A thought on wedding registries

We have this long standing custom of giving gifts to people about to be married. According to Wikipedia, wedding registries were instituted by department stores in the 1920's to make this gift giving easier. The popularity of gift registries grew rapidly until the present and I have yet to encounter a wedding without one. There are a number of recommendations about assembling a registry including the need to represent potential gifts of a variety of prices. Since there are so many style guides about registries, I suggest a further entry: Each registry must include items of variable interest. Every regis

try I have seen is entirely populated with very, very boring things. Yes, it is well and good that you need ladles and duvet covers, but surely there is something else you could use that has a bit of pazazz. Like exciting salt and pepper shakers,
or an intriguing lamp,
or a head like the heads you see on Easter Island.
These are the sorts of entries that would be entertaining to those who know the bride and groom well and would make excellent icebreakers for those extended relations who do not. I must admit that I have only purchased gifts off a registry about twice and both times they were exceedingly boring. But I made up for it with my approach to gift wrapping. Maybe I am just checking the registries too late to see the good stuff, but my motto is everyone should get at least one interesting present on the day they arguably receive the most presents. This is why the bride at a recent bridal shower I attended received a neon blue hammock instead of any number of beige dishes.