I never realized that some people have a negative view towards store registries until reading a very interesting essay on GetRichSlowly.org, entitled, “Wedding Registries: A Love-Hate Relationship,” by Betsy Teutsch. The author recently wrote an update on her own blog that details how her son and daughter-in-law created an alternative registry on AlternativeGiftRegistry.org.The alternative registry allowed the couple to list general needs, rather than specific items from one specific store. While they were able to link to specific items when desired, overall the list allowed guests the freedom to pick out their own gift and still have the convenience of knowing what the couple needed. The alternative gift registry removes the sense of obligation to “stick to the list” that modern store registries seem to convey, making the gift giving a little more personal.
If I were going to do it all over again, I might have taken a similar approach to creating my baby registry. Expecting my first child, I was clueless about which items I actually needed and which items were a waste of money and closet space. I would have gladly welcomed my family and friends’ input through an open gift list. I would have had my husband, who is a computer programmer, design a simple online forum that would have a few general suggestions for gifts as well as a place for guests to type in items they were planning to purchase or make. This would allow guests to give that must-have item they loved while raising their own kids. It would also allow those who prefer to make something to see how many blankets, booties and hats had already been “pledged.” Gifts would reflect their experience and wisdom, rather than my amateur wish list. I then would have chosen a close friend or family member to be the “gift coordinator,” a person whose contact information would be included on the site in case guests had questions. The gift coordinator would also keep track of the registry so I would not be able to peek ahead of time. The gift list would function more like a potluck dinner sign-up sheet than a store registry.
Would you use an alternative gift registry or would you prefer to stick with the convenience of a store registry? Have you ever skipped the registry altogether?