do I have to buy a gift when I'm hosting the baby shower party

Do I Have To Buy A Gift If I’m Hosting The Baby Shower?

ByCailey MaClean

It’s a reasonable question to ask if you’re required to purchase a gift for the guest of honor when you’re already spending money hosting their baby shower.

In this blog post, we’ll explore whether it’s considered bad etiquette to forgo a traditional baby gift, compare the cost of hosting a baby shower against the average cost of a baby shower gift, and discuss how to thoughtfully let the mom-to-be know that the shower is your gift to her. Lastly, we’ll take a look at what others have to say on the topic and weigh in on public opinion.

do I have to buy a gift when I'm hosting the baby shower party

This post is all about if I have to buy a gift when I’m hosting the baby shower

Let’s Get Straight to the Point: To Gift Or Not To Gift

There are no etiquette rules, at least none this writer has been able to find, that state you are required to give a present on top of hosting the baby shower party. You can let the mom-to-be know that you would be honored to have your baby shower gift be the party itself and this would be entirely acceptable.

However, if you have a desire to give a gift, but your budget is tied up with the shower then going for a small present is an also option.

You can always present the token of appreciation to the mom-to-be before or after the shower if you prefer discretion. However, in our personal opinion, there are no obligations to give a present on top of paying for a baby shower party unless you feel led to.

The Cost Of A Baby Gift Vs. A Baby Shower Party

If you’ve hosted before, you’ll know that even if you go budget-friendly it is still going to involve some money to put this type of celebration on. The expense of the food, games, and prizes are going to cost more than your average baby gift.

Offering up some numbers may help give you some perspective. According to Babylist, an established resource for registry analytics, your average baby shower gift is estimated to be around $130.

However, TheBump reported the price of a baby shower present can be as low as $45 and as high as $75 depending on the relationship.

When you compare this data with TheWebBabyShower numbers in which they share the average cost of a baby shower is around $550, then you take a sigh of relief that you are not letting your loved one down by not purchasing a physical gift.

If you still feel awkward not physically giving the mom-to-be a present, you can get a $10 gift card or put together a cute spa basket from Dollar Tree.

Whatever you decide to do, we don’t suggest you put yourself in a position where you feel resentful because you gave beyond what your heart (and wallet) could handle. Gifting should come from the heart, but if you begin to feel resentment then it may be a sign you need to pull back and reflect.

Hosting a baby shower is possibly one of the biggest gifts the mom-to-be can receive financially and is a labor of love. Take a deep breath, relax, you’ve already gone above and beyond.

How To I Say the Baby Shower Is My Only Gift?

If you’ve decided you want the baby shower party to be the main present, but you don’t know how to explain it to the guest of honor then we’ve got you covered! Review the message below for inspiration.

Do I Have To Buy A Gift If I'm Hosting The Baby Shower?

You Can Copy The Message Below For Personal Use:

“I wanted to give you something truly special to celebrate this beautiful season of your life.

Instead of a traditional gift, it would be an honor to host a baby shower to celebrate the wonderful mother that you will be and already are to this precious little one It would be my joy to take care of the details and create a beautiful day that feels completely you!

Filled with the people who love you most, lots of laughter, and memories you’ll cherish long after your sweet baby arrives.”

The message above is one that you can personalize and send to your loved one. However, we suggest this message is sent before the party to help prevent any unwanted misunderstandings.

Let’s Ask The Public

In this section, we’ll remove ourselves from the numbers and go over people’s general opinion on the same question from the Reddit form which covers the question I’m throwing a baby shower for a close friend. Do I need to get her a gift too?

Comments Against Giving A Baby Shower Gift

Comments For Giving A Small Baby Shower Gift


You can check out the full conversation on Reddit when you click here.

Ultimately, you can decide what feels right based on your personal situation. I personally love putting on baby shower parties, and this means I give a medium-size gift and just include this into the hosting budget. However, that’s because I just love handing over a physical present along with an experience, but this is not by any means necessary a requirement.

This post was all about if I have to buy a gift when I’m hosting the baby shower

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