Okay so FI has this family friend (older woman in her 60s) - he grew up with her son. During our shower there 2 weekends ago, she asks, in front of everyone, "Is it okay if we didn't buy you something off your registry? Because I didn't..." and I told her of course, we will love whatever it is. She told us she had to mail it to us so we left it at that.
Fast forward to last night, a big box comes in the mail and we open it up and it's stuff from Tiffany's! She bought us a beautiful basketweave vase and 2 crystal candlestick holders. I love them both...but - here's the problem. We don't have any use for these (especially the candlestick holders). I could get some use out of the vase possibly, but to be honest, FI just bought me flowers last week for the first time in our entire 2.5 year relationship. I just don't have any place to put the candlestick holders...we have no formal living room, no formal dining room...they would just go in the box in the basement. She gave us a Waterford Crystal bowl last year for our engagement and it's been in the basement since then. It's not that we don't like them, but we just don't use that kind of stuff...it's not our style.
So...I was thinking...since we have a lot of stuff on our registry that wasn't purchased...would it be horrible if I at least took the candlestick holders back and bought something off the registry that we would use daily? There is a ton of stuff we need, and I feel bad putting these gorgeous candlestick holders in a box for the next 50 years.
The only thing FI was afraid of was if she asked to see them, but FWIW, she has never been to our house in 3 years, and she lives 4 hours away. I'm sorry if I sound like a horrible person! I just think, if I bought someone a gift, I would want them to use it...not put it in the basement in a box.
