Invitation Verse

by Donna
(Lombard, IL)

We are having a "presentation" shower; don't wish for gifts to be wrapped. The sentiment being that wrapping paper is wasteful, not "green," and takes time from the enjoyment of everyone being together at the shower.
Just as at the wedding shower, gifts can be displayed with a card identifying who it's from. Sometimes opening the umpteenth cute blanket sleeper in a large crowd of women gets tiresome.

Also, we would welcome "gently used" baby items. Kind of along the lines of a green wedding not using precious resources to be thrown away, a baby could benefit from items/clothing that have been off-gassed of all the chemicals with which they are treated. Also, it makes sense to reuse, not throw it away. Like buying something from Ebay or Craig's List could be a really great thing, but people who attend a baby shower would ordinarily be not inclined to make that great find on line -- get a fabulous item gently used, for a very reasonable price. Or that Pack 'n Play that looks great, hardly been used, but the owner would not feel great about bringing as a gift.

So how to say it in an invite? We've come up with something like Roses are red, violets are blue, the mommy-to-be is going green ...

But that's pretty unimpressive.

Any thoughts, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.