Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Question of the Day

Creating a gift registry when you move into a new house/buy your first home.



Is it a do or a don't?

Discuss!

(Let me just add that I'm not asking because I am thinking of doing this, I was just inspired to ask, by a debate on another website)

P.S. The rain has continued. Everything on post has been closed minus the shoppette. I shopped at the Italian grocery store today, but they don't have essentials like Dr.Pepper or Reeses, this could get ugly. I'm just grateful our home is not affected by the flooding. Thank god we live far away from the flooding.

25 comments:

Living the Long Life... said...

This is rain is just awful!

About the registry for a new home. Personally, I find it a bit tacky. If someone wants to give you a house warming gift that is great but don't go making a registry to tell people about. The only registries that are ok, in my opinion, are for showers and weddings. That is it!~

Doris said...

I personally think it is a don't. In my opinion it seems a little entitled for someone to expect gifts just because they purchased a new home. Now if people give you gifts for the occasion I think that is great and generous.

I also feel like throwing yourself a shower of some sort is a bit tacky too lol. Especially with babyshowers. If you already have 1 kid why do you need a second shower? I mean even if the new baby is a diffrent sex..you should only need clothes! lol. Just my opinon. Now if a friend or someone throws you a shower ok that is fine. But I have seen on too many instances where the person the shower is for is doing the throwing/gathering of the party! Just a no no in my book. Or maybe Im just a party pooper. lol

Dana said...

Don't.

Rebecca said...

It seems tacky to ask people to give you gifts.

Little Momma said...

Tacky, tacky, tacky! If people want to get you something, great... but registering is essentially saying you expect it.

d.a.r. said...

I think that like second baby showers, this has become much more socially acceptable. However, I think it is greedy and tacky.

Second baby showers, on the other hand, I am warming to. Especially if they are more of a "sprinkle" and a casual affair than a full blown shower.

Jamie said...

I would say definitely a don't! Tacky!

Mowenackie said...

My husband and I eloped, so I didn't have a bridal shower and we didn't get many wedding gifts. I was fine with that since we didn't need much and I understood that by eloping, we pretty much forfeited our right to those things. However, when he gets back from deployment, we are going to be house-hunting. Once we find a place, my mother has said that she’d like to give us a housewarming party. If she does, I will register. I have certainly shelled out enough wedding and baby shower gifts that I won’t feel guilty. One of my cousins had THREE wedding showers…and a bachelorette party!

Mary Teresa said...

I think it depends on the situation. More people are moving out of their parents houses before getting their own house, so when they buy a new house, they already have furniture silverware etc. So whats teh point of a housewarming party? I'm nto a huge fan, but then again I also had to be beaten into registering for my baby....soooo I may not be the best judge.

A Humble Planter said...

Personally I would not, but I LOVE getting things for other people. I just am not comfortable with making a "want list" it feels greedy. For some reason when other people do it it doesn't bother me at all. Now if this person buys a new house at every duty station (so every three years or so) and makes a new registry every time, um yeah NO. :) Baby Showers are also a toss up for me, I know people who are very involved with all their Husband's units and so at each station they have had a baby shower with different people when they were pregnant, that seems fine to me. Its a celebration of life and motherhood which to me is priceless so I will support it!

The OutPost said...

Growing up in Scotland we did not register when anyone got married, that's why you would end up with 5 toasters, 4 kettles, 2 coffee makers, pretty much duplicates of everything. When I met my husband and moved to the States and we got an invitation in for a wedding with the note about the registry, I was shocked and thought it was rather cheeky considering it was a very expensive store. I found out quickly that it was the norm in the States for weddings, engagements and baby showers. I bought all my Kids on their last Christmas at home all the essentials for being on their own, dishes, pots & pans, linen and so on, to get them started. People registering when they buy a home, like everyone else, I find it a bit excessive but I am sure in time, that will become the norm also.

Dana said...

I've been debating on this as well. We just bought a home in OK. My mom wants to give us a gift card to a department store to pick up the essential things we'll need when we first get there, and I'll most likely let her do it. But since all of my family is in NC, and all of Michael's family is in IA, a housewarming registry seems a little uncalled for because no one will be in OK with us. If someone wanted to throw us a party, sure, but it would be more of a "congrats on your new home" kind of thing instead of a gift-giving party.

Anonymous said...

I didn't even know that people did that!

Caroline @ The Feminist Housewife said...

I would never do it. I'm not sure how I feel about other people doing it...I guess its ok. But it does seem a little weird; as if you are asking for gifts!

Patience said...

I think it is tacky. Most people bring housewarming gifts or gift cards, but it is at their discretion.

Erin said...

I think it goes in the category with baby showers for the second child. Not the worst thing, but definitely on the tacky side.

Amber said...

major don't. If I was invited to a housewarming party and directed to a registry I would quickly, but politely, decline that invitations and forever give that couple the side eye.

stefanie said...

I didn't even know such a thing existed. I would find it tacky too. Isn't that what a wedding is for?

Moe said...

I actually know someone who did the registry (but it wasn't even for buying a home....) - and I have to say I think it's incredibly tacky. A previous commenter said it best I think when she said "it seems a little entitled for someone to expect gifts just bc they purchased a new home".

I'm all about housewarming presents....but not the registry.

Shoshanah said...

In a way I think it's a don't because who are you really expecting to buy you presents? However if it's more of a wish list so that your parents have an idea of what types of presents to buy you for the holidays, in that case I don't think it's that bad

Jenn M said...

I agree with Shoshanah...I like to keep a "wishlist" of items at Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, etc, that I want to one day pick up for our place. However, I don't publish that to my friends, and when my mom asks what I want for my birthday or the holidays, I can refer her to the list, while explaining this is what I've planned on buying MYSELF over time, and anything she would like to get (whether on the list or off) is appreciated, but not expected. I didn't really want to make a registry for our wedding, but was told by several people I "had" to...

Crazy Shenanigans-JMO said...

I think it's a don't. I agree about having the wish lists but I wouldn't do a registry for moving into a new home. If you have a housewarming party people would feel required to bring something.

Unknown said...

Um I say its tacky. I mean if you have a house warming party that's fine but even then I don't think its okay to create a registry.

Unknown said...

I always feel like I suck at making etiquette decisions like this.. But I would be embarrassed to make a gift registry for a housewarming party. Especially if you had a wedding shower and people have already given you house gifts?? I think housewarming parties are awesome, but I also feel like they are geared more towards the guests, as a chance to make them feel welcome in your new home.. not the other way around.

Allison said...

100% don't. Super tacky!