I have always really loved stuff. Stuff that promises to make my life better. Beauty stuff. Cooking stuff. Healthy stuff. As Seen on TV stuff. Oh, and let me tell you about some stuff that will make your life better! I’m a marketer’s dream.
When I was in high school, I learned about the five love languages and realized mine was gifting. So I wasn’t materialistic after all… I just wanted to feel loved! And to shower you in love! (For the most part. Some days I’m just straight-up materialistic.) When I was younger I acquired a lot of stuff, which made both moving and my credit score really miserable. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that the easiest way for me to resist temptation is by only buying stuff that I truly feel like I’m investing in.
As a lover of objects, I was surprised that when it came time to register for our wedding, I just… couldn’t. I love giving and receiving stuff, but registries are complicated; even though Meg sold me on the idea of a barn raising (after some convincing), I just didn’t want to deal. (Unsurprising: when I told Eric I didn’t want to register, I got the classic starving-puppy-stink-face yet again.) Last month, after a comment intervention, you all convinced me it’s okay to register for china, if that was what I really wanted. But I promptly realized I didn’t know what china I even wanted, or what the best kind is. (Because it can’t just be about pretty patterns, right? Oh it is? Okay, then I want to know who, exactly, has the prettiest patterns!) Same goes for measuring cups, and sheets, and toasters. Last week I emailed Meg demanding to know the super expensive toaster she swears by. Five years ago, I never would have understood paying more than $18 for a toaster; now I’ve come to accept that NOT ALL TOASTERS ARE CREATED EQUAL. It’s easy to claim that objects doesn’t matter, but as someone who curses her garbage can pretty much every day (Eric wanted this particular one; I hate it), I know that stuff can change your life… or at least your mood as you’re going about your daily routine.
All of that obviously means, it’s open thread time.
Let’s talk the specifics of your favorites (LINKS OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN). What did you register for and love? What is the thing you’re most excited about on your registry? If you don’t/haven’t/won’t register, view this as a chance to spill about your best-ever consumer finds.
- What bedding do you swear by? (Mine: a Tempur-Pedic mattress topper from Kohl’s that turned our IKEA mattress into sleeping on clouds in Heaven.)
- Which kitchen gadgets are worth the splurge? (Mine: the Kitchen-Aid stand mixer and the Magic Bullet. Note: DO NOT BUY A KNOCKOFF MAGIC BULLET, THEY ARE ALL AWFUL.)
- Which As Seen on TV product is really as good as the informercial makes it seem? (Tie: the Magic Bullet and the Vidalia Chop Wizard.)
- What Dutch oven will last me until my hypothetical children go to college? (I’d really like to know.)
- Are there any WASPs in the house to offer a “buying silver 101” lesson? (Meg’s Note: The WASPs lesson is to just wait around till someone dies and inherit silver that you don’t pick, so maybe someone else can spill?)
I know I’m not the only one who finds the idea of registering painful. And I know I’m not the only one who’s had people ask forty-seven billion times where we’re registered. So. If we’re going to suck it up and ask for this stuff, and if someone is going to be kind enough to buy us this stuff, let’s be sure it’s the stuff we’ll really love and use forever.
In other words, let’s take a quick time out for a lovely afternoon of rolling in consumer goods. I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.
Photo from Rachel’s personal collection; tea set was a wedding gift from her uncle to her parents
