

 
01-19-2013 at 5:45 AM
BeckyTheEn...
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Agree with others. I was invited to a shower for two moms, and I only knew one of them. I still would have felt bad not buying the other woman a gift, but since I never met her, I really didn't want to buy something for a total stranger. I decided not to go. So, don't put any guests in that spot.
 
01-21-2013 at 2:18 PM
Autumn9879
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I just had a combined baby shower with my sister yesterday. No one felt obligated to buy for both if they didn't know both of us. There's a little poem that someone posted online somewhere that you could add to the invite to show that if you only know one, just bring a gift for them. We actually opened our presents at the same time as well. It worked for us and gave the opportunity for my family to come to my sister's where they would have otherwise not been able to since she lives 6 hrs away. I guess you've just got to know the crowd.

BTW my shower was great despite the last minute, i mean last minute change of location. The power went out the day of the shower only 2 hrs before it was supposed to start. Thanks to my uncle finding a place, being able to contact everyone in time and a great new restaurant, it went smoothly and still had a great location and food. People had fun with the games and we had very generous guests.

 
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