Oh hell no.

[kyburg]

windintrees poked me in the mind this morning. In the region where I store thoughts on routine family rituals.

Like baby showers.

It has been many years since I have had to do the baby shower thing. There's probably a reason for this somewhere in the higher scheme of things. I will refrain from forcing my husband and his best friend to pay for the fact I had to play "The Diaper Game" in which 10 numbered diapers have a small amount of candy bar deposited into them and then are melted... so it looks like poo. This is a nasty, nasty game. There were women at this thing sniffing and *licking* the 'poo.' It was our job, as players in this game - to identify the candy bar.

Oh hell no.

I was actually pretty good at "hanging the safety pins on the clothesline" game - but since you don't use the silly things anymore, what's the point.

Don't get me started on the "string cut to measure" game. Just. Don't.

Are there any legitimate games left that aren't demeaning or disgusting at such events anymore? Don't spend a lot of time answering that one.

It's very likely we'll want a shower once we've gotten a placement; we're due, we qualify, never had any children and I'd like to have some memories to pass along with the furniture and stuff.

There will be beer. And anime. And games. Like Muchkin, Flux and Burnout. Maybe I'll figure out a task-driven version for Civ III and Sims2.

But the chocolate will stay in the wrappers and in the candy dish until consumption -

And the adults will act like adults. And yes, I expect both genders to attend. You need both genders to have children, after all. I think a lot of the reason this kind of party ends up such a train wreck is that it *has* to be attended only by women.

Since when were only women responsible for babies, after all?

Sheesh.

Comments

[bluemoonpnw.livejournal.com]

I always thought the blind diapering game was pretty grossness free and fun. It would certainly be easiest with disposables, less people stabbing themselves.

[phinnia.livejournal.com]

That diaper chocolate game is ridiculous. :P Gah.

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

I've attended one baby shower. Thankfully, there were no diaper games like that. There was one where you had to pin a diaper around a balloon, but that's about it.

On another note, we're looking at adopting in the next couple of years. Hopefully, we can ask you questions when the time comes?

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Sure! But to be honest, with any luck, we'll be part of some support groups that'll have more to offer than just us.

Save your sheckles right now, that's the first thing I'll tell you.

[reannon.livejournal.com]

I think most of those games have gone the way of the cloth diaper pin. :) Most I've attended - including mine - were attended only by men, but I think that was more because the men couldn't be dragged kicking and screaming, not because they weren't welcome.

Mine was finger food, cake, pictures, laughter and baby gifts, thrown for me by the ladies of the church, as well as a few female co-workers and my mother came up from St. Louis. It was a lot of fun.

And should you have such an event, will there be a computer set up for us in LJ-land to send our best wishes along? We faraway folk want to celebrate, too! :)

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Oh now, that's a thought. Hmm.

You know, I have to wonder if those stupid shower games are in response to the events themselves - think about it. Who are you inviting to these things, anyhow? People who actually like each other and, *gasp* socialize well?

It must be in response to having to keep everyone from killing each other. Seriously.

[kshandra]

petras_place and Chris did the Diaper Game at their shower; I was at a disadvantage largely because there are very few chocolate bars I deem edible, and almost none of them have fillings in them, so they were pretty much all unrecognizable to me. The one game they played that I did enjoy was fairly simple: Everyone was given a necklace as they came in (said necklace was a condom strung on ribbon). Once you were wearing your necklace, you were no longer allowed to say "the B word" - the first person to catch you got your necklace...or as many necklaces as you had already captured from other guests. (This became increasingly challenging as the gifts were opened, particularly after they got to the Baby Einstein videos.) The person with the most necklaces at the end of the evening got a prize (I forget what it was, but it didn't suck)...and, since these are my friends we're talking about, kept the condoms. ;-)

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

*snarfs* Condoms....on ribbons?

At a baby shower. Oh, priceless.

[kshandra]

Well, curling ribbon, but it had the desired effect. And it was all nifty-spiffy brands of condoms, so the wrappers were all these pretty colors (including several pastels), just to make it exceptionally silly. ;-)

[vampireanneke.livejournal.com]

I always found the game where your not allowed to cross your legs, and doing so the person who catchs you gets a point or such (or the necklaces as above), is very challenging.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

And makes you socialize - see the above comments. I wonder if that's the whole point to them, after all. Making people social, who normally wouldn't be -

[tibicina.livejournal.com]

On the silly side, there's the one where you give everyone a small sheet of paper and have them write down a statement or 'answer'. Then you fold it over once and mix them up or pass them along and have someone else write a question on the front. And then read the questions and 'answers' and, yay hilarity ensues... hopefully.

And.. I don't know, I've been to baby showers that were just very nice brunches with presents and a sort of baby theme, but no games. And co-ed baby showers with silly games, but since it was a group of people who would get into silly games that was really ok.

[ecstaticlght.livejournal.com]

Ok that is the singularly MOST disgusting game I've heard of. Oh hell no and then some! What anime would you suggest at a baby shower?

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Tenchi Muyo.

[joggingguy.livejournal.com]

I've been to a few baby showers before. Only guy there in all cases. I was either treated as if I didn't exist, my opinions didn't mean a damn thing to anyone, or I was an alien. My appreciation of women's issues and opinions didn't seem to be of value to anyone. I haven't been to one since.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

You know one of my favorite feminist sayings, don't you?

"For every dumb thing we do to women, we do two dumb things to men that perpetuate the problems faced by women today."

The definitely qualifies. What the fuck is WRONG with people....

You'd come to one of mine, right?

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

My baby shower had chronovius attend. It was a nice lunch at the Chatsworth Carrows, because the waitresses there threw it for me (they're so spiffy). Other guys showed up (waiters and bus staff) to wish us well, but it was otherwise just fun chat among friends, with some baby-centric prezzies.

[moropus.livejournal.com]

Last baby shower I went to, the parents were violently opposed to demeaning games, so it went much like any other party. There were burgers on the grill, beer, chips, dips, etc.

Somebody in her office had started a pool as to when the baby would born, so they brought the calendar in case anyone wanted to buy anymore squares.

These people had a small dog, who was made to model the baby clothes. Which is code for every few minutes, somebody new would grab him up and put a new outfit on him. He's prolly still in therapy.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

*blinks* What is wrong with people.

AUGH. Poor dog.