Do you like gift registries?

[Vela]

I think it's good and bad. In some ways its a good idea, so you aren't wasting your money on useless gifts, and on the downside it DOES seem almost greedy. When I get a wedding invitation and it says "registerd at wherever" I get a feeling of "greedy list of demands", even though that may not always be the case. I dunno I guess I'm kind of in a toss up about it. It is helpful, but I also would rather give a gift certificate rather than seeing the actual lists. It really only bothers me I guess when I see a list that has things for hudnreds of dollars on it and expensive items, that I think is unfair of anyone to actuall expect people to buy for them. When I see that it makes me want to not get them anything=x

[Karen]

I like gift registries - one needn't buy something "on the list," but often it can give you an idea of what color schemes, etc., the person is going with, and buy accordingly. I hated filling them out when we got married, but the mothers both insisted we do so. Now, years later, I see just how handy they are!

[Blue_Frog]

I've never been a huge fan of registries either, but i can totally see the need for them for things like weddings and showers. It helps since someone might think something is really nice but might be totally something you wouldn't like or that wouldn't fit into your decor. It also helps so that you dont end up with 3 blenders or something like that as well. But then again, thats what gift receipts are for

I never thought to use the registry for colour ideas tho - thanks Karen! I usually make people stuff (stained glass, quilts, etc.), so that would be totally helpful to match to their living space

[jazzcat]

I like them because it make it so much easier for me to get a gift, especially if it is for someone I don't know well.

On the other hand it has made me think differently about some people when I see how extensive their registry is. I remember buying a baby gift for my parents' neighbor and just about falling over when I saw the dozens of pages of items. This was for a baby on the way and she had clothing listed for ages newborn up till the baby would be 4-5 years old plus just about every toy in the store. I've never seen anyone have clothes that wouldn't be needed for years on a gift registry. Is that common?

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I like registries, but hate showers. I have a baby registry/wish list on amazon. I have spent hours upon hours looking at baby products and reading reviews. I also considered prices in the products I listed. I put things on the list that I need and will buy if I don't receive them as gifts. I don't expect gifts from my family and friends, but the registry is there to help them if they choose to give a gift.

I completely hate the whole idea of a shower (wedding, baby, or other). Even though someone else gives the shower I feel it's a greed party. The way I see it is if someone would like to give my baby a gift they are more than welcome to and every gift will be greatly appreciated. I don't however want a shower where people feel obligated to give a gift.

[popcornbird]

I personally do not like gift registeries. A lot of my friends tried to get me to have one for my wedding, but I refused. While I know it can be helpful in the sense that you'd only get what you need, it just seems so greedy to me, to make a list of things I want. I do know that people who do registeries are not necessarily doing it for greedy purposes, but for necessity, however, its not something I'm a fan of. I just felt like, "If I make a registry, its almost like I'm TELLING people to bring gifts on my wedding." Anyhow, I didn't do a registery, but I was worried about getting too many of the same gifts, and then having problems exchanging them, etc. We resorted to writing, "No boxed gifts please" in our wedding invitation cards. It worked great. We didn't have the trouble of carrying 200 boxes home after the reception. Close friends that wanted to give us a nice, special gift did so by bringing it home to us either the day before the wedding, or a few days after. The rest of the guests either gave us gift cards, jewelry, or cash. It worked great for us. With the gift cards, we were able to buy whatever we needed/wanted. We still have some...that I intend to use during the big holiday sales this season.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I don't like registries for the same reasons listed. I feel if I am giving a gift I should know the person well enough to either know what they like or feel comfortable enough to ask.

We asked for "no gifts please" at our wedding. Being "of an age" and combining two households we didn't need anything. And over the years I had tired of the extortion I often felt....your gift must cover the cost of the dinner??? We just wanted people to join us and we wanted to have a party to celebrate.

On the other hand.....I do understand the practicality of them. I just like to give and receive gifts that have some of the giver in them. (And I use them when my husband asks me to get a gift for one of his many, many cousins or the like!) I said I didn't like them....I didn't say I don't use them....

[caseysmom]

I am not offended by gift registries at all, especially for weddings. The cost of weddings is so much I think its nice to be buying something to help the couple start their household. We recently went to a wedding at a really nice place in the heart of San Francisco, it was such a treat and must have cost the parents a fortune and I was glad there were some more expensive gifts to choose from since my girls were invited too.

I got married 25 years ago and they were pretty common then, I remember trying to make sure I only had affordable gifts on my registry though.