{"id":45079,"date":"2025-06-25T12:30:43","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T10:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/?p=45079"},"modified":"2026-01-22T13:48:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T12:48:11","slug":"granny-showers-between-genuine-celebration-and-narcissistic-drift-a-divisive-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/granny-showers-between-genuine-celebration-and-narcissistic-drift-a-divisive-trend\/","title":{"rendered":"Granny Showers: Between genuine celebration and narcissistic drift, a divisive trend"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In the United States, a new trend is sparking as much enthusiasm as it is controversy: &#8220;granny showers&#8221;\u2014parties organized in honor of future grandmothers. Between heartfelt initiative and questionable self-promotion, these celebrations raise questions about the role grandparents do\u2014or should\u2014play in the arrival of a newborn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/granny-shower-1024x576-1.png\" alt=\"Granny Showers\" class=\"wp-image-45080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/granny-shower-1024x576-1.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/granny-shower-1024x576-1-400x225.png 400w, https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/granny-shower-1024x576-1-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A trend from the USA: \u201cgranny showers\u201d celebrate future grandmothers<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The debate divides: between sincere attention and misplaced quest for visibility<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Voices call for moderation: no gifts, no organization without parental consent<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Suggested alternatives: cooking workshops or practical mutual help to support young parents<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>An evolution in family rites that questions the place of generations and excesses of individualism<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are granny showers?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>We\u2019re all familiar with baby showers<\/strong>\u2014those parties held to celebrate the arrival of a child and, more importantly, to support the expectant parents. <strong>Straight from the U.S.<\/strong>, the concept is now extending to <strong>grandmothers<\/strong>. Originally, there was no such thing as a formal granny shower\u2014<strong>just simple gestures<\/strong>: a small cake at the office, a congratulatory card, a book of <strong>grandparenting<\/strong> advice&#8230; Today, however, <strong>these gestures are sometimes blown out of proportion<\/strong>, occasionally stealing the spotlight from the original baby shower by adopting the same codes\u2014lavish parties, gift registries, buffets&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>According to DeeDee Moore<\/strong>, creator of the website <em>More Than Grand<\/em> and a prominent voice on parenting topics across social media, the trend reflects a shift in social norms. \u201c<strong><em>There are two types of granny showers<\/em><\/strong>,\u201d she explains. \u201c<em>First opinion: they\u2019re a lovely way to welcome a friend or colleague into <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/new-grandparents-7-tips-to-make-the-most-of-this-new-adventure\/\">her new role<\/a><\/strong>. Second opinion: <strong>they\u2019re tacky and inappropriate<\/strong> attempts to get gifts.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cadeau-grand-mere-1024x576-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-45081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cadeau-grand-mere-1024x576-1.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cadeau-grand-mere-1024x576-1-400x225.png 400w, https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cadeau-grand-mere-1024x576-1-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When the party overshadows the parents<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s with the second interpretation that boundaries sometimes get crossed. Historically, <strong>baby showers<\/strong> are meant to<strong> help new parents cover their baby\u2019s initial needs<\/strong>. \u201c<em>It\u2019s harder to justify a party for a future grandmother, who can usually afford the initial gear herself<\/em>,\u201d Moore notes. What\u2019s more, the multiplication of such events<strong> could detract from the people most directly affected<\/strong>: the parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On social media, <strong>debate is raging<\/strong>. While some users share fond memories of modest granny showers, others criticize situations where the grandmother throws the party herself\u2014<strong>risking eclipsing the future mom<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>TikTok user @Lucy Seay recounted: \u201c<em><strong>My mother-in-law forced her coworkers to throw her a baby shower<\/strong>. A whole party FOR HER. Not for my baby, not for me<\/em>.\u201d Another user, @channing\u2019swife, has a clear stance: \u201c<em><strong>No. Granny showers are in bad taste<\/strong>. The grandmother already had her party when she was pregnant<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Granny showers\u2014yes, but with boundaries<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One thing is clear: <strong>the emotional significance of becoming a <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/gramnesia-when-grandparents-forget-the-reality-of-parenting\/\"><strong>grandparent<\/strong><\/a><strong> shouldn\u2019t be dismissed<\/strong>. Some stories, like that of Alexandra Rugh told in <em>HuffPost<\/em>, show what such a celebration can mean. Her 73-year-old grandmother received a surprise granny shower before undergoing heart surgery\u2014a precious moment of joy, seen as a <strong>symbolic connection to the unborn child<\/strong>. \u201c<em>She was afraid she\u2019d die without ever holding her great-granddaughter. That party gave her hope<\/em>,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Mamie-Grand-parent-Intergenerationnel-Petits-enfants-Liens-intergenerationnels-1024x576-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-45082\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Mamie-Grand-parent-Intergenerationnel-Petits-enfants-Liens-intergenerationnels-1024x576-1.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Mamie-Grand-parent-Intergenerationnel-Petits-enfants-Liens-intergenerationnels-1024x576-1-400x225.png 400w, https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Mamie-Grand-parent-Intergenerationnel-Petits-enfants-Liens-intergenerationnels-1024x576-1-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But<strong> to avoid things getting out of hand<\/strong>, etiquette experts recommend moderation. Lizzie Post of the Emily Post Institute advises keeping it low-key: \u201c<em>It\u2019s wonderful to acknowledge someone\u2019s new role. <strong>But be careful not to overdo<\/strong> it in a way that shifts focus from what really matters.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, like everything in life,<strong> it\u2019s a question of balance<\/strong>\u2014even for granny showers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Toward more helpful alternatives<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some suggest<strong> alternatives to the granny shower<\/strong>. DeeDee Moore, for example, proposes \u201c<strong><em>meal prep parties<\/em><\/strong>\u201d: cooking sessions with loved ones to <strong>prepare meals for the new parents<\/strong>. It\u2019s a more practical way to celebrate this new chapter\u2014<strong>offering time and useful support<\/strong> in a period often filled with chaos and fatigue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A new ritual in need of framing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The rise of granny showers <strong>undoubtedly reflects our times<\/strong>: more connected, more emotionally attuned\u2014but also <strong>more prone to excess<\/strong>. While the idea of celebrating a <strong>future grandmother<\/strong> can be touching in an intimate setting, it raises eyebrows when it becomes a full-fledged event competing with the parents\u2019 own celebration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As with many emerging rituals, <strong>context, intention, and moderation, make all the difference<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#ffe4e9\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Golden Rules of a Successful Granny Shower<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Don\u2019t plan the party without discussing it with the parents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid gift registries or formal gift requests.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Favor a discreet gathering with close friends or colleagues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stay focused on the essentials: supporting the parents, celebrating family.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Granny showers are neither inherently harmful nor a major social advance<\/strong>. Rather, they reflect today\u2019s tensions around family roles, attention-sharing, and individualism. <strong>Celebrating a grandmother\u2019s love<\/strong> for her future <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/croatia-a-city-pays-grandparents-to-look-after-their-grandchildren-a-social-response-to-a-double-crisis\/\">grandchild<\/a><\/strong> is a beautiful idea\u2014so long as it doesn\u2019t come at the expense of those about to become parents for the first time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>#GrannyShowers: Between genuine #celebration and #narcissistic drift, a divisive #trend<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":45080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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Between genuine #celebration and #narcissistic drift, a divisive 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