Is it just me or has the price point on bridal shower gifts been ratcheted up to a new level?
These days I'm a little shocked to see some stickers on the offerings. I mean, you don't see the sticker but, having looked at the registry, you know very well what the price was. What can they be giving for a wedding present! A yacht?
Scary.
Anyway, I kinda like the old-fashioned idea of giving something useful and modest at the shower, the idea being that china and crystal and twenty-piece pot-and-pan sets are all very well in their place (namely, the wedding), but a girl needs some practical and fun stuff too.
The single most useful item I got at my shower was a serving spatula with a wooden handle. The spatula is rectangular with a sharp flexible edge. It's my go-to implement for cutting pies and brownies. I can't imagine not having it, to the point that I refused to give up on it when the handle was accidentally left too close to a live burner on the stove, with disastrous but not insurmountable consequences.
That's 32 years of service! Way to go!
Can you imagine giving A. (One.) (1.) Spatula. as a shower gift these days?
Anyway, I try to come up with something a little different. I thought I'd share my gift to my future niece-in-law with you, since I think that you also might try to be creative and maybe a wee bit restrained in the shower-gifting area.
The deviled egg recipe is bookmarked with that ribbon. |
First, a go-to gift is a deviled-egg plate.
For some reason I've found that most men adore deviled eggs and really appreciate that their bride has been enabled in this direction. As I peruse thrift stores and yard sales, I keep my eye out for interesting ones. I have found several of this very kind, a vintage Fire-King plate with cute gold trim. (I once found one in its original cute vintage box and gave that as a wedding gift. Call me cheap, but I would have been thrilled to get such a thing. I guess I am cheap.)
Paired with a solid cookbook that will stand her in good stead in every category, she's on her way. If I had found a nice vintage one, then I would have gone with that, but sometimes the stars aren't aligned. I included the gift receipt with this new cookbook in case she already has it.
Now, the really fun part.
Modeled by Bridget. |
An apron! A cute, sassy apron. An apron to serve those sassy deviled eggs to your man guests.
It only takes about an hour to make one, even if you are like me and rip out practically more than you sew. Although I've been sewing for about 40 years, I'm sort of fumble-fingered and spacey about it, so if I can do it, you certainly can.
{I won't include a tutorial because I just wing it. You can too. Here's a blog with a great list of apron-making tutorials. Here's a blog with great vintage aprons to inspire you and show you that winging it is the way to go, and the more whimsical the better! Aprons are a great way to learn to sew — try making one with your daughter!}
And may I just say that it took me less time to assemble this gift, including sewing, than to shop for something that would stand up, however feebly, to the big-ticket items that bride will be opening on her day. Not that I'm comparing myself to anyone or feeling inadequate or anything. Just saying.
The reason it takes me less time to do this kind of thing is that I'm always looking for egg plates or some similar cute kind of dish, I'm at the store that sells cookbooks that begins with an M- and ends with an -arshalls anyway (because everything is cheaper there), and I have a fabric stash. If things can be vintage, all the better.
So here we have some fabric in a fat-quarter bundle that my sweet DIL Natasha gave me for my birthday, among other fabric offerings.
As I was looking in my stash, they came out and hit me as being very likely to come together as a cute apron.
You don't think this counts as re-gifting, do you??
Wrap the egg plate in the apron.
And there you go! Well, it's the best I can do!
Do you have any fun, thrifty ideas for bridal shower gifts?
Kh. Patty says
I love the idea of wrapping in an apron! Just recently, I was running super late to a bridal shower. I wans't thrifting (although this particular bride would have been happy with that). I was going down her registry, and her dishes set at Tar-jay was just adorable. So I bought her her platter and thought about how I was going to wrap it since I was needing to be at the shower about 15 minutes ago. Then the idea of some kind of fabric, reuseable wrapping surfaced in my brain, so I found some adorable tea towels that coordinated with the platter, and wrapped in those, tied with a cloth ribbon and bow set from the bridal wrapping section. I was so proud of myself! Now, if I could be doing it all from thrifted, that would take it to the next level!
And SOMEDAY, you will indeed convince me to take up sewing. That apron is simply adorable. And no, it's not regifting if you MAKE it!! 🙂 Not that there's anything WRONG with regifting—as long as the person getting the gift might actually like what you're gifting!
Lisa says
That's the cutest thing ever!
Mama Bean says
excellent fabrics! i received extravagant shower gifts and felt a little embarrassed by it. and now i feel guilty if i don't give similarly extravagant gifts to showers i attend (thank goodness almost all my friends are done with the wedding stage – although, now we're onto baby showers and toddler birthdays… any ideas for reasonable gifts there???) i totally understand the value of a good spatula, but i fear some brides-to-be may not… thanks for the post (as always)
_Leila says
Mama Bean, well, yes. We've clearly moved on from one spatula! Too funny. But I think that if we can make something colorful and/or give a creative nudge, we can escape the expensive doom that has been deemed. What about a grill basket with sundry handy grilling items? A good one was a set from Lowe's for electrical needs — power strips, adapters, timers, etc. Measuring cups and spoons wrapped in cloth napkins? See what I mean?
Anitra says
I was given a really nice spatula & cookbooks for a wedding gift (only 7 years ago). Honestly, it's one of the few wedding gifts we got that I use nearly every day. So yes, I don't think it's that strange.
priest's wife says
mamabean- you are still married and I bet you use the gifts, so don't feel badly!
Jamie says
Nothing is more fun to give a toddler than a box of crayola crayons and a CUTE coloring book–they like it, too. Who doesn't enjoy opening up a fresh box of 24 (at least) new crayons!?
Anitra says
Age-appropriate crafty stuff is always good. Coloring books and crayons, paint-with-water, playdoh…
They're inexpensive, they don't take up a lot of room, and they don't add to the massive toy clutter that most kids have these days (my own included…)
It's even better if you get a coloring book that closely aligns with the toddler/preschooler's biggest interests. In the case of my daughter, this would be: Mickey Mouse, cars, trains, or dogs. 🙂
Chief Family Officer says
For baby showers, I stock up on diapers and wipes – get them cheap through the Drugstore Game. If it's a first baby, I'll add a cute but inexpensive outfit. If the baby already has siblings, I get stuff for the older kid(s) that the parents can use to entertain them when the baby is born (see next idea).
For kid gifts, I stock up during big markdowns and pick something from my stash when the party invitations arrive. Target's summer toy clearance and Amazon's amazing holiday deals are great times to buy.
womanofthehouse says
Pish-tosh! Who cares if it is re-gifting? That's an adorable shower present that any bride in her right mind would be thrilled to receive. I agree 100% with you about the over-the-top shower gifts I've been seeing the past couple years. I'm with you on retaining a little sanity about it!
Lisa G. says
I am also quite spacey when sewing – that remark made me laugh. You're so sensible, you always make me feel better.
The apron is perfect!! Fat quarters, not being a real quilter, are something I don't think of. But the fabric is just terrific on that – it's great. It certainly depends on the person – whether they appreciate hand made things, or might be suspicious of a thrifted item. But I am in PERFECT agreement with you – I don't care what the monetary value is of a gift, but if I like it – ahhhhhhhh! Then I'm happy with the gift, and the giver shouldn't feel guilty about how much they *didn't* spend.
Egg plates are something I don't think of for gifts, either. Hmmm. (as for deviled eggs – the devil can make his own blasted eggs; I call them “stuffed”! In fact, there's a nice recipe for them in the Tasha Tudor cookbook)
🙂
Megan says
looks like a great gift to me!!!
Christina says
This is very, very cute and fun. And USEFUL, which is the whole darn point. We seem to forget that these days…
skoots1mom says
love it!!!
RubberChickenGirl says
I love that gift. It would be my most favorite if you had gifted it to me….made with love. I recently bought a vintage picnic basket and filled it with cups, napkins, plates, and all sorts of fun picnicky things. I wrapped in gingham fabric and put a sunflower and red bow on top. The only bummer was that the picnic basket handle broke the day of the wedding when I was wrapping it so I told her in the note to find one on ebay that I would bid on to replace it. That ruined a perfectly lovely idea. So, inspect your vintage items thoroughly before forging ahead.
RCG
Anna says
I should say upfront that I don't mean to be critical, only informative. I have found that the BH&G cookbook is not very well written, and would be frustrating for a new cook. Maybe it was my particular edition, from ten years ago. Quite often, the directions would leave out a temp range for the frying pan, or a specific time estimate for simmering, that kind of thing. That's easy enough for a seasoned cook to gauge, or even not think about (of course you turn the heat down on rice!) but not so much for a beginner.
I also have a Betty Crocker cookbook, which is similar in style but much better written.
Hmm, maybe I can smooth this over by answering your real question. A small slow cooker is affordable and just right for a young couple. A good paring knife, or a splatter screen! Goodness, I wish I had known about those when I was learning to be a housewife. Or, maybe a timer? Whatever you choose, it doesn't have to be fancy, just practical.
Breanna says
Cloth napkins, for newlyweds who have no money even for disposable napkins. (When I married the Husband we lived on $940 per month, his grad student stipend–and of that $450 went to rent.) And I also loved the gift from the lady who bought an oil lamp (but a candle would work too) and included a bunch of teabags, and said “make a habit that whenever you need to connect, either of you can put the lamp on the table and brew a pot of tea, and the other will know that's the signal.”
Roxie says
You are right. Sometimes the cost of gift giving for wedding showers and the wedding gift too is just out of site. I never thought of giving an egg plate. Love that idea.
I usually make a gift basket with some nice kitchen items, dish towels, cloth napkins, and oven mits. I add some nice recipes and a few items to make the recipe.
Elena says
You seem to do everything with your heart ~ You are very inspiring. Thank you for sharing!
Shawna says
My mom always wrapped shower gifts in tea towels and home made receiving blankets wrapped baby gifts – we make those receiving blankets big. They work well to wrap baby or when they're bigger they're great for changing baby on esp. in ugly public bathrooms or in a pinch they'll protect modesty whilst nursing.
I have a box of gifts that I buy on sale or at garage sales, so when something pops up I have a stash.
Birdy says
I like the way you think, Leila! My very favorite wedding gifts (no shower here), and quite frankly, the only ones I remember, were the 20-piece pot-and-pan set from my grandma, and from my mom's Mennonite best friend, a stack of handwritten recipe cards for fool-proof meals, complete with her phone number up in the corner of each, in case I ran into any trouble!
Lori @ Momma's Hands says
This is the type of gift I would love to give! Practical, beautiful, economical 🙂
Very inspiring post ~ I CAN do this type of gift!
Thank you,
priest's wife says
This looks like a perfect gift-
I love combining handmade with new as you did with the dish and the book- I don't imagine you are friends with the hollywood-inspired 'bridezilla' who wants everything expensive and new and off her Tiffany registry
Donna Jannuzzi says
My husband makes fun of deviled egg plates, but! he loves deviled eggs. Go figure.
I love the apron. I happen to like that mix of vintage and modern; it is so very stylish. =)
Jen says
I also received the same cookbook for a shower gift and I still use it all the time. I would have loved to receive the apron along with it! It's beautiful and in my opinion so much more thoughtful than a more expensive store-bought gift.
justamouse says
Gifts like that are my most favorite treasured gifts ever.
I make pillowcases and give them with some nice sheets from the M store. Maybe a lavender sachet to tuck into a pillowcase.
A vintage pie plate with a rolling pin and a baking book.
Ball Mason jars, an apron, and a jam book.
Cake stands, kitchen towels with a pretty crochet edge or laced edge, (or, via pintrest, sew on two racing striped toward the middle and thread through ribbons so you can put it over your oven door and tie the ribbons to eachother and secure it to the door).
An old crock with kitchen utensils and some dishcloths.
Jamie says
Back in the day about 20 years ago when I was given a bridal shower, one of my future MIL's friends asked me what I would like. I said and ironing board and voila! I got one! It was my favorite gift. Toss in a homemade cover for it ( they are easy to make) and a matching clothes pin bag with clothes pins and a line and that's personalized. A really good quality iron for the wedding present would complete the thought! Or maybe you could go in with another friend and she could get the iron for the bridal shower gift.
I love your bridal gift set!
Lorraine says
I will have to go back and reread this post as I am still thinking about giving a gift of really beautiful fabric to someone who quilts and sews! I would absolutely love that, especially now that my “children” are all grown and I have time to sew more often. Love your blog and all the creative ideas that never seem to be exhausted.
Barbara says
That would absolutely be my favorite gift! Some of the only shower gifts I have left are a handmade deviled egg plate(!) and some handmade holiday bowls and plates. Those gifts are memorable and practical — love it!
Karen says
For bridal shower of family members I have made a cookbook of family recipes for not too much money. I gathered all the recipes once and have been able to use them for other brides. Then all I need to do is print the recipes and get a binder and dividers. I also put the recipes in clear plastic sleeves to keep them splotch free and use old scrapbooking supplies to make it beautiful.
Becks says
This isn't exactly for bridal showers, but I LOVE giving a big stack of children's book at baby showers. If I know I have a baby shower coming up, I will start picking up a few here and there from the library book sale and the thrift store. My rules are, it has to be in good condition (not dirty or worn, no coloring in it, no torn pages), and it should be a GOOD book – I like to gift some classics. By the time the big day rolls around, I've got a good mix of Dr. Seuss, Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, board books, and other kids favorites in soft and hard back. It only costs me about $10 for everything, but I am giving over $100 in books!
Provincial Homemaker says
What a great idea – I am sure your neice in law will love the thought and effort that has gone into it.
Mrs. Mobunny says
OH ME. We've been invited to a wedding August 25th………..and I want to give something very usable and beautiful…..and maybe whimsical……I wanted to crochet a rag rug, but don't think I'll have the time. Maybe a rag rug pot-holder. ?
Emily says
Yes, yes, yes, gifts are getting out of control. My husband and I have a budget of about $20 for shower gifts and $30 for wedding gifts. It takes serious creativity to manage a gift on that, and honestly, I often feel like my gifts don't measure up. I love this idea, though, and may use it in the future!
Anne@ModernMrsDarcy says
Now THAT is a fabulous shower gift! The fabric on that apron is amazing and the the three fabrics work beautifully together. Love the combo of the apron/egg plate/cookbook. And it's so special and memorable.
The most unique wedding gift I received was a pair of embroidered, personalized Christmas stockings–for our June wedding. The giver is really talented, and she has one of those fancy-pants Bernina embroidery machines, so these are really snazzy stockings. And the memories are great! We've had to persuade her to make us four more for our wee ones over the years.
Betsy says
I also love to thrift for wedding a bridal showers! My favorite gift as a bride was a “date night” set: 2 wine glasses, 2 place mats, 2 cloth napkins with rings, and a center piece (sometimes a vase or candle sticks), maybe throw is a romantic CD or the like. I can almost always find everything at a thrift store! Oh, yeah, and I started throwing in a little paper with directions on how to fold napkins a few different ways (I found it online and just print it on some nice card stock).
Joy in the South says
Well. I think every Southern girl should have an egg plate (and every Northern one, too!). What a great idea!
Alanna says
Love the apron, and the egg plate…and the cookbook is great too 🙂
I think a few board games (I always see those at the thrift), topped with a neat serving bowl and recipe for a snack (puppy chow, chex mix, maybe?) would be a super “game night” themed gift.
Deb Meyers says
thank you Leila, for this sensible post. I will never forget the first shower I attended where the stack of complete place settings from the bridal china registry towered higher than the bride's chair! I was in shock, bearing my standard shower gift of choice: a citrus zester + recipe.
A well-loved, not rich creative friend who receives many shower invitations makes patchwork potholders: interiors are layers of blue-jeans scrap, which insulate perfectly.
Another friend gives a multi-use screwdriver, hammer and picture hanging supplies!
Heidi says
I don't know if it's thrifty or not, but my go-to bridal shower/wedding gift is “How To Cook Without a Book” by Pam Anderson – it teaches people (me) how to wing it with whatever you have in your cabinets, instead of having to rely on recipes. Totally changed my kitchen life. I usually stick it in a 9×9 pan and wrap it up.
Sarah K says
That is a lovely gift! I love to combine thrifted/handmade and new/registry item. I have done the vintage picnic basket with all the fixings, the “game night” theme with classic games and popcorn/popcorn bowls, herb garden kits, etc. Something useful & thrifty that matches the bride & grooms interests. I think my favorite gift, and one I would love to receive, is a pair of crisp, embroidered pillowcases (new or vintage).
I agree that wedding gifts (and weddings in general) seem to have gotten totally out of hand. I can't imagine what I would have done with a 20 piece pots and pans set in our small apartment!
Becka says
You are so right about deviled eggs–my son-in-laws love them! We got a deviled egg plate for our wedding 34 years ago and it is still in frequent use. I like to give a good pair of kitchen shears as a shower gift–it is something that can be used many times daily.
Margo says
That is exactly the kind of gift I would give (not usually farsighted enough to shop for egg plates, though) and there is NO REASON to apologize for it. And giving a thrifted egg plate in its box for a wedding present is LOVELY – just so happens you found it at the thrift store, not the antique store. Makes no difference in charm or value to the receiver. I think I'm getting worked up about this.
We have 2 family weddings coming up and I'm afraid my cousins are rather materialistic. I want to honor their taste, but mine as well. It SHALL be done.
thanks for your inspiring and pretty post! love the final package together.
Sue says
Gorgeous! I loved the way you wrapped it. That looks very Japanese, you know. We have special cloths for wrapping gifts like that, though the giver takes the cloth back home for re-use.
Cary S. says
This post was so inspiring and all of the comments, too. We are about to embark on the wedding phase of our lives as our children are getting to be that age, with some of them marrying right out of college. Perfect gifts to give that are practical, pretty and yet don't break the bank. I think I will begin shopping (thrifting) for some egg plates, picnic baskets, and games! I love the apron and the pattern!
TessaDiane says
Love this idea!! I've been trying to gather the courage to give a thifted gift.
Glenda Childers says
My go-to bridal shower present is a pie plate. I watch for pretty ones to go on sale and usually can find them for about five dollars. Then I hand write about 10 of my favorite pie recipes onto recipe cards.
Super cheap and always well received. It is personal with the addition of our favorite recipes.
Fondly,
Glenda
Brenda says
Your gift is just perfect! And you're right, too, about men & the deviled eggs thing…..they do love 'em! For shower gifts I confess I'm all over the map, & it's gotten that way with wedding gifts as well. The past few years, though, I've settled on hand-knitted lace sewn to white pillow cases ( for a particularly special bride). And a couple other gifts I've had success with are a dump-cake kit: one 9×13 pan filled with one cake mix, one bag of coconut, one bag of chopped pecans, & one can of sliced peaches, & of course, the recipe. I wrap all this up together. Lumpy, but well received. :o) I have also made a similar kit for cookies. I do like the idea of gifting a couple with something consumable, but that contains one element to be used again & again.
Kara says
I always feel that the art of gift-giving is giving something that fits the receiver, rather than the amount on the price tag. Any fool can drop $200 on a gift, but it takes thought, love and patience to find a gift from the heart. So, if I don't know the person, I pick something small off of their registry. If I know the person, I ignore the registry. I just got my comic-loving cousin a Superman mug for himself and a Wonderwoman mug for his bride, because I knew they'd appreciate. Husband's anniversary gift this year is a framed map with a detailed route of a road trip we just took. Daughter is getting a knitted lap blanket and a stack of used books for her birthday. And if I knew a bride-to-be who needed a cake server, I'd totally be okay giving her just that. What is more frustrating than getting a big stack of gifts you don't need, and not getting the one thing you do need?
I'm happy to know that I'm not the only one who thinks an off-registry/handmade/thrifted gift is entirely appropriate.
Suzanne says
I actually havnt been to many, not too sure if they are not so popular here in Australia..?? Anyway, I had a Pantry party which by the way my lovely ( not any more) maid of honour printed the invitations out as ” Panty, yes, Panty…as in the underwear” Party…………….my husband is Italian, I am not, imagine the looks as they opened those invites all those years ago, it still haunts me….anyway…
I recieved all things to fill the pantry, rolls of glad wrap, cans, spices, paper towels. all that sort of great stuff..I loved it…..and things came wrapped in tea towels…now I am still using those tea towels 13 years later, and still have some new ones in my draw to use in the future……we actually call our bridal showers, kitchen teas usually, so it mostly cooking things we give as gifts………..still I think my ” Panty Party' took the cake…!!!!!!!!
Jessica says
All of these ideas have been so helpful! We live in an area where gift price tags are really high, and that has never appealed to me. I mean, even if you have the money, what's the point? Too much stuff can be a burden. I have been wanting to begin making gifts for people rather than buying them but I have been very slow to start. Probably because I tend to choose things that are too large and time-consuming. I will need to change that, I'm thinking.
_Rosie says
This is a great gift! And a wicked cute apron.
The Lt and I received a set of vintage champagne glasses (in their original box) as a wedding gift from a thrifty young pair of newlyweds. I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that she found them at Goodwill, but that doesn't change the fact that they're wonderful!
One woman did give me a spatula as a shower gift – or rather, it might have been two. The medium and small teal rubber spatulas from my registry, and then she knit me lovely bright dishcloths to match. So simple, clever, and I use them pretty much literally every day!
I also love all the colorful tablecloths and pretty serving dishes that I got at my shower from my mom's friends who love TJ Maxx as much as I do. The fancy pots and pans, knives, and appliances are all wonderful, but if you can put a pretty tablecloth down and serve dinner out of something nicer than that fancy pot, then it feels like home!
Kara AP says
Someone asked about child birthdays. I just made an apron and a personalized cookbook for a little friend of ours. For the cookbook I used some scrapbook supplies, a small $1 photo album and a handful of recipes. Not sure about boys though….and we have maony more of those in our circle
Amy Caroline says
Man, I wish you had been at my bridal shower!!!
Carol says
Your gift was original, thoughtful and nice. I feel sorry for many brides to- be- these days. Everything is so predictable. I made a quilt recently for one wedding gift and embroidered it so it was of heirloom quality, and personal. Everything seems to be the same everywhere and made in the same place. Your gift I am certain will be welcome.
justamouse says
To be honest, I have a SIL who has deep pockets, and it's very intimidating. But my MIL tells me, it's not the $, it's the thought. She's so right. I have another friend who loves to give, and I can't keep up with her, but when I just make her a set of coasters, she's thrilled. It's the thought that counts.
nancy says
very cute & useful gift! love it. i only give one gift when couples get married, either at the shower or at the wedding, but not both.
Shanna C says
Same here, and it's the tradition where I live in Tennessee. One gift per couple. I love the made-with-love apron and the cookbook & egg plate!!! I think along the same lines as Leila – sometimes the bride appreciates it, sometimes not.
Dusa says
For my neice's wedding shower: thrifted heavy cotton napkins, bleached white with repurposed doily bits embroidered in the corners, an embroidered tablecloth from her great great grandmother, a large blue flow platter from her great grandmother, and a cookbook I'm creating from a bunch of family recipes. I don't have kids of my own, so i'm passing down my heirlooms to my neices and nephews.
Adriana says
When I first read this post I recognized the egg dish as similar to the one my grandmother gave me for a gift.
I have never used it! I looked up the recipie for deviled eggs in my BH&G cookbook and served them with dinner last night. When my husband spotted deviled eggs on the table, he was thrilled. It's true: men really do love them!
Natasha says
Somehow I missed this post until now, but I'm glad you found something so adorable to do with that fabric–I knew you would 😉 I LOVE the deviled egg plate you gave us and use it often–sometimes even for other little bites that aren't deviled eggs! Also, I agree with you on the bridal shower trend and although it is absurd… I think one of the reasons may be that people really like to see the bride open their gift, which they usually don't get to do with the wedding gift. So I think maybe people give a big gift at the shower and something small at a wedding. Or else they just like to show off! But it is backwards. I use your sewing kit weekly and think that was the greatest shower gift ever by the way. Okay last thing: love the green wrapping!
Kate says
At my bridal shower, my sweet, beautiful grandmother gave me a tea cup and saucer that was her mother's (I now own a family heirloom!); a set of small plates I just know she recieved as a souvinier item from Japan years ago filled with “dainties” (i.e. werthers candies and foil wrapped chocolates), wrapped with plastic wrap and a bow to hold them in place, and some napkins held tight in gorgeous little napkin rings she picked up at the church bazaar. It was perfect! I use and love every piece, and the love for the gift came just as much out of who it was from than what it was I recieved.
angel says
Great idea to add to my stash! I always give a Christmas themed gift. Sometimes towels, or aprons, or table runner, or place mats. I remember my first Christmas away from home as a young bride without all the usual Christmas trappings as being very lonely. I enjoy building their stash!