Where to baby register? Multiple Stores?

[Anonymous]

If you include registry info on your invites, some super-strict etiquette police might find it tacky, but they'll be used to it b/c everyone does it, so hopefully they won't hold it against you. If you don't include it, people will be annoyed that they have to ask the host, and the host will be annoyed that she has to keep responding to the inquiries. Even more uncomfortable -- people might just ask YOU where you're registered, and you'll have to mutter "We're registered at Target and BRU but you really don't have to get us anything" while avoiding eye contact. Or people might just go to BRU and get you whatever they feel like and you'll end up with 6 Boppies and no gift receipts.

If you can't find everything you need at Target, register a second place. BBB and BRU should have everything you need, I'd just pick one. Three registries seems like a lot to have to tell people about.

I'd register for everything you need, regardless of price, because people might want to pick up the tiny, cheap stuff (like butt paste and pacifiers) for a basket or a diaper cake; and other people might want to either pitch in on the big items or else just might be willing to spend $100 or more on a baby shower gift. As others have mentioned, the registry is a good way to get yourself organized and figure out what you want, and putting big ticket items on there that you fully intend to buy yourself is fine (in my mind) b/c it helps you keep track of what you need and b/c you'll get a discount later when you "finish" your registry.

I would not register for "lots" of clothes b/c I think the people that love buying clothes actually love picking them out and finding the cutest outfit. We didn't register for any and got tons, but if you really want to pick out a few yourself, go for it -- just don't go overboard b/c you'll end up returning a lot of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did it at Target today, thinking that Target is located everywhere and it's convenient for my family/friends to go. but I realized, Target does NOT have a lot of choices for the items I put on the list. My friend, who is a host for my baby shower, already printed shower invitations with "XXX is registered at Target". But I feel like I should probably register at Babies "R"Us, too. What do you all think? Should I register at two stores? I'm thinking, for the invitations, I could put a label with two store names...or Does that look tacky?

You can update your registry online too - the selection online is much greater than actually going through the store.

Also, note that not all your guests will buy stuff off of your registry. Some people will give you re-gifted items, shop at different stores regardless of where you're registered, personalized items, etc.

Just keep that in mind so you don't put all your hopes (or too much thought) into the registry.

[Anonymous]

I registered at Target, and put a few things that Target doesn't carry on an Amazon.com registry. I don't have a car, so BBB and BRU are not good options for me.

There's a space on your Target registry for comments, so I just put in a note that said I also have a few items on an Amazon.com registry. The comment appears at the very bottom of the registry that my guests/relatives will see. And I did register for a number of expensive things (crib, strollers, Arm's Reach co-sleeper, convertible car seat). My theory is that this is my single list of things to get, and I know that my friends/relatives may all chip in on the bigger gifts.

[Anonymous]

Oh please. All of these people saying how tacky it is to include registry info on the shower? I'm pretty sure that most of the shower etiquette books i had when I got married said it didn't apply -- since the stated purpose of a shower is to shower the bride / mom-to-be with gifts. Just like registering in general, including the registry info on the invitation is a convenience -- not just for mom-to-be, but to the gift giver and especially the host. Think about it this way, many of the people attending your shower may not know the host. So they have to call someone they don't know, or call you, to get registry info. I was recently invited to a shower where I didn't know the host and there was no registry information on the invite and the host was hard to reach. I searched Babies r Us and Target and couldn't find a registry for my friend, and the invitation didn't make it clear whether or not hte shower was a surprise. So I ended up just buying what I thought was kind of nice. I hope she liked it, but I would have felt much better knowing that I'd spent my money on something she truly wanted. As an invitee, I am NEVER offended to see registry info on an invitation. True, it's not appropriate for a wedding invitation, but it's competely fine and even helpful on a shower invite. (And registering at more than one place is highly recommended. We did LandofNod.com in addition to babiesrus because their bedding and clothes are better quality than BrUs). Babies r Us, however, is nice because it's convenient to everyone. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh please. All of these people saying how tacky it is to include registry info on the shower? I'm pretty sure that most of the shower etiquette books i had when I got married said it didn't apply -- since the stated purpose of a shower is to shower the bride / mom-to-be with gifts. Just like registering in general, including the registry info on the invitation is a convenience -- not just for mom-to-be, but to the gift giver and especially the host. Think about it this way, many of the people attending your shower may not know the host. So they have to call someone they don't know, or call you, to get registry info. I was recently invited to a shower where I didn't know the host and there was no registry information on the invite and the host was hard to reach. I searched Babies r Us and Target and couldn't find a registry for my friend, and the invitation didn't make it clear whether or not hte shower was a surprise. So I ended up just buying what I thought was kind of nice. I hope she liked it, but I would have felt much better knowing that I'd spent my money on something she truly wanted. As an invitee, I am NEVER offended to see registry info on an invitation. True, it's not appropriate for a wedding invitation, but it's competely fine and even helpful on a shower invite. (And registering at more than one place is highly recommended. We did LandofNod.com in addition to babiesrus because their bedding and clothes are better quality than BrUs). Babies r Us, however, is nice because it's convenient to everyone. Good luck!

TOTALLY AGREE! It is a huge pain to call someone I don't know and find out where the person is registered.

[Anonymous]

Tacky, tacky, tacky.

[Anonymous]

Agree with pp - I find it so much easier if where the mom is registered is on the invite. I think of a baby shower as much much more casual than a wedding! So, to answer the question of if it's tacky - not in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

For those of you who say it's a "huge pain" to contact someone you don't know to ask where a mom-to-be is registered...how do you rsvp to the shower?

If no registry info is included, I simply ask when I rsvp to the phone number or email listed. No huge pain, no drama, not even an extra phone call or email that I wouldn't have had to make anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who say it's a "huge pain" to contact someone you don't know to ask where a mom-to-be is registered...how do you rsvp to the shower?

If no registry info is included, I simply ask when I rsvp to the phone number or email listed. No huge pain, no drama, not even an extra phone call or email that I wouldn't have had to make anyway.

Every shower I've been to RSVP for regrets only, so not having the registry info on the invite would necessite a call when one is otherwise not needed.

[Anonymous]

I started by registering at Buy Buy Baby and then found that Amazon.com just made a lot more sense. I wouldn't be duplicating anything, and Amazon has WAY more on there choice wise (price wise) etc. than BBB. Also, a lot of the shipping is free. And who wouldn't prefer to shop online that drag themselves all the way over to those awful stores?

[Anonymous]

Another vote for Amazon. Love it. But I would do one brick and mortar store for older relatives or folks who just don't do online. I have family who couldn't make heads or tails of ordering from an Amazon wish list.

And look, you want to put the registry info on your invitation, go for it. I don't understand why people are getting so freaking *angry* about it.

[Anonymous]

Even if some don't think it's tacky, it's still not necessary to list your registry on the invitation.

1. People can ask when they RSVP.

2. People can check the Target, Babies R Us, and Amazon websites in five minutes to see if you're listed.

[Anonymous]

The "shower" meaning actually is to shower the honoree with affection and good wishes and advice, not with gifts. We have corrupted it over the years to mean buy, buy, buy...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The "shower" meaning actually is to shower the honoree with affection and good wishes and advice, not with gifts. We have corrupted it over the years to mean buy, buy, buy...

No, it's always been about gifts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who say it's a "huge pain" to contact someone you don't know to ask where a mom-to-be is registered...how do you rsvp to the shower?

If no registry info is included, I simply ask when I rsvp to the phone number or email listed. No huge pain, no drama, not even an extra phone call or email that I wouldn't have had to make anyway.

I didn't say it was a "huge pain," but I did say I recently had an experience where the host was hard to contact. There was an email on the shower invite but my emails to that address were returned to me every time. No phone number, nothing else. So there was a separate problem with RSVPing, in this instance, which was separate from the issue with the registry. In another instance, I called a host to RSVP (it was regrets only but I usually call anyway) and asked about registration info and the host never called me back. In this instance I called the bride. She said the host was getting so many questions about the registry she hadn't had time to call everyone back. the host finally called me back a few days before the shower -- by that time all of the good gifts were taken, so I was glad I found out from the bride. But one more thing -- some people are reluctant to call the bride / mom to be because they are not sure whether or not the shower is a surprise.

Simply put -- it is absolutely not tacky to put the registration information on the invite. That's what a shower is for. And if you don't want to take my word for it, Emily Post agrees:

Can the host include registry information in the shower invitation? Yes, it is fine for the hostess to include gift registry information with (but not on) the invitation. It’s important, though, to remember that it’s totally the guest’s choice as to gift selection.

Here's the link:

http://www.emilypost.com/everyday/rude_situations.htm