shower gift suggestions?

My daughter is going to be a bridesmaid for a good friend of hers. She has been invited to a shower for her in a week. She wants to get her something special since she is a bridesmaid. However, with finals coming up, she's really tight on time. From what I understand, the bride and groom are starting out from scratch as they both lived at home.

Thanks!

I'm not good at gift ideas but I know that a microwave might be a good thing (I couldn't live without mine). What do I know though, I'm bad at gift ideas :o( I never know what to buy. There are so many others here though that are great with ideas and I'm sure someone will come up with that perfect something :o)

Traditionally the bridesmaids get together and get the bride a pretty nightgown. But let's think untraditional....wedding book, wedding candle, anything that can be engraved....

Couples just starting out should be easy....everyone needs quality kitchen items. Even if you just buy 1 excellent frying pan it will last them for years, and they will remember it! Of course, throwing in something fun is also great, like an admission to a great water park this summer or a great restaurant....

Lottery tickets are always fun, too :)

I don't know how much she wants to spend but you know with the microwave idea. You could put some bags of popcorn and some gift certificates to blockbusters inside. That way they have a great kitchen appliance that is very useful and at the same time popcorn and some free movies to rent so they can cuddle up and relax for a night together after all the commotion of a wedding :o)

I know, I'm just way out there.......LOL.

The favorite wedding gifts we received were gift cards from places like WalMart and Target. Made it really easy to get what we really liked and needed... our own priorities.

One thing I have seen for brand new homemakers is to get a couple good laundry baskets and fill them with all the basics: kitchen towels, dish cloths, scrubbers, bath sponges, a loofah, some bath stuff both hubby and wife would enjoy (using on each other??), bath towels, guest towels with their initials embroidered on them, this sort of thing... spatulas, serving utensils, gadgets for the kitchen... they're just beginning, they'll need a magnetic pad for on the fridge for their grocery list, a budget book, a card organizer for sending cards to all their loved ones for birthdays and anniversaries, etc.

Just some thoughts, one very labor intensive and one quite simple.

Enjoy!

cookbook or we made up a lot of recipe cards of favorite and easy to do things to cook...also printed out lots of household hints...and I made them a grocery bag holder, some crocheted "scrubbies", and included some kitchen gadgets...like a candy themometer, timer...just little things that are so handy. Jo

I just went to a party the other day for my dh's nephew and his bride to be. These 2 are starting out fresh too. So I went out and bought a hugh laundry basket and filled it full of kitchen supplies, such as sandwhich baggies, ziplock bags of all sizes freezer and storage bag kind, also tin foil, toothpicks, salt and pepper shakers, a cooking caddie(on a lazy susan with scissors, knives, and serving spoons, spatula's) a jar of peanut butter and jelly(just in case they get tight on money they can at least make a sandwhich) a pack of paper plates,wax paper, a sifter, a cheese grater, a small spice rack(that came with the spices already in the jars) a box of salt and a box of pepper to fill the shakers with, 2 boxes of baking soda...can't remember what else I put but the basket was running over by the time I was finished with it. She seemed very pleased with the basket, and thanked me more than once because she knows she is going to have to fill the cabinets and this basket made it a little easier on their pocketbook!
I just love showers!! aren't they fun!

Have everyone invited to the shower bring their favorite recipe and them put them all into an album. This is what I got for my shower and I still use some of the recipes today. (It also helped because I couldn't cook when I got married - I even managed to burn water!! LOL)

The laundry basket filled with household necessities is a GREAT idea, and a real money-saver (I remember those first few trips to the grocery and discount store - even 20 years ago, it was VERY expensive to get all that stuff!)

A NICE set of sheets (Sam's sells some GREAT sheet sets that are wonderful for the price), kitchen or bath towels (don't forget the bath mats!) are also much appreciated, and will be used for years.

Some photo albums (although with digital cameras now, it's not nearly as easy to fill up the albums), plus some gift certificates for film developing would be nice.

The items that I'm still using from my wedding showers include a great deep serving bowl (given to us by some Italian friends who gave these traditional pasta platters to all new brides), a set of good kitchen utensils, several serving dishes (crystal bowls and more practical everyday casserole dishes) "top of the line" monogrammed bath towels, vases, wine glasses, several nice pieces of silver that I use to decorate; and a recipe box full of recipes from friends (and friends of my mom.)