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Hang in there! We got some crazy stuff, and yes, it was a hassle return. As for getting wrong patterns... Was there an issue with the registration or did people just not pay attention? Either way, the stores should work with you to get it straight. And homemade blankets will come in handy this winter, so don't get too upset! Needle point.... Now that just sucks! If you don't like them, donate!

I didn't get much off my registry either but did get lots of blankets and clothes. It was a but stressful but I did end up using a lot of the blankets and clothes more than I thought I would. For other gear items, I was lucky to borrow a bunch of stuff from a couple of people and then I bought orher stuff on my own and as needed. A lot my "needs" turned out to change too after baby came as I guess different people find different things most useful or essential.

Did you tell them in person that you were going to have a gender neutral nursery? Some people just like getting blue stuff when they hear you are having a boy.

There are going to be people who get you stuff that is not on the registry. I expected that for our shower.
Plus, it sounds like they handmade a lot of stuff. Maybe they were already making the blankets. I think handmade stuff should get a pass because there's so much more effort involved in making the items.
As for impractical? I wouldn't say that the gifts are impractical. You are going to use blankets.
I have heard how common it is to get lots of pink stuff when you have a girl and lots of blue stuff when you have a boy.
My plan before getting pregnant was to have a gender reveal at the shower, that way I get gender neutral stuff. (Well, there were other reasons as well.) Especially since my brother did mention that he got so much blue stuff that they went out and got gender neutral stuff to even out the blue. So I think it's fairly common to have this issue.
It is frustrating but you should have time to return the items.

@kaliopey: I really wouldn't worry so much about it and wouldn't call them impractical gifts. you will be able to use most of these items.

That happened with the family shower I had a few weeks ago. Tons of blankets and clothes, only received 3 items off the registry. We haven't found out the baby's sex so at least it was gender neutral. I'm having a shower where I live that will be mostly friends and I anticipate they will all mostly buy off the registry so trying not to worry about buying stuff 'til after that.

@simplyfelicity: I'd post a picture but don't want to be too mean my moms friend made it and when my mom brought it to my house, even she was confused about what it was!

Sounds like his aunt wanted you to always have a clean pair of overalls handy

@Kaliopey: yeah, I hear you on this, and I'd have the same reaction. I'd try to use the ok items; but return or give away anything that I absolutely wouldn't use. BIL just told DH that my MIL has been "hitting up rummage sales" to find things for the baby... I'm cringing inside. She's not exactly a practical gift buyer. I'm like, we have over 100 items on our registry that we actually need and/or want.....

Same thing happened to me. Pretty much all clothes. Barely anything from the registry! So many blankets. And they just kept coming. Super sweet homemade ones, but holy cow!

I got lots of the stuff on my registry but with extra off-registry gifts like blankets and other random things. I returned few things and re gifted or donated the rest.

@jedeve: +1

My son used a pink nippy because I didn't want to buy a different cover to replace the perfectly good one we had. We didn't end up using a crib even though I was originally anti co-sleeping. Babies are unpredictable and even though it might suck...the stuff was free so I would sell, exchange or donate and move on. Sorry

@jedeve: Great advice! Good to know for the future. Going off that, my one nephew loves blankets. He always needs a blanket with him and drags his blanket everywhere so they are always in need of blankets. He is even picky with what blanket he wants. His two brothers aren't like that. It's so interesting.

The registry is a guide, right? I know people spend tons of time researching, but at the end of the day, if you really want certain items, you need to be very direct or buy them yourself.

When my son was born, I looked at it like this: I would buy the big stuff, anything I was gifted was gravy.

Try to return it if you can (a lot of stores takes returns without receipts for store credit) and buy what you need and move on.

I had registered for a particular brand of play mat . I did not get that but a different brand and style. Although it would have been nice to get what I wanted, in the end the purpose of the gift (keep baby busy, tummy time place, etc) is the same and we used it fine. I appreciated the friend who took time to pick it out and give it to me

We were lucky that most kept to our registry.
We did get a few outfits that I returned for wrong size/season. The things that surprised me were all the "baby's first Christmas " stuff we got in newborn size for our January baby. I packed it away but it looks like none of my three kids will wear newborn size at Christmas or ever really. Perhaps I'll regift it if a Christmas newborn ever shows up.
I'd keep the extra blankets they come in handy. And for whatever you cannot return I'd donate.

Yes, I got SO many blankets. Only two were handmade. I really don't need a dozen plus blankets. I also got so many bath products that I'm only now, 3.5 years later buying my first bottle! LOL which is a good problem to have. I got so much cute but impractical NB clothing that we never wore because it was the wrong season. I wished I would've taken them in and exchanged them. We were running to the store after the baby's first check up because no one got us sleepers!

@regberadaisy: I can't remember but do you cloth diaper? I've heard many people repurpose their receiving blankets for cloth wipes.

@blackbird: for our shower, we got no burp cloths/ rags. (Which is fine because I didn't register for them and with twins on the way, people gifted us cute clothes.) I ended up getting used ones from a fellow twin mom. Oh, we got two fox quilts from one of our friends that was not close enough to us to be invited to the shower (plus, she lives out of state. We reconnected recently because we visited vegas and met up with her). The fox quilts don't match our nursery but I doubt she knew what our nursery theme was. (Actually, not many people knew what our theme was because I didn't have a theme or color scheme until a couple weeks before the shower.) Anyway, I absolutely love the handmade fox quilts she made. I don't know of anyone that makes quilts so it was definitely a surprise to get them from her. So happy to get them.

A gift is a gift and I would have been thrilled that someone had the talent and time to handmake something special for my LO.

@blackbird: @bluestriped bee: I knit and sew too and I would be sad to know someone didn't like it. We got a couple quilts I wasn't a huge fan of (they were wall hangings, and I do feel it's odd to make/get someone decor without their input or approval.) And we did get some other blankets that don't "match" but it doesn't matter what we think - the kid loves them!

@ShootingStar: agree on your last point! Our house is full of baby crap and other than our stroller, I don't really see anything we registered for.

OP, I don't want you to feel piled upon. It is overwhelming the amount of stuff you need. We were in a bit of a financial spot when my first was born. We had just graduated and started new jobs and had little to no cash on hand (although we were ultimately fine and things got better quick.) I remember crying to my mom that pack n plays were too expensive and she laughed because they were "only" $60. And people would buy stuff and while I appreciated it, sure I would think its not what I would have chosen or wish they had bought the things I registered for and thought I needed. We didn't have a lot of cash to complete our registry, so we just didn't. I figured we would buy things as we needed them. And then we realized we didn't need a lot of it. And did need a lot that we didn't register for!

It'll all work out!

@kaliopey:

@bluestriped bee: watch, they'll be one of your favorite things for your LO's. Nursery themes come and go. I made a puff quilt for E when she was little-it doesn't match her room and she never took to it. But it was practical so we used it sometimes. Suddenly, at 2.5, she insists on sleeping with her "rainbow" blanket

@jedeve: I feel like you can never have enough blankets! We use them more now, with an older LO, than we ever did when she was little. I keep them stashed in the cars, in the stroller, other rooms of the house....and T gets the pink and purple one quite frequently

I think it's pretty typical for people to be drawn towards cute baby items and clothes to buy instead of registry items. Return what you can and get what you want. Honestly, as for the whole patterns of things - you really won't have time
To care about it when baby arrives. They use that stuff for such a small amount of time. You can never have enough blankets. I would have loved a handmade quilt! They're beautiful and so thoughtful for someone to spend that time. At the end of the day, it's our job as parents to supply the necessities. Anything else is just a bonus. I know amazon and target both offer registry completion discounts, so we just made a big order after our shower. In hindsight, I should have waited until after baby arrived because we didn't really even need every thing I thought we would.