B is for Bridal Showers

Theme parties are popular, particularly when it comes to bridal showers.

I’ve been to several creatively themed gatherings, geared towards showering brides-to-be with gifts they’ll use in their new wedded lives. Maybe you have too.

Although some bridal shower themes focus on the food, décor, or entertainment the party will offer (such as movies, tea parties, the tropics, or wine tasting), the topic most often pertain to the gifts that attendees will be presenting to the guest of honor.

12 popular bridal shower themes

Some of the most intriguing bridal showers have included these themes:

1. Books
2. Gardening
3. Gift cards
4. Gourmet foods
5. Kitchen
6. Lingerie
7. Pampering
8. Personal care
9. Recipes
10. Sporting equipment
11. Tools
12. Toys

Creative bridal shower hostesses frequently employ gift-guidance gimmicks for guests as well. Have you heard of these sorts of showers?

• A to Z – Guests pick presents that start with their designated letters.
• Around the Clock – Each guest is asked to match her gift to a particular time of day.
• Month-by-Month – Attendees offer gifts that would likely be used during their assigned months.
• Room-by-Room – Guests are assigned rooms of a hypothetical house and urged to select gifts that might be used in those chambers.

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Here are a few bridal shower theme how-to’s from writing colleagues and friends:

• Bridal Shower Themes: Cooking and Kitchen – Annette Phillips
• Party Themes: Bridal Shower Theme Ideas – Kristen May
• Fun Bridal Shower Ideas and Themes – Rachel Carpenter

However you theme it, a bridal shower is a lovely way for a bride to be honored (and often surprised) by her bridesmaids or others close to her.

In fact, I’m hosting a bridal shower for my niece in a few weeks. And, nope, I’m not tell what the theme is to be.

 Last year’s A to Z post: PB and J Day 

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Wedding Bells
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2012 A to Z Blogging Challenge logo

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Etiquette or Regret-ticate

Etiquette or Regret-ticate

Did you know … it’s Etiquette Week?

The second week of May is politely tagged as Etiquette Week, a full calendar week devoted to social correctness and courtesy.

How do you feel about etiquette? Does forget-ticate lead to regret-ticate? Have we left ourselves with No Trace of Grace?

Without claiming to be a manners maven, I have published several pieces on politeness. (CTRL-click on each title to open that free online article in a new internet window.)

Business Etiquette:

• Bank-in-a-Box: How to Behave at the ATM
• Executive Editing Etiquette

Equestrian Etiquette:

• Equestrian Etiquette
• Expressions and Texting Acronyms for Equestrians
• A guide to arena manners
• Stable manners: Human behavior around horses
• Trail Riding Etiquette: 20 Courtesy Tips for Equestrians
• Wisconsin DNR offers 8 trail etiquette pointers for equestrians

Funeral Etiquette:

• 20 Sincere Sympathy Card Statements to Comfort Those Who Mourn
• Funeral Etiquette 101: 10 Tips for Making Memorial Donations
• Sympathy Cards: 5 Do's and 5 Don'ts for Condolence Notes

Pet Etiquette:

• 10 Tips for Pet Owner Etiquette in Veterinary Waiting Rooms
• Basic Birdwatching Etiquette
• Holiday Etiquette: Should You Take Your Pet to a Host's Home?

Shopping Etiquette:

• Behind the Curtain: Fitting Room Etiquette
• In the Market for Manners: Etiquette for Shoppers

Social Etiquette:

• Hiccups
• Thank-You Notes and Family Quotes
• What does R.S.V.P. Mean?

Sports Etiquette:

• Brolly Folly -A Limericked Rule for Fashion's Fool
• Golf Etiquette: Must Golfers Tip Llama Caddies?
• Jogging Our Memories of Manners: Recreational Running Etiquette
• Yachting with Youngsters: A Guide to Waterborne Fun

Wedding Etiquette:

• The Brooding Bride: What's a Bridesmaid to Do?
• Custom Maid - The Maid of Honor and Her Responsibilities
• Forgo the Feud - Incorporating Both Your Families in Your Wedding Plans
• The Marvelous Maid of Honor's Duties
• The Responsibilities of the Best Man
• Stand-Up Guys - a Groom's Guide to Choosing His Groomsmen
• Stepping Up - the Best Wedding Advice I Ever Received
• Wedding Etiquette - 10 Wedding Gift Registry No-No's
• Wedding Party Gifts - Beautiful Bridesmaid Bounty
• Wedding How-To’s for Stepmoms

Image:

Etiquette at the Ball

19th Century

Artist unknown

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Dishtowel Angel - A No-Sew Christmas Craft

CTRL-Click here
to read
the easy-to-follow instructions
for this simple and economical
Christmas craft.

No sewing!
No gluing!
Towels are reusable.
Make it in minutes.
Kids can do it too!

Vying for Vintage: Shopping for Vintage Styles

Vying for Vintage

“The difference between style and fashion is quality.”
Georgio Armani
(1934 - )

“Fashions fade, style is eternal.”
Yves St. Laurent
(1936 - )

Vintage Values

Vintage is valuable! Old is in!
Period pieces have come back again.
Treasure that bodice, and care for that frock.
Wear them, and act like you've turned back the clock.
How can antique items look good as new?
Preserve them, and they will stay stylish for you.

- Linda Ann Nickerson

Hunting for Style Treasures - Vintage, Consignment or Resale?

Vintage clothing and values have become fashionable, even among celebrities. Suddenly, everyone is flocking to resale shops to find funky outfits from bygone eras.

How are resale stores and consignment shops alike? How are they different?

Click here to read Thrifty Shoppers: What’s the Difference Between a Resale Store and a Consignment Shop?

Caring for Vintage Fashion Items

Vintage styles are in-style. Movie stars, fashion mavens and many others are swarming to vintage clothing stores to snatch up antique apparel. Some may celebrate favorite eras from the past, while others may prefer certain bygone styles.

More than a few folks opt to wear vintage clothing for its sentimental value, particularly if they have inherited their antique apparel from a much-loved mother, grandparent or other special person.

For so many reasons, vintage clothing has become valuable.

How can you care for antique apparel, so that your favored fashions from the past will serve you for years to come?

Click here to read Vintage Can Be Valuable: Caring for Antique Apparel.

Vintage by the Bay – Shopping for Vintage Styles in San Francisco

Ah, the value of vintage vogue! Bygone fashions are back in a big way. Savvy stylists know just where to look, as they resurrect yesterday's prized items. The primo spot for antique styles is San Francisco, the vintage mecca of the U.S.

Click here to read Vintage by the Bay – A Guide to Antique Apparel in San Francisco, highlighting our favorite spots to shop for vintage values in the City by the Bay.

Related items of interest:

Accessorize Your Assets: Tips for Accessorizing with Vintage Pieces

An Outlet for The Shop-a-Holic: Guide to Shopping in Outlet Stores

Autumn Apparel: Fall Fashions for the Feminine Figure

Bargain-Hunter’s Bonanza: How to Shop in Factory Outlets

Consignment Classics: High Fashion Reincarnated

Compassion for Fashion: An Ode to Fashion Victims

Filene’s Basement Annual Bridal Gown Sale: The Brides Go Wild!

Heading for High Fashion with Hats

Hey, Supermodel!

How to Find a Clothing Swap in Your Area

Living Large as a Petite Lady

Renting Formalwear: Shop Smart and Look Sharp

Shoes to Dye For

Stepping Out in Style and Comfort

Style Revival: A Rhymed Passion for Lasting Fashion

Thrifty Is Nifty: Why Not Shop in a Thrift Store?

Vintage Clothing: What’s a Bargain and What Is Not

Vying for Vintage: Tips for Buying Vintage Clothing

Love poetry? Click here to visit Linda Ann Nickerson’s poetry and humor blog, Nickers and Ink.

Or click here to subscribe to an RSS feed for this writer's helpful Helium content. If you wish, click here for a free subscription to this author's online AC content, so you won't miss a single post!

12-Step Program for Wedding Gift Registry

Are you engaged to be married? Congratulations! As the bride- and groom-to-be, please remember that wedding gift registries are intended to offer time-savings, convenience, and constructive ideas for your guests. Your family and friends are not obligated to purchase items on your lists, although they are most likely to do so.

Have fun with your registry, as you plan your new life together!

12-Step Program:

1. Register for gifts before you send out your wedding invitations.

2. If possible, visit gift registries together with your fiance or fiancee.

3. Double-check the registry information for accuracy.

4. Try to register at multiple stores, but not for the same items. For example, if you pick out dishes at Target, try to stick to sheets and towels at Bed, Bath & Beyond and other household items at Pottery Barn. Ideally, you will choose stores that also offer online shopping.

5. Avoid personal care items, apparel, sporting equipment, and hobby supplies. While you may have several favorite retail haunts, many of your guests may not deem these appropriate for bridal gift registry.

6. Consider online gift registries for long-distance guests' convenience. Several online services enable users to consolidate and coordinate registries at multiple stores through a single website.

7. Think about your desired color schemes for your home, and select items accordingly.

8. Aim for variety, particularly in terms of pricing.

9. Include compact gift items for easy shipping. Your long-distance guests will appreciate this.

10. Check gift statuses periodically on your gift registries.

11. Be sure to update your bridal gift registries, if you receive gifts from other sources.

12. Don't forget to send thank-you notes to those who send gifts, even if they send something for which you did not register.

Want more information? Here's a helpful book on this topic, available for Kindle/e readers.