"Welches" wrote
Another interesting point that dh pointed out was that for #1 most of the
presents were clothes. And of those most were size 3-6 months (we got so
much in that size I ended up exchanging a lot for bigger sizes and still
had too much in that size. #2 we got more toys than clothes, and the
clothes were a fair mixture of sizes. With #3 we've got nearly all 0-3
months, with a few newborn, and two teddies for the toy department!
Debbie

With #1 I got quite a bit of religious oriented things- Christening dresses,
christening bibs, etc. I didn't really appreciate that because we are not of
a religion that christens babies and I think it's very presumptuous for
people to gift gifts with *their own* religion's themes. Not being
ungrateful, but it's just not appropriate. I've noticed that people do it
obliviously, like they don't understand why someone of a different religion
would not use the item. Feh. One of my mom's friends gave us religious items
and this was most offensive because she knows very well what religion we are
in this house- actually DH is a different religion from me, but *neither* of
us christen.

Another thing that happened with #1 was that I received about 5 of those
handkerchief keepsakes- they are a little baby bonnet and you can rip the
seam and turn it into a handkerchief, so your daughter wears it on her head
and then carries it on her wedding day. Feh again..I don't know why people
think this is such a grand gift idea, and none of them left a receipt and
they were all different so there was no way I could return them. I noticed
that now, they are making the box read as if they are for boy babies too-
give the bonnet to the boy and when he marries, let his bride carry it. I
suppose the same people will think it's grand to give more of those to us,
too. I know this does sound horrible of me. I can't sell them, I don't do
Ebay, I can't find anyone else who wants them, so I stashed them in a closet
and honestly am not even sure where they are.

The religious toned gifts are truly unnecessary though. I have seen people
give Baptist themed (or something similar) to Muslim parents-to-be, oy. I
guess it's because I live in the Bible belt but it's really....ugh..