Bridal Showers are pre-wedding parties more common among North Americans. In spite of their rather short history, bridal showers are now common and have become an important part of the marriage ceremony. The occasion allows friends and family one last opportunity to share fun and "spoil" the bride-to-be. The main feature of bridal showers, however, is that they are centered on gifts. Legend has it that the very first bridal shower was organized in order to help a penniless couple that could not afford the dowry.

Gifts, as Socrates once said, are like hooks; meaning that they have the power to create ties of friendship that bind. Therefore, a lot should be taken into consideration when choosing a gift for the bride. Traditionally, it was common for a couple to be given gifts that would start them in married life on a sound footing. Pots and pans, cookbooks and such gifts as emphasized the gender roles in marriage was the norm. Without compromising on tradition, there is still a lot of room for creativity in your selection of gifts bearing in mind the change in circumstances.

The first thing you need to consider when choosing your gifts will be the special or unique needs of the bride. Human beings have varied needs, such as the need to be loved and accepted, or the need to feel beautiful and special. So there is a lot of room for such needs to be addressed by way of unique gifts. How pleasant it would be if you got her something very feminine and personal; something that would make her feel very feminine and at the same time celebrate her womanhood. Depending on her personality, you could gift her some sexy lingerie or some expensive French perfumes and things in that line that modern women care about. You could go a step further and get her something naughty that you know she wouldn’t mind. A little book of sex tips for women not elicit the kind of horrors it did in the past.

Away from the bedroom scene, you could give customized gifts, that is, gifts that come in pairs to symbolize her union, or perhaps gifts that have the bride and grooms name engraved to make them more personal.

Another thing to consider before choosing a gift is that it should reflect something of your own personality. You must pay close attention to the kind of message your gift put across. Let your love and care be radiated in your choice of gift such that they will always bring fond and happy memories that can be held on to during the ebbs and flows of life. Once again, personalities differ, but knowing full well the effects of words on people, a kind, appreciative, loving and profound poem that is also relevant may work wonders. We also know how that music, like poetry, is a language of the emotions and a carefully chosen collection of love songs may just do the trick.

In the final analysis, it is important to remember that weddings are occasion of joy and pride and that they are a celebration of love. More important than the giving of gifts, is the spirit with which the gifts are given. Whatever you choose to give should be governed by the spirit of the occasion.