april showers..

i just got back from a baby shower for a co-worker. she's actually one of the few co-workers that i genuinely like as a person, so i didn't mind going. two weekends ago i went to a bridal shower for a really close friend of mine.. and both of these events were firsts for me.

see, we don't do showers in bangladesh. it's definitely very much an american tradition (though i can't really speak for other countries). what really amazes me about these showers though, is that the recipients really make out big! i mean, damn! why can't somebody buy ME a whole dinner platter set or a set of martini glasses and a shaker? i mean, i've got dishes that used to be a set but are no longer due to breakage. same goes for my glassware. i've got cups and plates and glasses of all different shapes and sizes. this bengali could use some new housewares... any takers? granted, i'm neither having a baby nor getting married.. nor are any of the above events likely to happen to me in the near forseeable future.. but i just can't believe how utterly profitable these showers are! ok, so maybe profitable isn't the right word.. how about lucrative? yeah.. that sounds better.

then you have this whole business of registering, which has got to be an american concept because i had never heard of it before i came to this country. i completely understand the efficiencies behind the concept, and most certainly agree that it's better to get the things you want/need rather than having to return stuff. but in a way, i can't help but think it's a tad tacky. gifts are supposed to be, you know.. gifts. put some thought into it, make sure it's something the person will like based on how well you know the person, and then wrap it up all nicely, top it off with a thoughtful card, and you're done. registries throw that whole creative process right out the window. another co-worker of mine is getting married in july (actually he's getting married in hawaii next week but the reception is in july), and is already registered at some of the most expensive stores in chicago.

i mean, sure i have a choice, and don't have to buy them stuff off their registries, but it just seems like such a lazy concept on the one hand from the buyer's perspective, and a greedy/almost demanding concept from the recipient's perspective. not only that, but it also tells the recipient exactly how much money you chose to spend on them, which in and of itself lacks quite a bit of tact, in my opinion. don't you think?

ah, hell, what do i know. i'm probably just jealous cuz no one wants to buy me a new stereo or couch or pool table (minimum 8-footer, please) or large L-shaped-desk-with-hutch or a brand new set of non-stick cookware or even a used car. cuz you know, if i had a registry, those are some things i'd put on it...