Those lingering wedding gifts..

[rayinpenn]

The two, 30 year old brass stifle lamps that remain were are gift of four from my now long gone in-laws. There was a time when lamps seemed to have to look like candle sticks. The first two were sent packing when we bought new furniture for the our master bedroom. We don’t throw out that which is functional but it was time and the two matching replacement tiffany style lamps are beautiful.

The front parlor where the last of the two remaining (my hangout room). I think its time for a change no i know it is time. I thought about it and I’m sure the in-laws would agree 30 years is long enough. Two more tiffany two bulb style lamps will replace them along with a smart plug. You know programmable. A changing of the guard so to speak. Still it isnt easy.

Look around is there a gift that you secretly like to part with (not your spouse)?

 

[Jerry1]

I don’t know how old they are, but we have two brass Stifle lamps. I don’t see us ever parting with them. They’re classic. As for wedding gifts, just a few nick nacks in the cabinet that I don’t see DW ever parting with, but I’d get rid of them in a minute. We’re getting closer every day to minimalist and though it’s been tough, we’re better off for it.

 

[ckelly78z]

My daughter is getting married next week, and has already had the wedding shower, and has been registered online at several places. My long estranged, (family financial argument when I was young), aging Uncle sent her a big box through UPS, that wasn't on the registry. It turned out to be a Fondue pot, with several missing pieces, and it smelled like it had been sitting in somebody's musty basement for 30 years.....Why would anyone do that ?

 

[EastWest Gal]

We should have registered but did not. I didn't understand gift registries, having just finished medical school, and few of my peers were married yet, and my mom didn't either. (Mom was not helpful in wedding planning, amongst other things.) We got seven sets of towels. They ended up being the best gift ever, because they got used and they do wear out. No one in the 80s seemed to have given useful items.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Kelly that’s so funny!

 

[Gumby]

When the young wife and I got married in 1984, my mother gave us a milkshake maker. I have no idea why she chose that, but that's what it was. About 5 or 6 years later, as we were moving from one apartment to the next, we came across that milkshake maker, which had been sitting our kitchen cabinet unused since the day we got married. Since we did not foresee ever using it, we gave it to Goodwill.

Well, wouldn't you know it, but my mother came to visit us about a year later. As she was puttering around in our kitchen one day, she asked "where is your milkshake maker?" Thinking quickly, I said, "we wore it out". You can guess what comes next. The following Christmas, we get a package delivered in the mail. We open it to see that it is from my mother and it is the exact same milkshake maker.

Moral of the story - Don't lie to your mom (or ever get rid of her presents).

 

[athena53]

My weddings were small and in the second one we asked that people not bring presents- we were combining 2 well-equipped households.

I'm slowly getting rid of some of the appliances from DH's second marriage (I was his 3rd wife)- the ice cream maker just went as Free Stuff on Craigslist last month and the pasta maker and CrockPot before that. I've got a surplus of cocktail glasses and a lovely set of martini glasses- maybe those will go next. There's a full set of a nice Fitz and Floyd china pattern downstairs which was a gift from my first marriage- maybe I ought to switch it out with my everyday stuff and enjoy it.

Lately when the couple has offered the option I've gone for the honeymoon registry instead. Travel has always been a much bigger priority for me than specialized kitchen appliances.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

A wedding gift to my great aunt and her groom in 1920 has a prominent place in my home -- an art nouveau slag glass table lamp. It turns 100 next year, so I guess that gift has proven staying power.

 

[Souschef]

My weddings were small and in the second one we asked that people not bring presents- we were combining 2 well-equipped households.

I'm slowly getting rid of some of the appliances from DH's second marriage (I was his 3rd wife)- the ice cream maker just went as Free Stuff on Craigslist last month and the pasta maker and CrockPot before that. I've got a surplus of cocktail glasses and a lovely set of martini glasses- maybe those will go next. There's a full set of a nice Fitz and Floyd china pattern downstairs which was a gift from my first marriage- maybe I ought to switch it out with my everyday stuff and enjoy it.

Lately when the couple has offered the option I've gone for the honeymoon registry instead. Travel has always been a much bigger priority for me than specialized kitchen appliances.

That sounds almost exactly like us. We eloped for our wedding We had to combine 2 1800 sq ft houses into our new 1400 sq ft home.
Craig's List, Salvation Army, neighbors and coworkers got what we did not need.

BTW, I was her 2nd spouse, and she was my 3rd. Both our spouses had passed away.

 

[timo2]

There was a time when lamps seemed to have to look like candle sticks. T

Recall that the original motor vehicles looked like horse drawn wagons.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Mr. Grey, I bet that lamp is beautiful.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Mr. Grey, I bet that lamp is beautiful.

Thanks, I think it is. Here's a link to a photo of a similar lamp that an auction house had for sale. Our lamp is slightly different in that the small panels are ivory colored instead of red and the larger panels are light blue, like the small panels in the base. Lamp by N.W. Art Shade Co. on artnet

It stands out in our house, which is mostly furnished in secondhand eclectic.

 

[Vacation4us]

Cheers to the 3 rd wives club! My self included. We specifically asked for no gifts. We still received a few,mostly champagne. Haven’t drank a single drop of it!

 

[Senator]

If they are still functional, give them to the next bride and groom's whose wedding you are invited to.

They will appreciate them for another 30 years.

 

[RobbieB]

We've re-gifted unwanted (and unopened) wedding presents a couple times.

 

[mountainsoft]

We still use a lot of the items we received as wedding gifts 33 years ago, back in 1986. A few that come to mind are the microwave oven my mom bought us before we got married, the small food processor from my sister-in-law, both sets of mixing bowls, our clothes iron, and candy dishes from wife's grandmother. I'm sure there are plenty more I'm forgetting.

 

[Just_Steve]

I don't recall getting any actual gifts so I just asked DW how many actual gifts as opposed to checks and cash we received on our wedding and her recollection is the same as mine. I have also never given anyone an actual wedding gift only a card and check. My wedding was in NYC as were most that I have attended. Wondering if this differs depending on what part of the country/world your in.

 

[Moemg]

My first wedding was in 1969 so a lot of avocado green small appliances . They have since been replaced but I still have an ironing board that I received as a shower present and a few pyrex baking dishes.