wedding gifts you really

MSN Money - Get the wedding gifts you really want MSN Home My MSN Hotmail Shopping Money People & Chat Sign In W eb Search: Money S earch MSN Money: Help Home News Banking Investing Planning Taxes My Money Portfolio Loans Insurance Planning Home Retirement Savings Insurance Family/College Resources Decision Centers Commentary Index More Tools Related Links My Accounts Message Boards Print-friendly version Send this to a friend Get market news by e-mail See if refinancing works Personal finance bookshelf Find It! Article Index Finance Q&A Tools Index Site map Related Sites Association of Bridal Consultants The Honeymoon Casa de Oro Travel wedding registry Honeymoonforyou.com HoneyLuna.com The Basics Get the wedding gifts you really want advertisement Traditional registries can prevent you from getting 5 identical bun warmers. But some couples really want camping gear, home down payments or honeymoon contributions. What would Miss Manners say? By MP Dunleavey It's relatively rare these days for people to get married right after graduating from college. The average age for first marriage among women has risen steadily to more than 25, from less than 21 in 1970; for men, the average is now more than 27. My fianc and I were about a decade or so past our mid-20s when we got married recently, and like a lot of people, we had accumulated a lot of stuff during our unmarried years. The last thing we wanted was more stuff. At least that's how we felt when we considered doing the standard newlywed thing: i.e. registering for china, linens, monogrammed silver, matching PDAs and a small, well-behaved child. Nah. What we wanted, more than anything, given the stress of modern wedding planning, was to go lie on a beach somewhere and pretend we were still happily dating. Don't let retirement sneak up on you. Create a perfect plan. But like most couples we found the cost of the wedding taxing enough -- even though our parents did pay for most of it. There was no way we could afford a honeymoon, too. So we got this crazy idea. If our loved ones would be willing to shell out for glassware and new pots, would it be terrible -- crass, rude, self-serving -- to ask for contributions toward what we really wanted? Financial wedding etiquette To be honest, I've never liked the idea of a traditional registry. No matter how fancy the store (or your china pattern), you're basically telling guests what to buy you. Miss Manners, aka Judith Martin, pointed out in a recent column that commercial gift registries used to be kept ONLY in the event that customers inquired about a bride's china or silver pattern. Now, she says, all sentiment is being stripped from the gift-giving tradition. People turn to registries, she says, "to put generosity under the control of its beneficiaries." And, she concludes sternly: "These practices are no less vulgar for having become commonplace." Her point is well-taken. Some couples seem to equate "getting married" with "shopping spree" and use the registry system to shamelessly upgrade every item in their home. On the other hand, there is a financial reality that cannot be avoided. Custom dictates that a gift must be bought, so for most people the financial sanity (and sheer convenience) of bridal registries outweighs the inherent crudeness of this system. Guests don't waste their money buying gifts couples don't want or can't use. Couples get what they need, so they don't have to buy it themselves. Stuff -- who needs it? Increasingly, says Peggy Post, author of "Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette by Peggy Post", many couples would rather skip the stuff anyway. "So many couples come to the marriage with so many things," she says, noting that 40% of marriages are "encore," i.e. repeat, unions, for one or both partners. "These days you see people registering for all kinds of non-traditional items." Among them: camping gear, a down payment for a house, stock certificates and, yes! . . . the honeymoon. According to the Association of Bridal Consultants (see link at left), a wedding guest will spend an average of $85 on a gift. The average cost of a honeymoon is about $4,000. If a couple has no need for flatware and linens, why not encourage guests to contribute to a honeymoon registry like thehoneymoon.com, casadeorotravel.com, honeymoonforyou.com or honeyluna.com? Guests can contribute to airfare, romantic dinners, massages, picnics, guided tours, etc. To drool over a sample registry for a honeymoon in Hawaii, click on the link at left under Honeymoonforyou.com. For one in Greece, click at left under HoneyLuna.com. And to send in contributions for my honeymoon, click . . . oh, never mind. The etiquette of alternative registries Peggy Post, the great-granddaughter-in-law of Emily Post, thinks using these offbeat registries can be fine "with a big IF attached." Here's some guidance: 1) Wait until you're asked. It's impolite (and annoying) to include a card announcing where you're registered. Wait for guests to inquire, and let the word spread discreetly through friends and family. "Let your parents, siblings, wedding party and close friends know -- IF they've asked," suggests Bobbie Izeman, a bridal consultant and advice columnist for blushing-brides.com. "But don't announce it in a formal way." 2) Do not dictate. As Miss Manners points out, a gift, above all, is a gift. It is not up to you to decide what your guests should give, no matter how badly you want contributions to your down payment, help with your airfare or even traditional items like cookware. "You should leave your guests the option to give you what they want," agrees Post. 3) Say thank you. It may seem obvious, but sending a prompt, enthusiastic thank you note -- for every gift, no matter what the gift -- is essential. "The key thing is to remember to be appreciative," says Post. The honeymoon fund Since we didn't know about these honeymoon registries a few months ago, my fianc and I set up our own impromptu "honeymoon fund." We made a small gaffe by alluding to it in the instruction sheet for our weekend wedding (oops!), but it was in the context of asking guests please not to give presents. Apparently, that is also a faux pas (eek!), but we hadn't consulted all these etiquette experts then. To our surprise, a small number of friends (and a couple of relatives) protested. They wanted to get us A Real Gift. I can say with some relief that at least we handled that properly -- encouraging people to give whatever sort of gift they wanted. And they did. We got a lovely mix of gifts and honeymoon fund contributions. Just enough so that we can restore our sanity on some sandy shore -- without going into a penny of debt. What greater wedding gift could there be? Editor's Choice 3 legal papers you can't live without Your own business, your tax shelter Brush: The 5 most overpaid CEOs Are seniors gambling away retirement? Cut your taxes by going solar Readers' Choice Ratings Top 5 Articles 9.34 Zombie debt collectors dig up your old mistakes 9.33 10 ways to stop identity theft cold 9.31 10 ways to avoid outrageous hospital overcharges 9.22 The tricks and traps of debt consolidation 9.17 Safeguard your Social Security number View all top rated articles More Resources · E-mail us your comments on this article · Post on the Your Money message board · Get a daily dose of market news S earch MSN Money tips advertisement MSN Money's editorial goal is to provide a forum for personal finance and investment ideas. 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Shower Gifts Decorations &

4 Showers.com -Bridal Showers & Baby Showers - Favors, Games, Gifts, Decorations & Supplies Home Shopping Party Planning View Cart Help Contact Us Customer Comments Back Your one stop shower shop offering everything needed to plan the perfect bridal or baby shower. Bridal Shower Bridal Shower Favors Bridal Shower Gifts Decorations & Supplies Bridal Shower Games Budget Favors Party Planning Tips Baby Shower Baby Shower Favors Baby Shower Gifts Decorations & Supplies Baby Shower Games Budget Favors Pregnancy Products Party Planning Tips Check out our current half price bridal specials ! Check out our current half price baby specials ! Check out the adorable favors , unique gifts , great party planning tips and beautiful decorations and supplies , all delivered conveniently to your door . Enter Keywords Newlywed Kitchen Combo Bride and groom oven mitts really get things cooking in the kitchen! Stir up some smiles with this fun novelty item. More Info Personalized Bridal Tea Favor with Caddy Personalized tea bag available in five attractive designs, topped off with a porcelain teapot-shaped caddy. More Info Celestial Bridal Shower Favor Give your guests the gift of relaxation with these heavenly bath beads. They'll be singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, little sun, moon, and stars." More Info Bridal Shower Rolling Pin Recipe Card Holder Sheer delight and practicality all "rolled up" into one! Homespun, vintage-inspired, real wooden "rolling pin" is actually a convenient recipe card holder. More Info Shades of Autumn Leaf Soap Petals Fall in love with our vibrant Leaf Soap Petals, which come in all the shades of autumn: burgundy, gold, orange, and green. More Info Cheers to a Great Combination Two hearts, one amazing future. This combination is as perfectly suited to each other as the bride and groom. Included is one chrome Heart Shaped Bottle Stopper and one chrome Tuxedo Heart Corkscrew in whimsical packaging. More Info Daddy Tool Belt Having a baby is a two person endeavor, and there's no need to wonder about what to get Daddy. Tools of the trade diaper changing tool belt is filled with all the necessities for changing baby. More Info Noah's Ark Magnet Favor Everybody loves and uses magnets, and these colorful 2.5" resin magnets are available in three assorted styles. More Info Baby Shower Rolling Pin Recipe Card Holder Sheer delight and practicality all "rolled up" into one! Homespun, vintage-inspired, real wooden "rolling pin" is actually a convenient recipe card holder. More Info Lucky Ducky Favor Charm and delight your guests with this darling duck-shaped soap. More Info Personalized Baby Shower Tea Favor with Caddy Personalized tea bag available in four baby shower designs, topped off with a porcelain teapot shaped caddy. More Info Labor Day Pamper Pack Surprise your favorite Mommy-to-be with the gift of tranquillity on the one day she'll really need it! Delivery day will be even more special with this tote bag of goodies to help her feel pampered. More Info Baby Shower: Favors | Gifts | Decorations & Supplies | Games | Budget Favors | Pregnancy Products Bridal Shower: Favors | Gifts | Decorations & Supplies | Games | Budget Favors Home | Shopping | Party Planning | View Cart | Help | Contact Us | Links | Back 4 Showers.com, A Division of The Rosemary Company, 2000 - 2005 This site designed by Fox Web Design Please direct all questions and comments to the Webmaster

anniversary gifts in [brackets]

Anniversary Gifts Anniversary Gifts Compiled from discussions on alt.wedding. Traditional Modern Alt. Modern 1 [paper] plastics clocks 2 cotton cotton/calico china 3 leather leather crystal/glass 4 flowers linen/silk/nylon appliances 5 [wood] wood silverware 6 candy/iron iron wood 7 copper/wool copper/wool/brass desk sets 8 bronze/pottery bronze/appliances linens 9 pottery/willow pottery leather 10 [tin] aluminum diamond 11 steel steel jewelry 12 silk/linen silk/linen pearl 13 lace lace textiles/fur 14 ivory ivory gold 15 [crystal] glass watches 20 [china] china platinum 25 [silver] silver silver 30 pearl pearl pearl 35 coral coral/jade jade 40 ruby ruby/garnet ruby 45 sapphire sapphire sapphire 50 [gold] gold gold 55 emerald emerald/turquoise emerald 60 [diamond] gold diamond 75 diamond diamond/gold diamond Notes: There are only -8- "true" traditional anniversary gifts in [brackets] The "other" traditional listings are from various sources (consensus) Modern list is from the New York Public Library Desk Reference Alt. modern list is drawn from various sources (consensus) People frequently ask me if I can think of some examples of a particular kind of gift. Most often, the question is about paper as a first anniversary gift. Here are some ideas: Nice writing paper, cards, etc. -- basically, any kind of paper that you write on. If this doesn't seem like enough, you can always include a nice pen. Books. Big coffee-table books, antique books, the latest novels -- any kind of books. Fine art or photography prints (to hang on the wall). Many newlywedsdon't have much hanging on their walls. A photo album, or a framed picture. Anything made of cardboard -- you can stretch the definition of paper if you want to. Tickets to the theater, sporting event, etc. A gift certificate -- homemade or commercial Page last modified: Sunday, May 16, 2004 Comments? Return Home

Creative Gifts for Dads

Top Ten Creative Gifts for Dads for Christmas 2004  You are here: About > Parenting & Family > Fatherhood > Parenting Advice > Holiday Resources > Christmas Holidays > Top Ten Creative Gifts for Dads for Christmas 2004 Parenting & Family Fatherhood Essentials Dads Guide to Back to School How to Be A Super Dad How Fathers Find Money for College My Rights as a Dad Expectant Dads 101 Articles & Resources Fathers Rights New Dads Resources Single Dads Resources Divorced Dads Disciplining for Dads Activities Mens Issues State by State Resources Ages and Stages Working Fathers Stay at Home Dads Stepfathering Grandfathering Parenting Advice Dealing with Moms Articles Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Fatherhood newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Fatherhood Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page Related Guide Picks Top Books for a Dad's Library Top 7 Gifts for the Do It Yourself Dad Top 10 Gifts for the Sportsman Dad Most Popular Wedding Dance Songs Money for College Rolling Backpacks Effects of Divorce on Children Father of the Bride What's Hot Talking to Your Kids About Sex Money for College Fatherhood - Articles What Teens Wish Dads Knew Teens and Cell Phones Related Topics Parenting of Adolescents Parenting of K-6 Children Pregnancy / Birth Single Parents Pediatrics Top 10 Creative Gifts for Dads for Christmas 2004 Guide Picks From Wayne Parker , Your Guide to Fatherhood . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Ever wondered what to buy for dear old dad for Christmas? Then look no further than About Fatherhood’s 2005 gift guide. Here you will find creative and clever gifts that are truly out of the ordinary. 1) Collectible Stadium Miniatures Have a dad who loves baseball or football and is a loyal fan? Or maybe he just has a fond memory of a great football or baseball game. Consider a scale replica of his favorite stadium! Makes a great conversation piece and will elicit lots of sports stories. Vendor's Site 2) Executive Punching Bag Some dads deal with stress by getting angry and violent. If your dad is one of those, consider an Executive Punching Bag. Put it in his office, his den at home, or next to his easy chair to work off that anger and frustration. Vendor's Site 3) Executive Sand Box If, however, your dad prefers to relax after a stressful day, then maybe this sandbox is just the trick. The box includes sand, sand toys, a beach umbrella and chair. It’s as good as a vacation day at the beach (well, maybe not…). Vendor's Site 4) Multi Tool Pen For the dad who has almost everything, consider this new gadget. It is an attractive writing pen that includes two screwdrivers, a knife blade and tweezers in the barrel of the pen. An easy way for dad to keep his tools handy all the time. Vendor's Site 5) Discovery Sky and Land Telescope A very user friendly telescope for checking out objects far away. A great gift for the dad with a natural curiosity. And the kids can enjoy it was well as they and their dad explore the heavens. 6) Make Your Own Opoly Love Monopoly? Who doesn’t? This game kit allows you to customize your Monopoly game. Make one using favorite family memories, dad’s hometown, or his college. 7) Talking Pedometer If your dad is walking for exercise or fun, this is a great gift. This pedometer not only keeps track of distances, but it will tell you out loud how far you have gone. It also plays seven electronic melodies to help dad stay on pace with his walking. Vendor's Site 8) Pro Thumb Wrestling Ring Did you ever do thumb wars with your dad? Then he will love the Thumb Wrestling Ring. This is a little device that fits over the hands of the thumb wrestlers to make thumb wrestling even more realistic and exciting. Vendor's Site 9) Water Ballet Dancing Desktop Fountain For the dad who will enjoy a little peace, the dancing desktop fountain is a real winner. This little fountain has built in jets that operate in time with music. It is the ultimate in relaxation for a harried or stressed father. 10) Talking Road Whiz Have a “directionally challenged” father? Does he hate to ask directions? Then the Talking Road Whiz is the perfect gift. This device has over 125,000 routes in the United States and helps your dad find directions as well as services like food, gasoline and more along the way. A fun gift for the traveling man. Vendor's Site Important product disclaimer information about this About site. Most Popular Video Movie Review: 'Broken Flowers' Movie Review: 'Four Brothers' Movie Review: 'The Dukes of Hazzard' Movie Review: 'The Aristocrats' Movie Review: 'Hustle and Flow' See other videos at About.com        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About Poll: What would you do with $10 million? 1) Spend it 4) Pay bills 2) Donate 5) Save 3) Invest 6) Not sure Is New York City Safe? Tips for Women Travelling What's Hot Talking to Your Kids About Sex Money for College Fatherhood - Articles What Teens Wish Dads Knew Teens and Cell Phones

Groomsmen Gift

Wedding Gifts For Groomsmen - Gifts BW gifts | gifts Resources | Add URL Wine Gifts & Baskets From the casual wine drinker to the serious enthusiast, we have a gift that will make them smile. Our selection includes premium wine, gourmet baskets, distinctive champagne sets & the very finest California and Northwest wines. Wedding Gifts For Groomsmen Articles Wedding Budget Worksheet Wedding Budget Worksheet...( Continue Reading ) Gift Ideas and Registries in Seattle - Tacoma Whether you are a bride and groom looking to register, select wedding favors, or buy wedding party gifts, or a guest looking to view the couple's list and get some ideas, these resources will point you in the right direction....( Continue Reading ) What are groomsmen and ushers? A description of a groomsman's duties and responsibilities. Includes what they're expected to do during the wedding itself, as well as responsibilities leading up to the big day. Also includes expenses of being a groomsman, and ways to cut costs....( Continue Reading ) Easy Budget Wedding Worksheet - Printable Wedding Budget Planner A wedding budget is absolutely essential to planning your wedding, and one of the very first things you should do. Use this handy wedding budget worksheet to plan out what you'll need to pay for, and how much you should plan to spend on each thing....( Continue Reading ) Planning a Rehearsal Dinner - Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Rehearsal Dinners A basic guide to planning a rehearsal dinner, including answers to such questions as "Do I have to invite out-of-town guests?" and "How do I invite my guests?"...( Continue Reading ) Wedding Gifts For Groomsmen Directory Links paper baskets gifts of the three wise men sweet sixteen birthday gifts 5th anniversary gifts valentines gifts ideas gifts for expectant mothers wedding gift baskets 5 year anniversary gifts inexpensive christmas gifts easy gifts to make home interiors gifts hostess party get well gift baskets virtual gifts high school graduation gifts for boys gifts for men for valentines day christmas gifts for neighbors girls birthday gifts homemade gift baskets japanese gifts gifts and decorative accessories magazine top gifts for men best guy gifts cat lovers gifts homemade teacher gifts ashford corporate gifts mother s day gifts gifts for the man who has everything pregnancy gifts bernese mountain dog gifts perfect gifts for men personalized gifts african american gifts siamese cat gifts best gifts for women fine crystal wedding gifts flowers plants gifts men gifts ideas for retirement gifts spiritual gifts inventory wedding gifts parents cool baby gifts the best gifts infant baby gifts perfect graduation gifts 30th birthday gifts Popular Search Terms: Gifts BW © 2004 Gifts BW All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. This site is not related to Brajeshwar or Brajeshwar.com in anyway, shape or form