Bridal shower is a party generally hosted by the bridesmaid a few days prior to the wedding. Guests are invited to shower the would be bride and groom with gifts which would enliven their new home. The groom is generally not invited to the party. During the party games are played to add life to the party. The custom of bridal shower games is popular in the US, Australia and Canada.

The history of bridal showers can be traced back to the 1500-1600 in the country of Holland. The legend goes that a Dutch maiden fell in love with a Dutch miller. The miller was blessed with a golden heart and used his fortune to alleviate the distress of the poor and hence was as poor as a church mouse. The girl’s father was vehemently opposed to the match and refused to bless his daughter with a dowry. However the villagers came to the rescue of the lovelorn couple. Each villager brought a gift which would help the new couple to set up house. The gifts were stored in a chest which was filled to the brim. The villagers then showered the girl with gifts. Her father experienced a change of heart and gave his blessings. Since that day a new bride would receive gifts from her family and friends to help her embark on a new journey. It proved to be a boon for girls hailing from poor families whose fathers were unable to provide dowry. In the 1890’s the tradition of bridal showers began in earnest as friends and relatives of the bride would pack gifts in a parasol which was opened over the bride’s head. The bride received a shower of gifts. The bridal shower was perceived as an alternative to the custom of giving dowry.  The term ‘Bridal Shower’ was first used in the Grand Rapids, Michigan Evening Press 22 June 4, 1904: “The ‘shower parties’ that through mistaken hospitality the wedded couple are forced to attend…”.

In the 1890s the custom of bridal showers was celebrated in the urban areas of the US mostly by the upper middle class.  By the 1930s the custom had spread to the rural areas of America as well. In the beginning these parties were spontaneous. Guests arrived unannounced in the home of the future bride and showered her with gifts. However with the passage of time these parties were more elaborately planned. Food and drinks were served and games incorporated to add to the fun. In the beginning most bridal shower parties were in the form of luncheons but later more and more shower parties took place in the evenings. Traditionally all guests at the bridal shower gathering were women but later men too were invited. One of the earliest games played was know the bride. The host would write questions relating to the bride on strips of paper and then handed them out to the guests. The questions could be which the bride’s favorite color is or which habit she detests most? All the guests were required to write down the answer to the questions. The bride would then go through the papers and declare the winner.