Tuesday, June 28, 2005

I'm sick of being creative!

Between May 14th and September 3rd, Dan and I have 6 weddings to attend. I LOVE weddings, but when it comes to buying gifts, I'm sick of being creative.

The first two weddings lucked out. They got actual gifts from their registry. They were even gift-wrapped by the great people at Marshall Fields.

I went shopping today for the remaining four weddings. I figured I'd just get it over with. :) Well, it's hard to get it over with when people are registered for freaking EXPENSIVE stuff! For instance, one couple's place settings are $99 a piece. And they want 12 of them. That's $1200 just for their dinnerware. You feel silly getting something off of a registry like this. Basically because all I could really afford would be a toothpick holder. Honestly, the prices of MOST of the items on this particular list are in the triple digits. Scary. (Don't worry, I'm confident this couple will never come across my blog).

The next dilemma is when you are invited to a wedding that you weren't expecting to be invited to. You don't know them very well, they weren't invited to your wedding, etc. But even if you don't go, you are obliged to get a gift. Stupid wedding etiquette. :) Unfortunately, I'm good at following rules.

All of this to say that after a couple hours of shopping today, I came home with four giftcards. I am trying to get over my preconceived ideas that giftcards are impersonal. I remember we loved getting giftcards when we got married. We loved everything we got when we got married.

Well, except for that clearly recycled gift screwdriver set...

4 comments:

jeffmacsimus said...

Pardon me if my inner neanderthal is showing, but since when does being invited automatically OBLIGATE you to buy a gift??? Everyone who's inviting me to weddings knows I'm POOR. REALLY REALLY POOR. I do try to do what I can...like make something or whatnot, but I hope people don't EXPECT the high-buck items out of me...

On the other hand, maybe THAT'S why so many old friends have stopped calling...

Erin Bennett said...

First of all, I love the pez dispenser idea. They have awesome Star Wars ones.
However, I like the date night basket idea EVEN better. :)
And as far as gift giving obligation, it actually is published wedding etiquette. Of course not everyone gives a rat's behind about wedding etiquette, and I'm SURE couples understand when people are REALLY POOR (in your own words). We certainly did. :) But I think when you have been on the "gift receiving" side of the scenario, there is a different obligation or feeling about it. That's all. I love buying and giving wedding gifts. (I'm STILL trying to get over the boredom factor of the giftcards). It's just that six weddings in one summer is a little overwhelming. :)

Lisa said...

It's funny that my first communication since being home is on your blog... but this one hit me because as I was browsing through the piles of mail I got while in Belize, I got all 3 wedding invites of the ones I expected. It was just really funny to me. I really do love them all, but still maybe just a little bitter. And, the whole gift thing overwhelms me as well. Ugh... here we go...!

Lisa said...

p.s. LOVE the pez dispenser idea as well Dan!! I'm quite sure that the Urness/Bailey wedding would love a star wars pez dispenser~~ atleast I know Tim would think it's awesome! :) haha