Showering

I went to my friend Karen's baby shower a few days ago.  I love parties with and for my friends.  But some I don't always get as excited about... and showers tend to fall lower on my get stoked meter.  I've never really thought about why this was until after Karen's shower, when I realized it was one of my most favorite showers of any type I'd ever attended.  I thought about it for days afterwards, obviously, since I am now writing about it.  There were several reasons I enjoyed it, but the main one is probably the fact that

We Played No Games. 

Can you believe it.  No pass the platter around and try to remember the baby items on it.  No trying to guess the kind of smashed up candy bar in the diaper.  No.  None of that structure, everyone sit in a circle, let's see who's the best at remembering things or who knows the bride or mom-to-be best, etc.  

Instead, we relaxed outside on the grass, no one noticed I was late, there was a casual wine tasting table you could saunter back and forth from, a light buffet, if you wanted you could decorate a onesie with puff paint, and there was the freedom to sit and continue a conversation without worrying we weren't participating in something.  Hours passed and I had no idea.  When I brought up how interesting it was that there were no games (and that I liked it) Karen said she'd told her mom and friends flat out that she just didn't want any for this shower.  She's not a fan either.  

So, I liked the shower because it was casual and structure-free.  I am not a fan of parties where I don't know many people, but the atmosphere lent itself to breezy laughter and get-to-know-you girly conversation.  I don't like shower games usually anyway, number one because they're often silly, and number two because I'm often bad at them and I don't like sucking at things.  

And pardon me for always going here, but I'm realizing a distinct pattern between personalities who would enjoy a shower like Karen's as much as I did, and those who would have been bummed to not have the chance to win at the dirty diaper game or make as many words as possible out of the phrase Bouncing Bundle of Joy.  I think it has something to do with the S/N difference and definitely the P/J, maybe even the T/F. Actually all letters.  Friends that had or want games at your shower, I heart you and still want to be invited.  I will bring you a killer gift I swear.