Check out this baby shower invitation I got

[CBRorBust]

Okay Okay Okay.....get out your torches!

While I 100% agree with it being RUDE and just TACKY to do this, instead of asking for monetary gifts, I would have expected them to say "your presence is our gift to us on our day" or something like that.

HOWEVER

As for the inserted line of "Blank and Blank prefer monetary gifts, blah, blah, blah" in a Wedding invite/word of mouth/whatever type thing, I kind of see the point to that one. Am I alone with that?

Just because I know that a lot of couples that do ask for a monetary gift usually have paid for the wedding themselves, they already lived alone/together, so they really have no need for ANOTHER toaster. You know what I mean?

And as for asking for the gift receipt, I'm going to agree with the couple as well, Do you know how hard it is to return something at Target? Well it's twice as hard to return things of a gift registry! And no one needs 4 Breast Pumps!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Here ya go, Jill, the perfect gift......

 

[Lewski709]

I agree Dan. Jill....this is something that they definately won't have. They may think, what the hell when they open it....but that's the same reaction I had after reading the invite.

 

[Kallison]

If they don't need anything make a donation to charity in their name to a Children's Hospital or something along those lines.

 

[4cruisin]

Personally, I would RSVP to the invitation and explain that I have previous plans. Then, once the baby is born, I would send a nice card and note congratulating them and wishing them well.

Anyone that is that rude will not appreciate any gift you give them.

How sad for the child being born to those parents.

JMHO

Nancy

 

[ead79]

Oh good grief, people just amaze me these days. How tacky can you get? That basically says to me, "We really don't care who comes and who doesn't. Just send us a big check, or if you *have* to buy us something, be sure to get a receipt so we can return it when we hate it. All we care about is ourselves and what WE want." 150% RUDE and TACKY!

 

[Kimberle]

Yup, I agree. Rude & tacky!

Wonder what kind of a "turnout" this shower will receive.

I'd be "busy" on that day. I wouldn't bother with any kind of a gift. What's the point? If they didn't like it, it'd just be tossed anyway.......

 

[huey duey & luey]

Originally posted by browneyes
It would kinda make me think to find a unique gift at any location other than where they're registered.

without the gift receipt of course.

 

[PamOKW]

I like 4crusin's idea.

The point of a shower is to get ready for the baby. Heck, isn't the point to be able to ooh and aah over all the baby items? If they've got everything then why bother with a shower? Asking for cash is beyond tacky. It makes the point of the party just to give them money to use for things beside the baby....since they already have everything they need for the child.

Yes, it is tacky to put anything like this in a wedding invitation, too. But, it would be alright to spread word of mouth that cash is among the gifts the couple would like. As I understand it, cash is more acceptable in certain parts of the country than in others.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Sorry if I had not seen them in five years I would send a nice congratulations card. It would state have a wonderful shower, wish I could be there!

 

[RitaZ.]

Do you know how hard it is to return something at Target? Well it's twice as hard to return things of a gift registry! And no one needs 4 Breast Pumps!

Isn't the purpose of gift registry to ask for what you need/want, thus avoiding duplicates?

I think the invitation is tacky. Years ago, I received an invitation to a wedding shower in which the host asked for a fee (I think it was $22.50 per person) in order to attend the shower. They basically wanted their guests to pay for the party along with getting a gift. You can guess what I did with that invitation...

 

[Alice28]

Beyond tacky and rude!

I have rec'd plenty of invitations that state something along the lines of "If you would like a gift idea, the mother to be is registered at Target" which I think is fine, but NOTHING as forward as what you've received!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HappyMommy2]

Good gracious.
I think that pretty much defeats the purpose of a baby shower.

I just don't know what's supposed to be appropriate these days.
How about this--I know someone who had supposedly already collected EVERYTHING she needed for her baby (her first) but her friends wanted to do a baby shower, so they put out a cute baby shower invitation and included instructions that we should buy gifts for the mom (perfume, lotions, kitchen stuff, etc.) instead of gifts for the baby. The mom even had a gift registry for herself at Amazon.com! I felt a bit put off by this (though I usually do include a little pampering item for the mom with any baby shower gift)---should I have been? I did go to the shower and lo and behold most people brought baby gifts after all! Maybe that was rude too--who knows?

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

Gheez!

To me, shower gifts should be about the guest picking out something special, putting in thought and care, getting the new mother (or bride, in wedding showers) something they may not have thought to get themselves, not about handing over cash or checking items off a list!

 

[lil mermaid]

While I agree that the invitation insert is tacky....it may be possible that the people that the shower is for have no idea what it says. I have a good friend that had this happen to her...her SIL planned a shower for her and put something equally tacky inside the shower invite (I can't remember, exactly.) Anyway, I knew her so I knew it was not something that she would be a part of. She ended up finding out because another friend told her...and was MORTIFIED.

I have to say though....if I hadn't seen the people in five years, I sort of would wonder why they were inviting me.

 

[sgtdisney]

I agree with everyone else. The invitation is both tacky and extremely rude. If possible I wouldn't even bother attending. The purpose of the shower is to 'shower' the new parents with gifts for the new baby.

I do know how these family things go though. So, if you have to go, here is my suggestion. Buy something cute and relatively nice that you like, but as inexpensive as possible. Make sure to NOT buy it at any store that they are registered at and DO NOT give a gift receipt. If they have the gall and classlessness to ask you for the receipt simply tell them you lost it and tell them you bought it at a store that you didn't. The whole thing behind giving gifts is the thought behind it. Obviously whoever send out those invitations put NO thought behind them.

 

[CBRorBust]

Isn't the purpose of gift registry to ask for what you need/want, thus avoiding duplicates?

True.

But there are a lot of people that buy "off the registry" but don't mention to the cashier that they are buying for a registry. Hence the reason why it's still possible to get duplicate gifts.

 

[Jeafl]

I can tell you exactly why I am invited even though I haven't seen them in years. That side of the family has all pretty much died off. The only people they have to invite is me, my 2 sisters and my mother. If none of us go, it will be her family only.

My husband thinks I should decline the invitation altogether. I haven't quite decided what to do yet. I don't want to hurt my aunt's feelings (Paul's mother).

 

[believe]

When I get these types of 'inserts' it reminds me how ungrateful people are becoming. Why can't individuals just be grateful that someone is willing to give them a gift?????

 

[Lorix2]

Wow, what makes them more special than anyone else having a baby? I mean, the BABY needs things, they don't NEED money for the BABY. I wish people would stop and reread how they word things.

I'm sure they probably don't know about the wording in the invitation. If it were me, I'd be extremely embarrassed about it.

I thought the point of a baby shower was to "shower" the baby with gifts it'll need.

I had a baby shower for my first with over 50 people. I was grateful for every single item, right down to the nail clippers and wash cloths. I wouldn't have wanted anyone's money, just their being there to celebrate with me was enough as far as I was concerned.

Nothing is as simple as it should be anymore, huh?

Congrats to the parents to be.