People buying gifts
I am wondering what others have done/plan to do when their LO arrives. I know it's presumptuous to expect gifts, but people will buy!!
We don't need newborn clothing as we are being given seconds. But we could do with financial help towards car seat/pram or bigger sized clothing. I wanted (once I'm 12 weeks) to make up little announcement cards to send out to friends and relatives to let people know were expecting, but also to mention that we would rather people didnt buy us mountains of newborn clothing. And that we would appreciate gift cards from Boots, Mothercare or cash that we can put towards baby fund/equipment....
Am I being rude in doing this? OH thinks so although to me it's only like when we got married last year and sent out gift cards with our invites, but then how do we cope with mountains of white terry sleepsuits that we dont need?
We don't need newborn clothing as we are being given seconds. But we could do with financial help towards car seat/pram or bigger sized clothing. I wanted (once I'm 12 weeks) to make up little announcement cards to send out to friends and relatives to let people know were expecting, but also to mention that we would rather people didnt buy us mountains of newborn clothing. And that we would appreciate gift cards from Boots, Mothercare or cash that we can put towards baby fund/equipment....
Am I being rude in doing this? OH thinks so although to me it's only like when we got married last year and sent out gift cards with our invites, but then how do we cope with mountains of white terry sleepsuits that we dont need?
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Replies
Have a look at the Mothercare website to see how it all works....
John Lewis and i think other department/baby stores do the same thing too.
When I was in hospital after having my first it cheered me up loads when people came to visit baring gifts.
xx
I would set up one of these gift list things and if people ask you what you would like for a gift, give them the wish list number but otherwise let people get you what they want to. Most companies let you exchange clothing and things, and if peope get you tons from say asda/tesco/marks you can exchange them for packs of nappies. or next would do you a gift card to use when babies older and you want bigger clothes.
xx
Trying to tell a friends and relatives in a non-rude way that we don't need any clothes/toys etc etc until babe is at least 1 year old!! So hopefully they'll take the hint and give us the money they would have spent on baby clothes!! Fingers crossed anyway cuz we havn't the space for anymore baby clothes!!!!!
we told everyone we didnt want ANY gifts whatsoever, none at all as we already had everything we needed, and still they turned up in their drones.
they even brought tiny clothes AFTER they were told ollie was a big baby. (and the problem there is we live in the middle of arse end so dont have the shops available to exchange!)
take it in your stride, if gifts do come then say thank you and go swap them. if people ask, tell them what you want or ask for money - but be prepared for your house to belong to everybody elses presents!
(since then people have started asking what we want for ollie, as theyve realised that i dont need 400000 little blue outfits in one size....)
were having his christening/1st brithday party soon and have not said anything about presents, but my dad and the MIL know that we dont want anything! just money for his trust fund. its one rule for all too, so he will only get a present from me and my oh and nothing else. He's far too young to even notice and all he's interested in is boxes and wrapping paper at the mo anyway, and will be too busy meeting people in between feeds and naps.
mil and my dad are paying for the cake and balloons so thats effectively their present.
good luck with what you decide, and plenty of patience for those who might not listen to you
xxxx
I agree with what the others have said too in that people like to give actual gifts that they've chosen themselves, and that it's different with a wedding gift list as you're actually inviting people to an event. I know it'll be a bit of a shame if you end up with 40 teeny sleepsuits that won't be worn, but it's the thought that counts and you can always donate anything you can't use to a hospital special care unit or to charity.
Hope you don't mind me saying this but thought it was best to be honest so you can try to gauge peoples' attitudes.
I think it might be a little rude to ask for vouchers rather than clothes, bits etc off everyone, but you may well find that your parents, grandparents, siblings etc actually ask you what you want. But I would let friends and others buy their own stuff xxx
Think I'll follow suggestions and get our mothers on the case then ) I didn't really think about it being offensive just a good way to let everyone know. But I do agree it is exciting shopping for a new baby. Clothes are fine so long as we can swap them for the next few sizes up and we get receipts
Thanks girls ) x