Baby Shower Guest Sparks Debate After Criticizing Mom Who Asked for Registry Gifts Only

It seems that an expectant mother who recently threw a baby shower never heard the phrase, "don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

Either that, or they just don't think this piece of sage advice is necessarily one that is worth listening to.

That's the sentiment expressed by an X user who goes by Show me the Data (@2txsalth2o) on the popular social media application.

According to Data, she recently received an invitation from the mom-to-be that contained some very specific gift instructions for guests. They were told to "please purchase gifts from the baby registry."

And Data wasn't down with that demand.

In her X post, she wrote: "I'm sorry, if you invite me to a party and then tell me where and how to buy a present, I’m not coming, and you’re not getting no present."

Her ire directed at the verbiage in the post speaks to a phenomenon that calls into question the authenticity of why some folks throw these gatherings in the first place.

When you throw a celebration for an accomplishment or momentous occasion in your life, it's primarily to share the happy event with your closest friends and family members.

Of course, it's considered good etiquette when you attend one of these events.

Maybe you bring an envelope with some cash in it. Or perhaps you also get a gift that's appropriate for the situation. If it's a baby shower, maybe you'll bring a bag filled with goodies that'll help the expecting mother out with those first few years of child rearing.

However, it's hard not to feel like there are some folks who throw parties as a means of subsidizing the lifestyles that they wish to have after they get married or have a child.

Maybe they feel like they're banking on guests chipping in and buying them things that they want.

Or perhaps they feel like these guests will give them some cash that they can then use for things that they want for their baby. When someone else in the friends' group goes on to have a kid or get married or graduates from school, then you, in turn, chip in with a gift or an envelope of your own.

What ends up happening in a revolving door of "I get you and you get me," and it can start to feel like a business of sorts, rather than showing up for a friend and spending meaningful time with them.

Data, went on to explain her stance with a series of other X posts and why the new mom's baby shower invitation rubbed her the wrong way.

"I can’t believe I have to type this out but: No one owes you a gift because you got pregnant, and certainly, no one owes you a specific gift of your choosing because you got pregnant," she wrote.

Furthermore, she stated that this same mentality applies to folks who engage in holy matrimony, too.

"No one owes you a gift because you choose to get married either. If you have a wedding and are only inviting people with the anticipation of gifts, don’t invite them."

In yet another post she added: "One last post to clear up confusion then it’s going on mute: Yes, including where you are registered for a baby shower is standard. No, telling people to purchase from that registry is not."

However, there were folks who disagreed with her stance. One person replied that the entire point of a baby shower is defined by its very name: because expectant mothers are supposed to be "showered" with gifts.

In a response to another person who took issue with the post, Data clarified that when she does purchase gifts for folks throwing events, she actually always gets something from their registry.

However, she said she felt it was in poor taste to instruct folks to only buy things from the registry. It's that supposition that she took issue with.

"I actually always purchase from a registry. However if someone has the audacity to tell me to only purchase them gifts from their registry, I’m out," she explained.

Someone else also argued that Data was missing the point of baby showers. According to them, the entire point is to specifically get parents what they need for their children.

"That's literally been the standard procedure for decades. Have you never been to a baby shower before? This is about what they actually need for the baby. It's not Christmas, and there don't need to be a lot of surprises," they said.

What do you think? Is Data right to be miffed in this instance that there are parents who think it's okay to tell people what they should and shouldn't be bringing as gifts to a baby shower?

Or do you agree with other commenters who say that the entire point of a baby shower is to give a mom gifts that are supposed to help make her life easier, not leaving her with a bunch of stuff she won't have use for?