Bridal shower - skip opening gifts?

Aww but that's one of the shower highlights! lol it's so much fun.

I think, as a gift giver, part of the joy for them is seeing your reaction. Also, some of the games involve the gifts - like bingo and such, depending on which games you were planning to play. It's also extremely helpful to have someone else logging what you get and from whom so you can send your thank you cards after.

Just my 2 cents Best wishes, hun!

If I were invited to a bridal shower, I'd likely be among the older middle-aged guests -- an aunt or friend of the bride's mom. I would definitely expect the bride to open gifts; to me, the point of a shower is "showering the bride/couple with gifts" and it's fun to see them all opened and hear the bride/couple's reaction to each. I find the trend of "oh, it's awkward/boring/too time consuming/etc." odd. If opening gifts is that objectionable or burdensome to the bride/couple, I'd say skip the shower. As a pp mentioned, there are shower games, like gift Bingo, that help keep guests involved. At daughter's shower guests were completely engaged in the gift opening process and were quite "competitive" with the gift-related games we played, so it was a lot of fun. Clearly her guests put a lot of thought and effort into selecting gifts and wrapping them, and it was fun to see her reaction to each.

By definition, the purpose of the shower is the gifts. As a gift-giver, the part I enjoy the most is watching the person open the gift! (And this is true for any gift, not just wedding shower gifts.). Totally understand you could feel awkward and on-the-spot, but I think it’s a small price to pay to express appreciation for those who have showed up to shower you with gifts.

I think your guests will expect you to open their gift. Watching the bride/couple open gifts is part of the fun of a shower. I would find it odd to attend a shower, and bring a gift, and the bride/couple not open it.

I opened gifts - it's a little weird, sitting in front of everyone, but it was SO much fun to see what everyone got us and the givers got to see my genuine reactions. If I went to a shower and they didn't open gifts, I would definitely "feel some kind of way"

I think the whole point of a shower is to shower the bride with gifts and watch her open them. I've never been to a bridal shower where the bride didn't open her gifts. As a guest, I think I would probably be a little hurt/offended if the bride didn't open my gift....

Hey, I won't be opening gifts at my shower. I want to use the time to celebrate, play games and have the families mingle. It's just my personal opinion, but I find it boring watching people open gifts and I don't want people to be bored at my shower. Plus, people can always see what you received on your registry.

I'm camp opening gifts, but this is also because I have a weird tradition of my own...

I, uh, wear bows from wrapped gifts.

Apparently many people will make a hat or a plate of bows to become a hat, but I just stick 'em on my head, straight off.
Like, so:

Apparently this is VERY ENTERTAINING and so.... we opened gifts.