Photo: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock
This turned into an awkward situation.
By Sanika Nalgirkar
Last updated on Mar 04, 2024
While bringing gifts to baby showers isn’t mandatory, it's very much appreciated by the couple as they get ready to welcome their newborn. However, mom-to-be Tia Walker may have taken things a little too far when she decided that gifts are more than just a kind token.
The expectant mother kicked out guests who didn't bring a gift to her baby shower.
In 2022, Early and Tia Walker threw a baby shower, posting a video of the event on their Instagram page. The couple is seen standing by the DJ waiting to make an announcement to all their guests.
After the DJ handed the microphone to Early, he started his speech, thanking all of the gusts. However, didn't complete his speech as Tia snatched the microphone from him to exclude certain people from their appreciation.
“Not everybody, [because] some people came and didn’t even bring a gift,” Tia noted, adding, “So if you came to the baby shower and didn’t bring a gift, you can leave."
While a friend who was standing next to Tia tried to diffuse the situation by mentioning that Tia had been joking, she snatched the mic once again to double-down on her statement.
“I meant exactly what I said so if you didn’t bring a gift, you can get up and go," she repeated. "I said what I said.”
While baby shower gifts aren't necessarily mandatory, traditionally, baby showers began as a way to provide parents-to-be with everything they and their newborn would need.
According to HuffPost, baby showers first gained popularity in the 1930s, designed to ensure new mothers were able to receive everything they'd need for their new addition to the family. HuffPost quoted Canadian journalist Dona Johnson as succinctly writing, "[T]he point of this party is to rack up loot for the newborn." Thus, the tradition typically is for each guest to bring a gift or gifts.
So while Tia's approach did receive criticism, many people believed she wasn’t necessarily wrong.
One person wrote, "It's tacky to come to a baby shower without a gift. [You're] not about to eat and have a good time without 'showering' the [parents-to-be]."
Some people also explained why the mother-to-be was just saying what most people would be scared of and claimed guests sometimes take advantage of these events.
One person commented, “I hate when people come and eat good, even taking plates home, but can't even stop to get a gift card to put in an envelope. You wouldn't want anyone to do that [to] you.”
That said, etiquette expert Anna Post has said that baby showers shouldn't be about gifts.
Writing for Reuters, Post explained that ultimately, baby showers are "about sharing the excitement a new baby brings with family and friends."
To avoid a situation such as this one, especially in an era where times are tough for many people financially, parents should be sure to include price-conscious items in their registry so everyone can find a gift that works for their budget, making it less likely that someone will show up empty-handed.
Post also suggests keeping the guest list somewhat exclusive, focusing on close family and friends that you'd appreciate spending the time celebrating the new baby whether they bring a gift or not.
Sanika Nalgirkar, M.F.A. is a writer who covers entertainment & news, lifestyle, and pop culture topics.