I hate everything about showers - the games, receiving gifts I feel people felt obligated to buy, the whole "ladies only!" vibe. The whole experience feels very labored and artificial and it's just not my thing.

Instead of having a bridal shower, when I got married my husband and I threw a party a few weeks before the wedding and asked that the guests who intended to buy us a gift instead make a donation to a charity we selected in our name, and announced we'd match the total amount donated. I'm considering doing something similar this time and scrapping the baby shower. Instead I could host a brunch, and ask the guests to give to a children's hospital or some other child-focused charity organization we select.