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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Is this a generational thing? I don't understand the entitled attitude. When I had twins, the best gifts I got were exactly what op described. One of my dh's coworkers packaged up a lot of their used/barely used items. They were useful, practical items. My pregnant nanny spent her time being upset that no one had bought the cute, I kid you not, strawberry bikini with terry cover up for an infant off of her registry. [/quote]

OP here. Day 2 of the flu.

I'm not sure if it's generational. I can say that my niece and nephew-in-law (is that a word?) were super excited with what we sent. DH even spent an hour on the phone with them, helping them set up the video monitors and teaching them the features. Words like "cool" and "thank you so much" were used.

So, I think the folks on this thread who object so strongly to us sending new (in some cases, still in the packaging) and like-new condition items as presents simply object on principle to the concept of re-gifting. (Maybe?) That's my working theory. I suppose I could have returned these items to the store and then used the return money to buy something else or buy the same thing, but in a different box. But, I didn't send anything that I didn't think was super useful with our own LO. These weren't cast-offs. We also happened to have two of a lot of things (long story, but nothing unusual).

The only, and I mean ONLY, reason I thought the reach-out from my niece was so strange or a gift-grab was because it was so out of the blue for her to reach out for advice and because I know she's currently in the "on again" phase of her on-again/off-again relationship with her mother (my exSIL). My exSIL doesn't work, runs with a very rough crowd, and lives on her best friend's couch while openly engaging in an extramarital affair with her BF's husband. (This is why she was not invited to the shower.) She had a hard and troubled childhood - for which I have very deep compassion - but, unfortunately, has learned through those experiences to treat others in a dysfunctional and highly predatory way. She has frequently encouraged her kids to behave similarly.

In any case, as I said yesterday, until I get evidence otherwise, I've assumed the best. Sent my niece the advice she asked for.[/quote]

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