registry

在这里不知道怎么翻译这个字。在美国，很多人结婚前或快要生小孩前，都会有个party（派对？）叫做registry，比较接近的亲朋好友一般都会被邀请来参加，来者一般也都会带些礼物。主人家会找一到两家商店，把自己想要的东西列出来并登记在选定的商店里，然后通知所有被邀请的嘉宾是哪（两）家商店。嘉宾多数会…

Source: http://nteswjq.blog.163.com/blog/static/1269981201011034259371/

Registry

> By Duan Yongping · his NetEase blog (nteswjq.blog.163.com, now closed; read from web archives) · 2010-02-10 · [Original link](http://nteswjq.blog.163.com/blog/static/1269981201011034259371/) ([archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110719201847/http://nteswjq.blog.163.com:80/blog/static/1269981201011034259371/))

I don't know how to translate this word here. In America, before getting married or when about to have a baby, many people have a party called a registry. Fairly close relatives and friends are generally invited, and those who come generally bring gifts. The hosts pick one or two stores, list the things they want and register them at the chosen stores, then tell all the invited guests which store (or two) it is. Most guests go to one of the stores before coming, find the list and pick a gift that fits their budget and buy it, and the store automatically removes the gifts already bought from the list, so nobody buys the same thing twice. Many years ago I went to one with my wife and thought this way of giving gifts was very good.

In China, giving gifts is a real headache.

Actually the people receiving gifts sometimes have a headache too. Getting married you might receive 4 baby strollers, 5 deer penises, 6 quilts......

Of course, gift-receiving of the Wen Qiang sort isn't included here.