Baby shower etiquette

[Richelle7377]

I know for a fact that at my baby shower tomorrow I will be getting duplicate gifts. ( A few people were excited to tell me what they got me.) Even though I registered at two stores. I know people forget to scan the bar code at check out. Even I am guilty of doing this here and there. So my dilema is what do I say as I am opening the gift? Thanks for the crib??? Two really come in handy?! Hardly. I really am not getting two cribs. Just an e.g. Help.

[mgsmallen]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

You accept it and say thank you and then take it back to whereever they got it and either get your money or a gift card to buy what you really need....lol.

[Richelle7377]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

I know, but do I just smile and act like I luv it. I am one of those who feels awkward enough opening gifts in front of people and fakely gushing...even though I am totally appreciative...I just feel like I look like I don't like it enough.....ya know?! Like person #2 who gives me the gift will feel dumb. LOL. I am crazy.

[roset]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

I did ultra sound to find out the sex, but that day my baby decided to lay her stomach on me so all the nurse saw was a butt, no gentials, she tried to move the baby but she would never move, so DH's work gave me a baby shower, they decided in their own way it was a boy, so I got a lot of blue blankets they did say they were from Penney's so when DD arrived we did exchange them, those people never knew what we did. Penney's was nice & exchanged it and we went into pink. No problem, if you get two, just go back to the store & get what you want. If you know the sex even better get something else you need. Most stores are nice with that.

[Sweet Pea]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

I know, but do I just smile and act like I luv it. I am one of those who feels awkward enough opening gifts in front of people and fakely gushing...even though I am totally appreciative...I just feel like I look like I don't like it enough.....ya know?! Like person #2 who gives me the gift will feel dumb. LOL. I am crazy.

I think you should absolutely smile and thank the giver for the gift. To do anything else would be rude and would sound horrible ungrateful. I can't imagine being the second person to buy a duplicate gift, not knowing the gift has already been purchased, then having my duplicate gift being opened second at the shower and the person receiving the gift is obviously insincere with her thanks. We I in those shoes and received a duplicate gift, you'd better believe that I'd be saying how nice it'll be to have two of them and that one can never have too many XXXXXX's. What's hard about that?

[Hayburner]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

Sometimes it is good to have 2 of something. Like 2 car seats, so you don't have to keep moving one from one car to another etc.

[AllieK]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

It's alway nice to have more than one of each item. Two cribs can even come in handy if you let someone babysit for you, or you want baby to sleep in different rooms sometimes.

[food gal]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

Richelle when r u due??? I think you told use it's a boy if I remember??

[Suwannee Terry]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

Gosh, back in the dark ages when I was having babies (give or take 40 years ago ), I saved those duplicate gifts. Took a few back and used the rest when my friends had their showers and/or babies. We were all having our babies at the same time -- never a problem. Ended up using most of the duplicate gifts in the end. Of course, never got a duplicate crib .

[krubinic]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

In my case, I ended being able to use all my duplicate gifts because low and behold about a week or so AFTER my baby shower, I found out I was having TWINS (my first pregnancy too)!!!!! I only knew 12 days before I had them and they were 3 weeks early........this was the end of 1982, so back then the OB/GYN I was using did not believe in ultrasounds unless they were necessary.......even though in my 5th month I told him "something" wasn't right. Never go against a woman's/mother's intuition!!!

Anyway, sorry to have hijacked ..........I agree with the others...........just graciously accept your gifts, be polite about it and decide later what to do. On the other hand, if people there are seeing the duplicates, a lot of times, the person who's duplicate gift is the "second" one opened, they might even offer to give you the option to take it back and exchange it for something else. Sometimes stores will just give you credit too and then you can get whatever you didn't receive at the shower.

[night-angel]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

I don't know about anyone else but being a non-mother, I don't know a great deal about practicality of many baby gifts, so i always include a 'return gift receipt with the present'

[sameoldkris]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

If you get an item that another guest realizes that they also got, the 2nd guest will probably speak up & tell you that its ok to exchange it or whatever. But please say thank you for thinking of me.
If its like a sleeper or something that you can use more than 1 of by all means reply thanks, I'm sure the baby will go through these clothes fast! And they do. You will appreciate having extras & not having to do laundry every day.

[Sabine]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

I assume that you are a first time Mom. You will be surprised to learn how wonderful it is to have duplicate stuff. Believe me, this is coming from a Mother of two and grandma of three.
And yes , for heavens sake, put a smile on your face and say thank you.

[Nutsky]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

Definitely smile and thank the giver even if you have already opened three of the same item. Most stores will exchange duplicate items or give you in store credit that you can use for something different.

[Richelle7377]

Re: Baby shower etiquette

Oh, gosh I never in a million years wouldn't smile and say thank you!!! :P I got three swings and by the third the girl giving it to me (coincidentally my BFF) spoke up and said that I didn't need to open it....cuz it was the same swing as twice b4. It also was the last gift I opened. Everyone gave gift receipts and Walmart was good about giving me cash so I just went where my stroller system was being sold and bought that. I was just worried about looking fake. I truly loved every gift. I am a little phobic about sitting in front of everyone in the spotlight. That was all. I got tons of stuff and couldn't have been happier. I thought I got more than I deserved. I'm not sure why, but thought I got a lot of stuff. All which I can use. I did keep duplicate clothing. I took back a 2nd mobile. Everything went great.

I am due November 13th. A boy. Dad is 100% set on Phoenix. Mom is about 50%. LOL.