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Have a great day!
As I've posted before, there's another wedding 
coming up in Kenny's family and it is fast approaching as evidenced by the invitation I received for a bridal (or rather, couple) shower last Friday night. With only barely three hours of sleep, I head over to the banquet hall where the groom's mother hosted the affair. As expected, the attendees (more or less 50) were prodominantly women but the groom and the bride's father were also in attendance. I was relieved to find that my mother-in-law reserved a seat for me next to her and my sister-in-law. After extending a round of greetings and hugs to the rest of the family, I settled down to enjoy the nice dinner deftly served by the staff.
After the desserts finally disappeared from the table, Sarah and T.K. started opening numerous boxes and giftbags from the long table across the room."Ohhhs" and "ahhhs" occasionally emanated from the crowd. Most of the presents were houseware and kitchenware items and some miscellaneous home decorative accessories. Some also included stuff that the couple might find useful for their honeymoon in Las Vegas (casino chips, sunscreen, etc). There were also envelopes that contained either giftcards or checks. Sarah and T.K. made a point of acknowledging and thanking the givers and were obviously overwhelmed by their generousity. Overall, it was a very successful event. The young couple will certainly find themselves running out of space in their townhome due to the multitude of gifts they have received so far. I found out the the bride's family will also be hosting another shower soon. Lucky kids, huh? 
I felt the same way when Kenny and I had our own pre-wedding festivities a few years ago. In fact, we had a total of three bridal showers. Aside from the first one hosted by Kenny's family and the second one that was separately given by my close friends, my coworkers at the hospital surprised me with a breakfast party where they presented me with a huge basket full of miscellaneous items that they chose from our registry. Ah, the bridal registry! What a boon it is.
When I first came to the US, I didn't know much about bridal showers. Although Filipinos have adopted a lot of Western customs (Halloween, Easter bunny and eggs) nowadays, I doubt if giving a bride a gift giving party before her wedding is one of them (as far as I know). At the weddings I'd been to before in the Philippines, I remember that newlyweds mostly received houseware gifts on their wedding day. It is a great thing except the couple might end up receiving multiple sets of drinking glasses, plates, utensils and an inordinate number of thermoses, pots and pans. Since most items can't be returned or exchanged at the stores, that could pose a bit of a problem. This is where a wedding or bridal registry would have helped. 
There are many benefits for a couple creating a wedding registry. First, most wedding guests appreciate having a list of what the couple needs. No one wants to be the one to buy the couple their fifth toaster 
. With electronic wedding gift registries, when a guest buys something for the couple, it is automatically removed from the list. Registering for wedding gifts also gives the new couple the ability to keep track of the items they have for their new life as a married couple. This eliminates the problem of having too many of one thing, and none of another after all of the gifts are opened. 
Finally, having a wedding registry saves the couple from the embarrassment of answering questions about their needs. When a well-meaning friend or family member inquires as to what a couple wants as wedding gifts, many brides-to-be feel uncomfortable answering truthfully. The blushing bride may wonder how much the guest wants to spend, and how to offer some gift suggestions without sounding selfish or greedy. Having a bridal registry to direct the inquirer towards eliminates a potentially uncomfortable situation. 
The first bridal shower I attended was for my friend Fritze. Although a few of her then-fiance's relatives brought gifts that were from her wedding registry, some of her friends had something else different in mind. As the bride-to-be pulled out sexy lingerie items and some unmentionables from the giftbags, the guests subsequently hollered and shrieked.
The ruckus increased when a greased up stripper in a cop outfit came out of nowhere and treated us to a licentious performance that made us blush and squirm in embarassment.
When the guy swooped down and took off his velcroed pants in one swift motion and gave a clear view of his obvious asset, a few girls ran out of the room like they were chased by the devil. It was hilarious!
It was probably one of the most entertaining bridal showers I've ever attended. I'm sure some of you had been to one like it. Anyway, whether it is laid-back or full of fun and games, it's great to take part in a custom like this. It gives us an opportunity to bond with other women, pay homage to our grandmothers and mothers and be reminded to aspire to become what an ideal wife/spouse is supposed to be, in this century anyway.
Anytype of showers are so fun nowadays, even baby showers. The registries are a great idea, I agree. We had a shower as well but just one. And it wasnt a large party, but people were really generous in their gifts. I was overwhelmed by it all because it was difficult for me to be in the spotlight like that. Then I had several baby showers that friends and family gave me. You slowly get use to the attention. By the way, I feel the same way about my Mom who passed away in February 5 years ago. Each time that day comes & even her birthday in October, I miss her even more and I can feel the pain of my heart that will never ever heal. Just like you, I have a parent that I miss incredibly. Take care and Happy Easter to you & your family.
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