Wedding Etiquette Forum

Random baby shower question

For anyone who has thrown a baby shower:  One of my good friends at work is pregnant.  We are doing a work shower for her, and she has mentioned before that she really wants a lot of books.  
What is the best way to go about that without her getting a lot of duplicates?  I know a lot of people will use that as the 'card' and write a message inside.  Is there any way to somehow avoid all the repeats?
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Re: Random baby shower question

  • Not that I've ever seen.  Unless she could do a book registry somehow, but I doubt it.  I know most people who have done the books said they didn't mind the duplicates because then they could just keep copies in the car or at Grandma's or something.  
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  • So I shouldn't make an excel spreadsheet for everyone to write down what they get?  Cause I am anal enough to do just that.  
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  • Could you keep a list with you? I know you probably want them to be a surprise to her, but like for potlucks we all sign up with what we're bringing so people don't bring duplicates. Maybe if someone buys a book they can tell you and you can keep a list?
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_random-baby-shower-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c478c178-009e-4560-8265-39e5422e75b0Post:cfcbee3e-c30f-4da6-bb80-582215bd367f">Re: Random baby shower question</a>:
    [QUOTE]Could you keep a list with you? I know you probably want them to be a surprise to her, but like for potlucks we all sign up with what we're bringing so people don't bring duplicates. Maybe if someone buys a book they can tell you and you can keep a list?
    Posted by msmerymac[/QUOTE]
    this is exaclty what I was going to do, but I didn't know if it would be rude to be like "Sorry, Sue already bought Pat the Bunny, try again."
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  • Oh wait, yeah I missed that it was just work people.  You definitely could do a sign up sheet or something.  I was thinking you wanted to do something inside the invites.
    imageBabyFruit Ticker
  • thanks guys, I'm going to do something like that.  She has no family up here, and really only knows work people, so I want to try and make it extra nice for her. 
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  • You could have her make a wish list/registry on Amazon. I mean it's really no different than if she registered at Babies R Us or something, and she can just add books instead :-) They also have an option to check off "buying this gift elsewhere" on the wish lists, so people don't necessarily have to get them from Amazon if they want to run to Barnes and Noble or something instead.
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  • Love that people are trying to make sure babies are read too! That said - and I don't know how big your office is - can you say "x is hoping to build a baby library, if interested please sign up for a category and break it down into numbers, shapes, colors, letters, bathtub books, pooh, sesame street, etc.? And then ask them to tell you which books they got after to try to avoid duplicates?

    I usually just grab stuff while at the store with out thinking of titles so that may help with last minute shopping or people trying to buy more by shopping the clearance bin.
  • I was going to suggest using an Excel spreadsheet and setting it up as a google doc or put it on your office's shared drive (if you have one).
  • I like Strlzfan's idea of putting it on a google doc/shared office drive.
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  • What about designating 2-3 people to go in together to buy a bunch of books ?  I bought my friend's kid brand new books from Half Price Books for her first birthday for like $3/piece.  And they were the board kind that they can't rip.  If you did that you could spend $50-$75 on books and probably get 20 or so, and then everyone else could buy off the registry.
    Abigail Rose, EDD 6/8/13 BabyFetus Ticker

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  • She could register for books on amazon
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  • Thanks for all the suggestions ladies!
    I think I'm going to run the amazon idea by her and see what she thinks.  Usually, we all put in money and get one of the more expensive items off their registry.  This friend happens to be pretty well off, and I think she would appreciate the sentimental-ness of books with personalized notes inside to the baby as opposed to a fancy stroller.  She has absolutely zero family up here, so I'm sure they will have a shower in her hometown, I just wanted to try and make this one memorable for her.
    I'll see what she thinks, it's her baby after all, not mine so what I think doesn't really matter :)  I certainly don't expect each of the 70 or so women I work with to go buy her a book, I just thought it would be a nice idea for something that I picked up in a conversation with her.  
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