Unwrapped Gifts

My family always adds "Be a dear, wrap in clear" on the invitations. It is ridiculous to sit and watch someone open presents. That is NOT the point of the shower. The point is to Shower the Bride with love and well wishes before the big day. It is uncomfortable and boring for most people. 99% of the gifts are from a registry that she put together, she'll know what she got, I don't see the point. I would also not wait at the door for them. Have a table for people to put gifts and cards and thank everyone for coming and the gifts. Add a personal message to the thank-you cards telling what the gift was and how you will use it.

Eh. I don't particularly like the idea of an unwrapped shower. If your guests can go out of their way to spend their time and money buying a gift for you, you can at least spend a little time opening them. As a guest this would come off a little rude to me.

I dislike the idea of an unwrapped shower. As a bride, I would feel really awkward with people walking in holding unwrapped gifts. I feel like it really brings attention to the gifts when you go to greet your guests, rather than keeping your attention on the greeting itself. It also takes the surprise out of the gifts. It's hard to act surprised when you watched someone walk over with a kitchenaid instead of unwrapping it. As a guest, I would feel really uncomfortable walking in with an unwrapped gift - especially if the shower is at a public place and I'm walking around with a toaster in my hand.

I actually hate the tradition of opening gifts at bridal showers. They're boring, painfully awkward, and can be embarrassing for those whose gifts are smaller or less exciting than others. I like when brides take their gifts home and unwrap them, rather than doing it at the shower.

I just went to a bridal shower with unwrapped gifts and I was really put off by the BP telling me what to do with a gift I purchased. They can still be wrapped and you don't have to open them in front of everyone.

I've been to a couple of showers where the gifts have been unwrapped. i love this idea--way less waste on gift wrapping, and also avoids the tedium of watching as the bride opens all the gifts. i also didn't open gifts at my shower, partly because i made it more a gifts-optional celebration, partly because i have social anxiety and didn't want to be centre of attention, and partly because i always find the gift opening to be the most boring part of the shower as a guest. i sent thank you notes and connected with everyone at the event and made sure to thank everyone for coming. it's definitely a personal choice, but not opening presents in front of everyone definitely worked for me--i would rather everyone be enjoying themselves at the party.