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01-27-2013 at 2:54 AM
vmihelci
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vmihelci is not online. Last active: 06-18-2013, 10:37 PMBronze

Gift opening

I have my shower next weekend. There will be about 20 people so its not too large but a lot of the people are family friends and family that I'm not super close with. I am the first of my friends to have a baby and have never been to a shower. I'm a quiet, reserved person and feel awkward when all of the attention is on me. I am super nervous about opening gifts in front of everyone. Any advice on how to maybe take the attention off me a little during this process? Also, any advice on how to react to gifts? Obviously I know how to be gracious and polite but I want to show just how thankful I am without saying the same thing to everyone. I guess any suggestions, advice, or etiquette rules about the gift opening part of a shower would be helpful!
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01-27-2013 at 6:15 AM
EastCoastB...
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Make sure there is music playing so that people will talk and chat while your opening. Ask your hostess to perhaps serve cake right at the start so that people are eating while you're opening.

Don't worry about being "dainty" w the wrap. Just OPEN the gifts. Trust me your guests want the gift opening to go relatively quick too.

Dont overthink your reactions/ what you say. Be natural. And it's ok if someone's hand made blanket illicits more of a reaction from you than a box of bottles. :

Just open the gift, say what you want to say, hold the gift up to show people, look at the giver and say "thank you!" and then move on.
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01-27-2013 at 6:37 AM
rhubarb123
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EastCoastBride:
Make sure there is music playing so that people will talk and chat while your opening. Ask your hostess to perhaps serve cake right at the start so that people are eating while you're opening. Don't worry about being "dainty" w the wrap. Just OPEN the gifts. Trust me your guests want the gift opening to go relatively quick too. Dont overthink your reactions/ what you say. Be natural. And it's ok if someone's hand made blanket illicits more of a reaction from you than a box of bottles. : Just open the gift, say what you want to say, hold the gift up to show people, look at the giver and say "thank you!" and then move on.

I agree with ECB.  Also, like you said 20 is not a lot unless you take 5 minutes with each one.  Just open them quickly (don't try to "save" the paper), say thank you and move on to the next one.  Also, keep in mind that the guest is not really looking AT YOU...they are looking at the gift you are unwrapping.  I've also found it helpful to the "shy" MTB's to pass around the smaller gifts (especially outfits) because then the guests have something to do (along with eating cake - we've done that too).  Hopefully your hostess has someone to take away the used paper and the gift as well as someone to write down the names of the people who gave what.  Makes everything flow smoother.
 
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01-27-2013 at 7:38 AM
RiverSong8...
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I understand how you feel. I get nervous opening gifts as well. My hostesses had the guests play games while we opened gifts, so that helped a bit (one was timed to the opening of the gifts and one I think was a word jumble or bingo). I just tried to find a little detail about each gift to say something nice about. I think if you sincerely thank each person, then you're fine. :)
 
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01-27-2013 at 8:10 AM
LargeMarge...
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Just wanted to say I totally understand!  I love the advice about having music playing so people feel comfortable to chat. That would help a lot.
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01-27-2013 at 1:16 PM
1026pumpki...
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I totally understand how you feel.  Agree with PPs suggestions to ask your host about having music and playing games during gift opening.
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01-27-2013 at 5:58 PM
Disneygeek...
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Right, play music, serve cake, play a game, maybe pass the gifts around for everyone to see ( not all of this because that would be too much).

Also just tell yourself you simply need to smile and say Thank you.  You can say how special each gift is when you write the thank you cards. 

 
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01-27-2013 at 7:33 PM
oliversmom...
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EastCoastBride:
Make sure there is music playing so that people will talk and chat while your opening. Ask your hostess to perhaps serve cake right at the start so that people are eating while you're opening. Don't worry about being "dainty" w the wrap. Just OPEN the gifts. Trust me your guests want the gift opening to go relatively quick too. Dont overthink your reactions/ what you say. Be natural. And it's ok if someone's hand made blanket illicits more of a reaction from you than a box of bottles. : Just open the gift, say what you want to say, hold the gift up to show people, look at the giver and say "thank you!" and then move on.

Great idea!!! 
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01-28-2013 at 6:10 AM
ohlordy
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One small tip: if anyone yells out "we can't hear you back here", make a Vanna White-esque arm sweep showing the available seating closer to you.

My mom yelled this out at my shower and I spoke loudly for her co-workers for the next gift, and didn't care much after that. "THIS IS FROM SOMEONE YOU DONT KNOW AND IT IS THIS." 

 As for reactions, natural is best. DH and I were looking through the pictures from the gift opening and there are a ton of good ones and a LOT more funny ones. 

 
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01-31-2013 at 10:38 AM
paulette19...
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RiverSong82:
I understand how you feel. I get nervous opening gifts as well. My hostesses had the guests play games while we opened gifts, so that helped a bit (one was timed to the opening of the gifts and one I think was a word jumble or bingo). I just tried to find a little detail about each gift to say something nice about. I think if you sincerely thank each person, then you're fine. :)

 

excellent idea.  at my shower we played bingo.  each gift had a number on it so before opening it i would call out a number and open the gift.  my guests were rushing me to get to the next gift.  it was fun. 

 
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