Oh, Jordana, how our showers have changed!

On Sunday we showered my daughter Jordana with good wishes at her bridal shower. Let me just say, “Boy, have times changed.”

When I first married 33 years ago my friends hosted a surprise bridal shower. Somehow I found out about it but decided to keep it to myself and act surprised. The plan was to meet with the woman designing our ketubah, and stop by at my friend Lynn after. She was hosting the shower at her house. I decided to have some fun, and put on an old pair of jeans and t-shirt.

My mom said, “You’re going to wear that?” Funny she said it the same as I ask that very same question to my husband on a regular basis. I replied to my mom “yes, why not, I’m not going anywhere special, what’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” We had a back and forth for a while and then I relented and changed into an appropriate “shower” outfit. Can’t remember what it was was, but chances are it had big shoulders. I still feel badly till this day that I tortured my mom for those ten minutes. She laughed about it after, though.

So there I was doing my best impression of a surprised bride-to-be. Apologies to all my dear friends.

The menu in those “shower” days were blintz soufflé, bagels and lox, salads, and lasagna. The paper plates were usually adorned with a shower theme. 

Presents were whatever someone felt like giving you. My year was the year of the bowl — salad bowls, crystal bowls, wooden bowls and lucite bowls. 

For entertainment we had funny toasts.

Fast-forward 33 years

There is usually a theme and the tables are decorated to match. Since Jordana loves MacKenzie Childs (which I will dearly miss when she takes them to her new apartment, they have been on loan to me in my kitchen for the last few months), we decided to go with that. Jordana doesn’t like surprises, so I was able to OK it with her. What made it easy was that she received so many beautiful MacKenzie serving pieces, canisters, cake plates, bowls, utensil holders, etc.

I ordered cupcakes and cookies with MacKenzie patterns, displayed all the pieces she received and then borrowed a few from friends. Thanks, Janet and Debbie!