Wedding shower - gifting

Nebb

Help me out with this. I have a shower to go to on Sunday and I generally spend 50$ and thats all I have budgeted for. With tax, the gift cant really exceed 43$ or I will go over budget. I have looked at the registry and with 43$ I can buy a tissue box and 2 face clothes, 2 hand towels, or a cookie sheet and a spring form pan. That seems sorta measley to me, from a "hey lets look at all the awesome gifts people got me" standpoint and I will feel really lame. Last time I went to a shower 3 girls and I went in on a gift so it was more impressive but 1 of those girls is the bride and the other is her sister so that didnt really work out this time. I just dont want to look like a cheap loser with no money.

 

SO. My question to you since I over analyze everything and cant make decisions on my own. What should I do?

Blueyed228

Gift card!

AllAboutTheBenjamin

I voted gift card.  I loved getting those!

Blueyed228

Or if you want a gift, why  not buy say the pan and then get some baking stuff to go with it?  I sometimes do baskets of a mix of things they registered for and things they didnt.  Like if you get the pan, you can get some cake mixes and sprinkles, cupcake holders etc. 

Im going to a shower in April and I bought the pasta maker and kitchen towels/mitts but im going to add some fancy sauces etc to the basket.

raynes

I like Blue's idea.  For my cousin's shower I got her the cooling rack she registered for and a fun dessert cookbook.  I've also done baking pans and cake mix.

Blueyed228

Nebb- I even wrap up the basket pretty with tulle and a big bow.  You can get the baskets at the thrift store.

achiduck

I tend to spend the same as you, maybe a bit more depending on my budget at the time and how close I am to the bride. 

Gift cards are always a winner

pirategal03

I think having her open a gift card at a shower is even more anticlimatic then a small/singular gift.  I vote physical gift, even if it's off-registry.

RailWayWife

Gift card

shaydenise

I love Blue's idea!  I love doing baskets like that, they're so much fun.

cheeseandrice

I agree Pirate.  I'm all for gift cards for almost everything... except showers.

Nebb- those combinations don't sound meager to me! I vote physical gift.

pirategal03

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wedding-shower-gifting?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:e2d17309-3581-421d-99f5-c1aaf2e6c6f5Post:06f223fa-6965-4a90-b774-9b6b7c3323be">Re: Wedding shower - gifting</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wedding shower - gifting : My mom feels the same way about gift cards. She thinks people who buy gift cards are too lazy to put any thought into buying a gift. But I think I would rather be able to use the card to pick something I really wants vs something off registry just so I could have something to open.
Posted by Dot Dash[/QUOTE]

I have no problem with gift cards for wedding presents...except at a shower.  You're not showering the bride (or new mom, whichever) with small pieces of plastic.  You're showering them with things that will help with the next stage of life and cheesy crap like that. 

I am not a fan of gift cards in all circumstances, and yes, sometimes I think the gift giver is lazy.  Probably because often when I give a gift card and it's becuase I was lazy or forgetful.  I always have a stash of gift cards and blank notecards in my house for times when I've forgotten a gift/card giving occasion. 

Nebb

I'm a shithead. I don't really want to spend all day preparing this gift, so I don't want to make a basket if I can avoid it. I feel like it would get out of hand cost wise everything is more expensive here, everything and I really cannot go over the budget. I guess it looks lazy but I got several gc's at my shower and I didn't personally think that at the time.

Blueyed228

Nebb- do you have any cute containers, hat boxes, etc lying around?

cheeseandrice

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wedding-shower-gifting?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:e2d17309-3581-421d-99f5-c1aaf2e6c6f5Post:5ba6c0de-e6f3-45d4-98e2-e72652a71f7d">Re:Wedding shower gifting</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm a shithead. I don't really want to spend all day preparing this gift, so I don't want to make a basket if I can avoid it. I feel like it would get out of hand cost wise everything is more expensive here, everything and I really cannot go over the budget. I guess it looks lazy but I got several gc's at my shower and I didn't personally think that at the time.
Posted by Nebb[/QUOTE]

Maybe just get a few little things and a gc for $25 (or the rest of the budget.)  Then she has something to 'open' at the shower? and people can just speculate on how generous you were with the gc ;) Throw it all in a bag.

cheeseandrice

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wedding-shower-gifting?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:e2d17309-3581-421d-99f5-c1aaf2e6c6f5Post:1205eb0f-18e4-4b2b-99a7-4b7c30e9dbdf">Re: Wedding shower - gifting</a>:
[QUOTE]Nebb- do you have any cute containers, hat boxes, etc lying around?
Posted by Blueyed228[/QUOTE]

Do people typically have hat boxes just lying around? ;) haha

Nebb

If we did have any, we cant get to them. Most of that used to be in the basement and everything in the basement is currently crammed into one room and you cant move around in it so I will have to buy something. The only thing I have accessible are christmas cookie tins lol that wont work.

pirategal03

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wedding-shower-gifting?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:e2d17309-3581-421d-99f5-c1aaf2e6c6f5Post:f435b24f-d185-4c8f-b1b9-4369dd4766c5">Re: Wedding shower - gifting</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wedding shower - gifting : Do people typically have hat boxes just lying around? ;) haha
Posted by Steph+J[/QUOTE]

I have several.

Also round wooden cheese boxes.

Get with it, Steph.

pirategal03

It just occurred to me how much I sound like a little old lady when we start talking about stuff like this. 

Nebb

God I frigging hate weddings This is hard!

 

I texted my friend to ask if her sister would be pissed to get a gift card. Shes... quick tempered, so I dont want to get something that would also piss her off. 

Nebb

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wedding-shower-gifting?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:e2d17309-3581-421d-99f5-c1aaf2e6c6f5Post:768dcfe2-c688-434b-b80d-51f392d05ce6">Re: Wedding shower - gifting</a>:
[QUOTE]Does she like to shop? I think GCs are great gifts for people who enjoy shopping, even if it is a registry store gift card. Another thing to look at is what type of gifter she is. Has she ever given you a GC in the past? If so, then most likely she wouldn't have a problem receiving one.
Posted by kodakitty[/QUOTE]
I honestly dont know. We have been friends since we were 4 but I was always closer to her sister and I honestly cant remember what she got me for my shower/wedding. I might have the wedding gift noted somewhere at home, but not the shower. I sorta wanna just say eff it and get her a glass cake dome stand but it would come to almost 70$. At this point I almost dont even care the extra 20$ but then I feel like im a jerk for not spending more on my other friend recently.

pirategal03

You're really over thinking this. 

cheeseandrice

Nebby, I think you're stressing out too much. FWIW, I think $50 is more than generous for a shower gift.

Nebb

I over think EVERYTHING. Its one of my worst habits, I get myself worked up over very very pointless things. 

reils

I loved getting gift cards for wedding/shower gifts. I would way rather have a GC than something random that I won't really use. That and H and I have kind of expensive taste so I was able to put all of our GC together to get the pricey items on our registry.

I also don't think that the gifts you mentioned sounded measley.  The kleenex box holder and towels would be all you would need to put in a half bath so you just decorated a whole room! 

Blueyed228

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wedding-shower-gifting?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:e2d17309-3581-421d-99f5-c1aaf2e6c6f5Post:f435b24f-d185-4c8f-b1b9-4369dd4766c5">Re: Wedding shower - gifting</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wedding shower - gifting : Do people typically have hat boxes just lying around? ;) haha
Posted by Steph+J[/QUOTE]

lol, i do

Girlie1030

This is how I picture Blue showing up to showers now.

Wiscisbliss

I often go slightly off registry for showers.  So in this case I might get the cookie sheet and a cookie cookbook... Similar to Blue's idea.  

My favorite thing to get people is a vase that matches thier dishes.  Tons of my friends registered for Fiestaware, but don't/can't register for the vases because they aren't at many stores.  I order one off of amazon for them.  

Nebb

Eh, I just got a gift card. I conferred with her sister and she said it sounds just fine and she will love it so whatevs. I will write something super nice in the card.

SouthernBenderAffair

OP,

I personaly like opening a gift, but don't hate on gift cards.
Things Remembered has great personal gifts, you can find some things there that are reasonably priced...