Are you a registry or off-registry gift giver??

Mrs.Carlybella · November 2009

I have always been a registry girl (except weddings- we give $)

Having B makes me tempted to go off reg for baby showers and buy things like aden & anais swaddles, Sophie, Winkel, picky-sticky month things, for friends. But I have it ingrained in my head that I should stick to the registry

BengalBelle · November 2009

It depends. If I'm in a hurry, I'll shop registry. If I'm taking my time, I'll go off if I find something I know the couple/mother would like.

BitterOldHag · November 2009

I do a little of both for baby showers. Bridal showers = strictly registry. Weddings = cash.

MiaVonT · November 2009

I use to be the same too

But after habing LOs I see what is really needed and what is gimmick .... I think a lot of first time moms fall into gimmicks ... like a wipe warmer ... after thinking about it .. I returned mine and bought what I should have

afg · November 2009

Definitely a registry buyer.

And I'm still a registry buyer because the things on the registry I really needed - the sophie, winkel, expensive swaddles I don't have to have.

aelyngstad · November 2009

I try to do both for baby showers. I will buy some things off of the registry, but then give things that I really have found handy. Like HBOTB, picksticky, or other things like that.

nolebride · November 2009

That's funny you say that because I'm the exact same way. I recently went to to different baby showers for the same friend and I bought her stuff that I really liked having for LO...nothing off her registry. I felt kinda uneasy about it. I still stick to registry with wedding gifts.

kklickka · November 2009

I never used to buy from registries (I wanted to get them some thing "special" and "thoughtful") but now that I've gotten married and had a baby and we got almost nothing we registered for and needed but a sh!t ton of vases (for the wedding) and cutesy baby outfits that were NMS, I buy from the registry.

BTW, I responded to your PM from a few days ago, I didn't know if you saw it.

cminNJ · November 2009

I try to shop from the registry... which is why I'm at the store as soon as I get the invite.. I want first pick at gifts..

pinkle08 · November 2009

I do one of each. That way they get what they want and something I find helpful.

amhough · November 2009

Strictly registry for wedding/bridal shower gifts, but for baby showers I let loose a little.

yale · November 2009

Definitely registry. Unless there's not much left, then money or gift card.

Califragilistic · November 2009

if depends. before DD I was always registry but now Im more prone to give the less fun things but the things they will need. like diapers, wipes, etc..

Temp534591562502098 · November 2009

I try to get them something useful and something fun. If they have useful newborn things on there then I'll try to get them that. If they only have fluff on their registry then I'll get them practical stuff off-registry.

kerivp · November 2009

For baby showers, I think I would tend to get something off the registry, plus one other item that I found really useful when I had LO.

For weddings, definitely registry.

mobiz · November 2009

pinkle08:
I do one of each. That way they get what they want and something I find helpful.

this-i do a combo gift

Mrs_mam · November 2009

If I know the person very well, I will give a registry gift and a non-registry gift. I got all of my friends gifts from their baby registries, but then I also knitted baby hats for each baby. If I don't know them, I definitely stick to the registry or give money/gift cards.

grinsandgiggles · November 2009

It depends on the person.

DH's cousin is having a baby and her registry is full of stupid stuff or stuff for toddlers. She put no effort into her registry and their family hasn't been around a baby since they were babies. For them we are going off-registry.

My sister's friend we bought off of her registry because she knows what she needs/wants.

WendyBird&Chris · November 2009

Bridal Showers = Towel cake (with the towels they registered for) or if it's a coed shower I make a Bride and Groom Towel cake

Weddings = cash or gift cards

Baby Showers = I go off the registry ONLY I usually always get the diaper bag they registered for and fill it with travel wipe packs, matching pacifier pod, pacifiers, formula dispensers and the carseat toys. I used to make blankets too but since I received soooooo many blankets that I don't know what to do with I don't do that for people anymore.

water-fairy · November 2009

I go by registry.

Pesky · November 2009

Generally I am a registry buyer except for baby showers when there are practical things that I don't see. For example, for one mom to be, I did go off her registry completely -- and bought things like infant tylenol, cloth diapers for burp cloths, baby wash and cradle cap shampoo, aquaphor, etc. The super practical stuff no one wants to buy and most new moms don't think of until you really need it.

bethisamommy! · November 2009

It depends on what has already been purchased off of the registry and all that. If all the expensive things that no one wants to get have been bought and all thats left is like clothes i'll try and get things I know the mother could use but maybe didn't think of or couldn't add because the store didn't sell it. There were a lot of things I didn't register for (bowls, spoons, sippy cups, etc) then I needed but didnt register for because it'd be "awhile" before I used it. However I have WAY too many clothes for Savannah and she grows out of them before she wears them all.

katypresson · November 2009

I'm an off-registry gift giver for baby showers. I'm going to one this weekend and made a diaper cake for it with my leftover size 2 pampers swaddlers. I also "decorated" the cake with a rattle, 2 newborn caps, and the famous "monthly onesie stickers". Hope she likes it! Smile

Weddings I buy from the registry. If I don't have time to shop (like DH reminds me last minute that we have a wedding reception to attend), I either do cash or stop at Walgreens and get a card and gift card to a restaurant.