When my husband and I found out we were expecting another child, happiness set in — along with a little bit of shock considering our son is 8 months old. We both wanted to have children close in age, but this is really close.
One of the first questions I received after, "Did y'all mean to do that?" was whether we would have a baby shower. Plenty of people I know celebrated each child with a party. I just couldn't imagine myself creating another baby registry for gifts one year after we had a shower for our first child. We are also expecting another boy, which gives us an advantage in the clothing and supplies department. Perhaps things would be different if we were having a girl, but honestly, we have just about everything we need. Heck, there are tons of clothes I was planning to donate considering how quickly our son sprouted.
As much as I stand behind my position, I still feel the need to honor this child in some way. Even though I'm opposed to another baby shower, that doesn't mean I don't want to commemorate this pregnancy. That's when it hit me: Why not host an unconventional gathering that honors our pending bundle of joy without following traditional baby shower protocol?
And so began my journey to hosting a "man shower."
Now you're probably thinking, "What man wants to have a baby shower in his name?" and for the most part, you're correct. My husband — like many guys — enjoys simple things that don't revolve around him or a large gathering of people. This is one of the reasons why I chose to keep my intentions a secret.
"I've never heard of one, but wish my wife thought of it," joked our friend Adam. "Guys get excited to celebrate babies too — so long as we don't have to play those stupid games."
Unlike your typical baby shower, a man shower focuses on casual entertaining that's appealing to most men. Beer-can cakes take the place of traditional diaper displays, while common games like "guess the baby food" are replaced with card play and even video games.
My husband's man shower will be a gent's only event in our backyard with good food and hopefully some laughs. There will be an assortment of lagers, food slow-cooked in beer and stations to sample scotch and cigars. No over-the-top decorations. No grand ceremony of opening gifts. Just a few guys coming together to celebrate and enjoy a cold one.
I know there are people on the fence when it comes to showers and baby-related celebrations that don't center around the mother. It's true guys don't carry the child or endure labor, but that doesn't mean they're any less involved. Hosting a man shower for my husband is a creative way for me to honor him. He's a wonderful dad and will be an amazing father to our child.
More on baby showers
Should you have a baby shower for a second pregnancy?
Baby shower for grandma?
How to plan the perfect baby shower