Virtual Baby Shower: Cool Or Crass?

This new trend basically means doing away with the live aspects of a shower (such as passing around cute little outfits and having a few dozen hands pat your belly) and simply creating a web page with a link to your gift registry. While I completely understand your desire to connect to faraway friends and family, posting your registry and calling it a "shower" violates one of the enduring rules of etiquette: Never ask for gifts. Web etiquette ("netiquette") expert Julie Spira agrees, adding: "Don't be tempted to post a link to your registry on your Facebook page, either."

But that doesn't mean you can't use modern technology to update traditions and bring the world a little closer together. Spira suggests trying a program like Google+ Hangouts: You create a video "shower" with multiple people, and everyone can drink tea, eat cupcakes and play simple shower games together.

As for your registry, don't worry: Word will get around whether or not you post it. That relative who has yet to figure out how to use her Betamax, however, will still send an itchy outfit your child will never wear. Some things just don't change, no matter how high-tech we get.