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A baby shower is a party in which expectant parents receive gifts for their expected child. By convention, a baby shower is intended to help parents get items that they need for their baby, such as baby clothes. It is a popular tradition in the United States and in other cultures influenced by American culture or media. Chehel Sotouns Wall painting, that dates back to the Safavid era, depicts a Chaharshanbe Suri celebration. ...
A pregnant woman Pregnancy is the process by which a mammalian female carries a live offspring from conception until it develops to the point where the offspring is capable of living outside the womb. ...
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A layette is a collection of clothing for a newborn child. ...
Traditions and trends
In the past few decades, baby showers have become more common, as families become smaller and as each child receives more individual attention. Traditionally, a baby shower is held only for the mother-to-be, and only women attend. In the United States, many people choose to have baby showers for both parents, and some people have a men-only shower. Minority groups in the US, such as African Americans, and Native American groups also have baby showers but might include an emphasis on their cultural heritage, such as employing rituals from tribal-ancestral African and Native American traditions, respectively.[citation needed] In the Jewish tradition, nothing may be bought for the baby before it is born, though many American Jews today do not subscribe to that tradition. In sociology and in voting theory, a minority is a sub-group that is outnumbered by persons who do not belong to it. ...
An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. ...
The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination...
American Jews, or Jewish Americans, are American citizens who were born Jews or who have converted to Judaism. ...
In the United Kingdom and France, baby showers are a new phenomenon, recently imported from the United States. Malika Dalamal, a fashion writer for The Daily Telegraph, notes that a few UK businesses are now starting to respond to this opportunity, but others have not heard of this American custom. [1] This article concerns the British newspaper. ...
Baby showers are increasingly popular in Africa, Asia and Latin America, but are "women-only" social gatherings. This is especially true in the Middle East, where social mores prohibit casual contact of the opposite sexes, and in undeveloped countries that are not greatly influenced by American or western culture. Among Hindus in India, religious rituals resembling modern baby showers are held during the seventh month of pregnancy. In earlier times it was a function which was organized and attended by women only, but in recent years, due to India's level of western influence, both genders are often included. A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ...
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Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...
A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...
Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages) is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ...
Traditionally, baby showers were given only for the family's first child, but over time, it has become more common to hold them for subsequent or adopted children. Even when a shower is held for only the first child, it is not uncommon for a parent to have more than one baby shower, such as one with friends and another with co-workers. For other uses, see Adoption (disambiguation). ...
While there are no set guidelines for what constitutes a baby shower, there are some traditional activities that are common at baby showers. Traditionally, the shower is given for the expected parent(s) by someone else as opposed to the parent(s) hosting it. Because the party centers on gift-giving, the baby shower is generally arranged by a close friend or relative. There is no set rule for when or where showers are to be held and the party can thus be held at a variety of places and at various times. It is common for the host to provide baby-themed games during the shower. In some regions, it is common to give party favors, small gifts for the guests. Baby showers, like bridal showers and bachelorette parties, are becoming open to new ideas, concepts, themes, games, and changes in etiquette. For instance, once it was unacceptable in America for guests to rub the expectant mother's tummy. Beginning in the 1970s, however, if permitted by the mother and if asked politely, "tummy-rubbing" is now a baby shower event. Founded in 2004 by Troubled Soul Ltd, Domeafavorbuddy. ...
Party given for the bride before the wedding to be usually coordinated by the bridesmaids to offer gifts for the bride and groom for their new home. ...
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Among upper and lower class Americans, there is great variance in practices and themes of baby showers. Some people prefer to hold showers after the birth of the baby. Some believe that giving gifts before the baby is born can bring bad luck. Others believe that the concept of celebrating a coming child is a private family event or does not mandate a party at all.
Activities Some classic activities at baby showers include: - Baby shower bingo.
- Guess the birth date or guess the sex.
- Guess the expectant mother's girth: guests cut pieces of ribbon, yarn, or toilet paper to a length they believe matches the mother-to-be's tummy circumference. Another similar game is tying a string around her abdomen, and if it breaks for one person, it's expected she or he's the next new parent.
- Guess the baby food flavor: guests have to taste-test several flavors of baby food and try to identify them.
- Other games include a diaper throw game, and the diapers have candies or chocolate stuff.
- Opening the gifts in front of the guests.
- Serving cake, though any type of food or beverage might be served.
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Terms - "Daddy's shower" refers to a men-only shower for the dad-to-be.
- "Grandma's shower" refers to a shower at which people bring items for the grandparents to keep at their house, such as a collapsible crib and a changing pad.
- "Diaper shower" or a baby sprinkle refers to a small-scale baby shower, generally for subsequent children, when the parents don't need as many items.
- "Pampers party" is also a mens-only shower, usually held the same night as the women's baby shower. The men usually give the daddy-to-be diapers only because the mommy-to-be is getting other items at the shower.
- "Blessingway" is a variation on a baby shower that is focused on emotional and spiritual support rather than gift giving.
A cot is a small bed (called a crib in American English) specifically for babies and infants. ...
A blessingway is a ceremony to honor and bless a pregnant woman. ...
References - [2] Baby shower blues
- [3] Hindu Ritual
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