Long distance baby shower?? Ideas please!

Question

Hubby and I moved out of state (10 hrs away) for work a couple years ago. Now that we’re expecting (our first baby!!) we were hoping to make it back for a family get together/shower, but we’re due beginning of May and our work schedules probably won’t be allowing us to make it happen.
Has anyone done anything like a virtual baby shower?? We were thinking maybe we could do something like that over our social media and open gifts online so our friends/family can stream, then calmly plan a couple gatherings for everyone to meet the baby in the fall 🤷🏽‍♀️ we’re totally on our own since moving so we feel bad that we can’t make it out, but honestly I don’t feel like I have it in me to make a road trip and an entire weekend of family/parties happen- much less plan it from far away 🥵 
Any and all ideas are welcome and appreciated!!

Answer

If I’m being 100% honest, a virtual baby shower seems incredibly tacky to me. It just seems like a way for you to still get lots of baby items without actually sharing your presence with people. It just seems unfair to ask people to send you goodies. 
If family is close enough to you to want to send unsolicited gifts, and they ask what you need, I would refer them to a registry you’ve made. Setting up a virtual baby shower just seems like a more presumptuous, almost slightly aggressive way to get people to go to your registry to pay for things for you. 
If I’m close to someone, and we live far apart, I’ll ask what they still need that I can buy for them. If I’m not that close to them, I wouldn’t ask...and receiving an invitation for a virtual shower would make me feel guilty and like I had to go and buy them something and send it across the country. 
Also, maybe just wait to have your shower until the fall when you plan to see everyone in person? 
I dunno, I’m not trying to be disrespectful at all, or insinuate that you had nefarious intentions whatsoever. I know you live far apart from loved ones and you’re trying to find a way to connect. BUT, it can also be seen as a way to just get loot from people from cross country. 
Again, no disrespect or rudeness intended at all! Peace and love! I just wanted to give you my honest and interpretation of how I would feel if someone send me a request to buy them something and they would record an unboxing video of it. 
Instead of doing the gift thing, if you want to share this special time with everyone, maybe you could do a group Skype where you guys reveal the gender on camera or something? 
Just wanted to give food for thought! Whatever you decide to do, I hope it turns out great and you have a very peaceful rest of your pregnancy! Congrats on your new baby on the way!!!

Answer

When my step mom was pregnant all of her family was about 15 hours away so they sent all the gifts to her and her mom had a get together at her house where they played games had snack and watched my my step mom open all the presents via Skype

Answer

Where I live, we have baby showers after the baby is born so that everyone can meet the baby at the same time.   That could be an option for you too.

Answer

Honestly my cousins did this (for our family) but had friends over for an actual baby shower. She opened the families gifts on FaceTime and then continued having her baby shower and we all signed off.

Answer

I would try to make it back home if you can and sooner than later, so you’re feeling more up to it. 10 hours isn’t too unreasonable to drive (just stop every couple hours to pee and stretch lol) or maybe there are cheap flights?
I had 2 showers since we live out of state from both our families - traveled home 7 hours for one at 23 weeks and 6 hours for the other at 34 weeks. I’m glad I was able to do it! I thought I’d be too exhausted at 34 weeks but I surprised myself and was so glad we ended up having it!
I am sure your loved ones will be supportive either way but they want to enjoy this special time in person with you. Especially the older folk! ☺️

Answer

Thank you all for the input so far! I truly appreciate it. My best girlfriend actually asked me about what our plans were since she has relatives that are in a similar situation and they did a digital shower. I didn’t think it would come across as tacky but can see how that can be the case, so thank you for bringing that up! 
We did a casual gender reveal at Christmas and my husband’s side of the family surprised us with a few baby gifts ❤️ but yes, we’ve had most of our close friends and family ask us for our registry so I thought doing something online would potentially be nice for them if they’re already sending us boxes of baby things 😂 it’s literally just us out here so we wouldn’t throw anything local. Gonna keep thinking!

Long distance baby shower?? Ideas please!

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