I do both. I usually make something hand made...a baby blanket, a tag blanket...and I buy something off the registry too.

I do both.

Ya know, our best, favorite wedding gifts were not from our registry. They were creative and/or totally useful and we REMEMBER who gave them to us. I wonder if baby gifts are the same? I gave a set of little screwdrivers (for battery doors, opening some little packages that needed screwdrivers to remove straps), and assembly. 11 years later, the mom still tells me it was their best gift and still in use!

Depends on how close you are to the co worker. It's great if you are talented like Annie and can make something personal, but I would be okay with picking things from the registry.

You can pick the smallest items and create a gift basket. The gift basket itself can be something useful that can be used later as well.

Esp., for a young couple, I will only get practical gifts, and if they're on a registry, fine. I can't bring myself to get bling and "shiny keys" as baby shower gifts (although, those plastic keys might not be a bad idea!). The cost of diapers, baby food, clothing for rapidly growing infants…precludes me from getting them something they don't really need or would use.

Registries ARE helpful though in that you can see what has been snatched up by someone else, so you don't pull a double gift.

If I was a new mother, I'd want a diaper genie, tons of onesies, cloth diapers for burping, a three-year supply of diapers! (Lol. Joke…but I really would love that)…one of those bouncy seat things the baby can be placed in and put on a table while mom is working or relaxing….infant swimming lessons? No one is going to give her that, and it's actually a great thing for infants, great for their lungs and therefore their immune systems and strength, and of course, gets them right on the track of safety around water.

No matter what I give, I include a book (with gift receipt). "Goodnight, Moon", any Sandra Boynton board books, poems (Christina Rossetti!), and there are always great new ones (my kids would have been delighted with Mo Willems' books)

Our friends tend to be financially well prepared to pay for things like diapers, though those do make a great gift if you know whether they are planning on disposables or cloth. I am a total baby stuff snob/safety freak (tibbix, the bouncy seats should never, ever be put on a table as they can fall off--and this actually happened to a family member of mine). I have two kids (the youngest is five) and I did as much baby stuff research as I have done kitchen remodel research. This is terrible, but people's registries often make me cringe.

So I tend to give Robeez shoes because no one ever registers for shoes and we loved Robeez (both to keep socks on in smaller sizes and as first walkers). People usually tell me that they were the only shoes they received and how much they love them. Or I give anais and Aden swaddle blankets because they were very useful to me and they are a bit of a splurge. If it is someone I don't know well and a gift card is appropriate, I do an amazon gift card. I also always give a small gift to any big brothers or sisters--usually books.

Whenever there is a registry, I buy from it. Then I supplement it with something smaller and more personal. The latter is not necessary, but it is the part I enjoy. The first part, honestly, feels like a tax to me and I dislike it. I love to give gifts but I most enjoy giving them spontaneously and for no traditional reason. But I do understand that that is not practical, so my solution is to do some of both.

PS I forgot, for relatives, I use give a significant cash gift and the information and documentation to set up a 529 college savings plan.