showers

mushroomHR

Does anyone out there dislike bridal and baby showers as much as I do? It seems like every time I turn around someone in this company is getting married or having a baby and of course all the women are invited and expected to bring a gift. It wouldn't bother me as much if they would have it off the premises and invite the close friends of the person but they hold these things in a conference room at lunchtime. I hate to be a scrooge but I really don't like attending these functions. If I want to buy the person something when they get married or have their baby I will. However, as part of the HR department I almost feel obligated to attend--although I haven't attended any since I started working here 12 years ago.

Anyone else out there have this going on in their office? How do you feel about this subject?

ray a

If I may speak for Don and Parabeagle, the 3 of us just love to attend showers.

NicoleLee

Ya'll are the first ones in line aren't ya? With bells on? (Or clothes pins for bridal showers!)

Parabeagle

Did I miss something? My ears are burning! x:-/

rad

We do it here within my department, there's about 30 of us, and mostly we chip in 5 bucks each toward a gift and a cake and those who like to cook bring a treat if they can. I think that expecting folks to buy their own gift at even 15 bucks a pop is alot to ask, especially if your office is as fertile as mine. We also invite the men and have had wedding and baby showers for our male co-workers, no need to leave them out.

ray a

I actually was invited to a bridal shower along with my wife-to-be before we were married. I had the time of my life. xI-)

As a serious answer, we don't have a policy in our company, but I've never heard of the ee's having a shower on the premises. I know some have gotten together and had them outside of work and invited friends from work.

Ranger

I'm with you. I haven't attended one of our lunch time showers (wedding or baby) for the 19 years I've been here. However, we do send a group card around to be signed and ask for money to buy a group gift. There's no pressure to sign the card or give money. I contribute, but enjoy my 45 minutes out of the office every day at lunch -- I don't have to talk to anyone!

Leslie

A lot of times they do them on site - which I think is ridiculous. If it was me I certainly wouldn't want my shower in the executive conference room with a captured audience. It's by invitation as we are 850 employees, and it seems I'm always invited. It's tough to say I can't make it when it's at lunch time. I seem to be getting involved with a lot of lunch meetings....

Lola815

I've been invited to a few showers by co-workers, but no one has ever had one at work. I personally don't enjoy showers ever, even if it is for a close friend. I think I have gone to way to many of them to enjoy them anymore. I just threw one a month ago for my sister-in-law and I couldn't wait for it to be over. I know, I'm a horrible person!

Don D

CONFUSCIOUS SAY, "MUSHROOM CANNOT GROW WITHOUT OCCASIONAL SHOWER".

Leslie

I'm planning a bachelorette party for late November. Now THAT I don't mind. x:D

Parabeagle

Easy, there! Down, Leslie! Down, girl! x:-)

Going to have Don ride up on his Harley for entertainment? x;-)

Leslie

Actually, trying to find out if the Chippendale's in might be in town...:DD

x;-)

ray a

Leslie, you would pick the Chippendales over Don, Beagle and me?

Don D

Ray; as women get older, their thought processes sort of go South on them. Don't be harsh.

ray a

Speaking of foot in mouth.... You just called Leslie [B]OLDER.

Rockie

We have occasionally allowed showers, etc. on site either after work or at lunch time. Personally, I think during lunch is disruptive as people tend to "linger" long after they should. I try not to attend or buy a gift for any employee if I can't do it for all.

I can't stand those stupid little games they used to play at showers and maybe still do. I would much rather go to a nice restaurant, have a good meal and then give the gifts out.

Otherwise, a private party with Don, Beagle and Ray sounds like a winner!

Don D

Can I be held accountable for something I posted at that time of day?

ray a

Yes you can. And I have 19 posts to go and you have 27.

Whatever

That's because of what's up North. x;-)

mushroomHR

Actually, I'm kept in the dark and fed s _ _ t. No showers needed.

System

We experienced the same problems with showers here at our office. Everyone was feeling they were obligated to give a gift and that it was expected. We changed our policy that showers would be sponsored by department, (if they wish to do so), away from work, with an invitation posted for those interested in attending. We also have a meeting room that we allow showers to be held should the department want to have it on a Saturday.

Good luck!

Zanne

This year we have showered just about everyone! We will have three more showers before it slows down. We have the lunch time showers, but encourage employees to "drop in" for a minute. Of course we have the lingerers but oh well.

My assistant is pregnant for the first time and after going through everything that she has, she announced that she was going to have the biggest darn shower ever held at our company.

Hmmmmmmm.......

Zanne

HRQ

Guess I'm one of the few who enjoys the showers! The schools who want to give showers do it at the monthly staff meeting. It's after hours, people pitch in if they want to but there's no pressure to do so, no hard feelings if some don't want to. There is always at least a cake, so nobody ever gets left out.

At my last job, departments held them. If I could make it, I would. Never brought a gift (God forbid I should spend more on one person than another) but would help with sodas or something. Always held during that department's lunch time, and if the department couldn't shut down, then people would kind of flow through.

I was pleasantly surprised to be given a great shower when my first son was born. Completely unexpected and it really meant a lot to me that so many people cared.

And don't laugh, but I LOVE the games! x:D

Whatever

I place showers with games in the same category as Tupperware parties (and I hate tupperware parties).

HRQ

Yeah, but at showers, nobody's trying to make you buy anything.

Don D

Right...and doesn't somebody get designated as 'next to get pregnant'? So, there is a payoff at least.

Whatever

But they did before the shower. (I recognize that this statement makes me sound like a real b****).

rad

No, it doesn't make you sound that way at all. At one point we had a shower where everyone was expected to bring a full gift. Now its 'throw in $5 or whatever you can' towards a group gift, so that's not as painful. I can handle that, spend about an hour in the conference room chatting, back to work, everyone is happy.

Leslie

I have a rough night of baseball watching, I come to work, and all he** is breaking loose. I get a chance to come to the forum and I find I've gone from scottorr's thirty something to Don D's "older."

Hmmm Don, older than what? I think we've established in previous posts that I'm not older than you. So tell me, if a woman goes South as she gets older, just what happens to a man??? I think Raphael Palmero can tell you x0:).

ray a

Leslie, I want to apologize for my dear friend, Don. See, he hasn't been himself lately. He's developed this thing for harmonica music and just can't shake it. Unfortunately, one side effect of harmonica music is it makes you say crazy things sometimes. See, a harmonica can make you feel very young, so young that even a 30-something knockout blonde appears to be older. Older than what, I'm not sure. But, it is a temporary form of dementia. Just give him some time and he will come around and be himself again.