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When a baby is born, there is all sorts of jubilation. The giving of gifts, kisses thrown and given, congratulations offered. Where are the gifts? Oh yes, the baby shower. That was some weeks prior. Now, at the birth, there are no baby products. No burp cloths, no teething rings, no high chairs. Where are they? Not at the hospital, that is for sure. They would just be in the way. Is that not the case for as long as the baby is a baby? Underfoot, in the way, tripping over it. Always in the way. Not a fun time.
Why do we buy them? Why do we need them? If they are so in the way, what is the point? Well let me tell you. If there was an expectant mother, and she was thrown a baby shower, and there were no gifts given, what kind of party would that be? Not a good one, I will tell you. Gifts are a part of our society. It is not seemly to come to a party without a gift. The question now is what to bring. Since this is a baby shower, party guests will bring gifts of bottles and cloths and the occasional stroller. When the party is over, the expectant mother will have a mountain of STUFF all over the room where the party took place. Some of the items will be useful but others not so much. Even if the mother does not want or even need some of the stuff that she received for the party, she will not throw it out or get rid of it in some other fashion because it was a gift and she does not want to offend the individuals who got that for her.
Why so much stuff? The baby products that we buy for ourselves or for others as gifts is both a gift and an alleviation. At least that was the intention for the person that bought it. Burp cloths were purchased as a gift for an expectant mother, but then it was discovered that she uses only wash cloths she purchased at the discount 10 for a dollar. A baby sling was purchased for the mother who recently gave birth and she does not use it at she claims it makes her back hurt. For every good intention the gift giver has there is an excuse not to use it.
After christmas, more than half of the gifts given are returned to the store. This is because American like to buy and get stuff, but they want the stuff that they want. This means that the gifts they get are usually not exactly what they want, despite the excellent good intentions of the giver, so they take it back. The point here is not to tell people to stop buying gifts, but to do so from the from the heart. Think about the person you are buying for and remember what they like. If they are truly a friend, you will know what to buy and they will most likely not take it back. Remember that next time you are at a baby shower and don't just impulse buy.
