The ‘Display Shower’ Is a New Baby Shower Trend That Makes so Much Sense

Baby showers are traditionally known for baby-themed games, sweet treats and a big gift-opening session. But they’ve definitely evolved in the last few years, especially with the rise of a new trend that’s changing the way shower guests celebrate: the display shower. Instead of the parent-to-be opening presents one by one in front of everyone, guests bring gifts unwrapped, creating a beautiful arrangement of gifts on a designated table (no marathon unwrapping required).

We recently surveyed Babylist parents about baby showers and many parents shared that they love the idea of skipping the traditional gift-opening in front of a crowd in favor of a more relaxed celebration. A display shower keeps the focus on celebrating while still letting everyone admire the thoughtful gifts the expecting parents have received—without the pressure of unwrapping each one on the spot.

If that all sounds like something you’d love, we’re diving into why display showers are growing in popularity and how to have one yourself.

What is a display shower?

Traditionally, baby showers include a dedicated gift-opening session, where shower attendees watch as the guest of honor unwraps presents. Having a display shower means instead of friends and family wrapping their gifts, they simply attach a tag and the presents are arranged on a table for everyone to admire. The result? A more laid-back experience where the parents-to-be can enjoy their event without feeling like they’re putting on a performance.

Courtney, a mom of two, said she opted for a display shower when planning her sprinkle for baby number two. 

“I originally saw the idea of a display table on TikTok and immediately knew that's what I wanted to do. I am pretty introverted and feel awkward opening so many gifts in front of everyone but I know some people really love seeing all the baby stuff so I thought this was a perfect way to please everyone,” she says. (Here's a peek into her sprinkle for baby number two!)

Why are display showers (aka unwrapped gifts) trending?

We noticed it was a common theme when chatting with Babylist users about their registry and shower experience, and there were a few reasons parents said they wanted to incorporate the unwrapped gift element into their baby shower or sprinkle.  

• Less pressure, more fun. Opening gifts in front of an audience can be a bit awkward and uncomfortable. If you’re shy and prefer not to be in the spotlight, not having to open gifts takes some of the pressure to “perform” off of you. Incorporating unwrapped gifts into the baby shower or sprinkle turns what can be an awkward part of the event into something more less stressful. 

• Less waste. Skipping the wrapping paper, gift bags and tissue means less waste—a big perk for sustainability-minded and minimalist parents.

• More time to mingle. Gift opening can take up to an hour or more, depending on how large your shower is. Julia, another mom who opted for a display shower, shared: "When I had my bridal shower, I hated unwrapping gifts in front of everyone. It took too long and felt awkward." Babylist parents note appreciating how having a display shower allowed them to spend more time with friends and family. 

Want to have a display shower? Here’s how to do it

If unwrapped gifts and skipping the whole present opening in front of an audience sounds like your vibe, here’s how to incorporate it into your baby shower planning. 

Let Your Guests Know

Most people probably haven’t heard about a display shower, or may not know the term. The easiest way to let friends and family know you're opting for unwrapped gifts is to add a note when writing your shower invitations. And you might need to clarify what that actually means. “I said I wanted them to bring their gifts unwrapped with a tag so that I would have more time to spend with them,” Julia shared. 

Here are some examples of wording you might use:

• "To allow more time for celebrating together, we're having a display shower. Please bring your gift unwrapped with your name attached."

• "In lieu of traditional gift opening, we're having a display shower. Please bring your gift unwrapped with a tag so we know it’s from you!"

What if someone else is planning your event? Courtney’s sister hosted her sprinkle, so she took care of the messaging on the invitations. She let guests know by including this line: “If you plan to bring a gift for baby, skip the wrapping paper and bring your gift unwrapped! We plan to display gifts for all to see at the shower, creating a fun display and less work for mama.” 

Bringing unwrapped gifts doesn’t follow tradition; it’s likely a new experience for many people and some really enjoy watching others open gifts. So you may have some people who don’t quite understand it. “All of the pushback was from older generations coming to the shower. I just explained why I was doing it and sometimes had to simply say because I didn’t want to,” Julia says. 

Set Up Your Gift Table

You’ll want to designate a spot to put gifts, just like you would a traditional baby shower. You can use the same size table as you would for wrapped gifts and incorporate your shower theme in decorating it. Most people will bring the gifts in the packaging they come in but some users shared some of their guests ended up putting together a “gift basket” to hold all of the smaller items, which can be reused for organizing the nursery. 

How to Handle Thank You Cards

What about keeping track of who gave what for thank you notes? “Most people were good about putting their name somewhere on the gift, but if I were to give any advice on someone wanting to do this, it would be to be very clear with making sure people put a name tag on it because we had a tiny bit of confusion when trying to document who gave what,” Courtney said.

Here are a few things you can do to make thank you card writing easier (especially if people don’t put tags on their gifts): 

• Have a friend or family member keep track. Designate someone who will be responsible for discreetly keeping track of who brings what gift when they arrive. Since it’s unwrapped already, they can quickly jot it down on a piece of paper or note in their phone. 

• Add tags as people arrive. In the same vein as above, you can designate someone to add a tag to each gift as guests arrive and place them on the table.

• Keep cards and gifts together. You can use them to identify who gifted what. 

• Use your baby registry gift tracker. Most baby registries have a tracking feature, including Babylist registries. You can access your gift tracker from the app or a computer.

If your gifts aren’t tagged and you truly don’t know who gifted what, don’t worry! You can thank your guests with a more general message in your thank you notes—focusing on how much their support means to you. 

Display showers aren’t a huge departure from your typical baby shower, but they can make a parent-to-be feel more comfortable at an event where they’re the center of attention, and also allow them to spend more time enjoying the celebration. 

Remember, there's no wrong way to celebrate your baby's arrival—the best choice is whatever feels most authentic and enjoyable for you.