Shower gift wrap-up | Home and Garden

Take a look around the home of a couple celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. It's likely the sheets and towels are worn, the pots and pans scuffed, the toaster on the fritz.

Take another look.

Aren't these the items the couple received at their bridal shower? Come to think of it, it's high time for another shower to replace all the worn stuff, right?

The point is, whether you're the one registering for gifts or obsessing over the perfect gift to give, remember that the gifts a couple receives at the bridal shower could be hanging around a decade later and beyond. That's why couples clamor for high quality and practicality. Creative ensembles earn high marks as well.

All in all, practicality seems to win out. Who really uses a breakfast-in-bed tray? Or a punch bowl? Or a deep fryer in the age of the health-conscious?

These are some of the items local brides named as most likely to be on the table at their first garage sale. Brides also advised steering clear of decorative items for the home. After all, it's hard to decorate someone else's home to their taste.

But a coffee maker with all the bells and whistles? Or the best cookware on the market? Now we're talking. Here's what some brides said about their bridal shower treasures.

Pots and pans topped the list of most useful and valued wedding gifts for Dana Sorensen of Frankfort, Ill. Her KitchenAid mixer is high on her list as well.

Kristina Collard of Schererville has an appreciation for the creative. A thoughtfully packed cooler, complete with wine tote, glasses, napkins and plates earned her high marks. Beth LaBanco of New Lenox, Ill., felt the same way about a blue tub filled with picnic gear and outdoorsy stuff.

Luann Morgan of Munster has a weakness for tradition. The china she originally balked at registering for because she doubted she'd actually use it, turned out to be a favorite gift. She reasons that if you don't get fine china for your wedding, it's likely you'll never have it.

According to a spokesperson for J.C. Penney, the gifts that couples put on their registry most often include towels, sheets, cookware and KitchenAid Mixers.

A Target spokesperson named the Oxo kitchen tools set, the Chefmate 5-piece bakeware set, the Rival programmable Crock-pot and the Rubber Maid 10-piece storage set as Target's top registry items.

The Best Gifts Target and J.C. Penney shared their most popular wedding registry items in the creative or practical categories.

For coffee connoisseurs

Who needs an entire pot of ordinary coffee when all you want is one heavenly cup? Don't settle for instant granules! The Philips Senseo Coffee Maker from Philips is a gem that not only brews one cup at a time in a mere 30 seconds or two cups in 60 seconds, but competes with the finest coffeehouses, complete with a frothy layer on top when used with the Douwe Egberts coffee pods. Instead of stopping at a gourmet coffeehouse on the way to work, walk out of your house with a cuppa. Available at Target. $67.49.

If brewing up to 10 cups with full, rich flavor is your preference, the Krupps Programmable Coffee maker with a stainless steel carafe is a hot item on J.C. Penney's registries. Available at J.C. Penney. $119.99.

Wild about grilling indoors and out

Especially for the health conscious, indoor grilling is all the rage and George Foreman has it covered. One model has a high-domed lid and adjustable temperature control that make it easy to grill all kinds of foods. And with a 30-inch stand, it can be wheeled out to the deck when the weather's nice for an outdoor picnic. Available at J.C. Penney and Target. $69.99.

Another option for healthy cooking is the Cuisinart Griddler, which allows you to cook grease-free four different ways. Press ultra-thick burgers, gourmet paninis or the thinnest cuisine with the floating-hinge mechanism. Dishwasher-safe grill plates, griddle plates and grease cups make cleanup a snap. Available at J.C. Penney. $129.99.

Pots and pans an absolute must

Quality cookware is high on the list of couples' most valued gifts and one of J.C. Penney's top registry items is the line from Circulon.

Guaranteed to outlast all other nonsticks, this set includes 1- and 2-quart covered saucepans, 8-quart covered stockpot, 8-inch and 10-inch open French skillets, 4-quart covered sauté pot and a bonus 5-quart Dutch oven. Available at J.C. Penney. $199.99.

Target's big cookware set is the KitchenAid eight-piece, nonstick and scratch-resistant set. Porcelain enamel exterior with cool-grip rubber handles are its trademark. The set includes 1- and 2-quart covered saucepans, 6-quart covered stockpot and 8-inch and 10-inch open skillets. Available at Target. $129.99.

Creative picnic ensembles are a hit

If ever there were a set of newlywed rules, enjoying an outdoor picnic most certainly would be high on the list. If there's any gift that couples love even though they didn't register for it, it's creatively assembled gifts that coax them into a romantic picnic. Pack a cooler with colorful plates and picnic essentials such as the Swell Picnic Blanket. The bright colors will help announce their love to onlookers and hopefully keep critters away, too. The best part is its waterproof underlayer to keep the morning dew at bay. Available at Target. $24.99.

Not your grandmother's mixer

The hand-held versions must be passé in local brides' books, because it appears KitchenAid is the household name when it comes to mixers. Brides want "more power" when they cook, to the tune of 300 to 325 watts and 10-speed controls.

This coveted item includes a flat beater, dough hook and wire whip to accommodate a variety of cooking jobs. An appliance on display rather than stowed in a cupboard, it comes in just about every color imaginable to complement every kitchen. Available at J.C. Penney and Target. $199.99 to $249.99.

No home complete without linens

They say thread count is of utmost importance when shopping for sheets and Target's Fieldcrest Luxury line boasts 400-count Egyptian cotton sheets and silk comforters. J.C. Penney's Chris Madden sheet sets is a top registry item, also with 400 thread counts. Fieldcrest bedding available at Target for up to $159.99. Chris Madden sheet set available at J.C. Penney for $140.

For the bath, make a statement with big, heavy, absorbent towels that are made to last and every matching accessory from wash cloths on up. J.C. Penney Home Collection available at J.C. Penney for $2.99 to $7.99. Fieldcrest available at Target for $6.99 to $12.99.

Give the gift of warmth

So the registry's been picked clean but you want to send a gift that won't be returned because it's the wrong color or style? You can't go wrong with a pure white down comforter to go with any bedding style. One from Woolrich boasts a 240-thread count microfiber cover filled with natural down, a "natural insulator that is up to four times as thermally efficient -- and up to 10 times as durable -- as synthetic fills." The diamond-shaped quilting minimizes shifting for even heat. Available at Target. $60.

Nifty and unconventional

A J.C. Penney spokesperson said this novelty still doesn't beat the practical Hoover, Euro-Pro and Oreck vacuums, but a robotic vacuum that sweeps a room solo while you do something else is a neat concept nonetheless. When finished with its pre-programmed chores, the Roomba Robotic Floor Vacuum will go back to its self-charging base (sold separately for $59.99). Available at J.C. Penney and Target.com. $199.99 to $279.99.

If you really want to make a statement with the bride and groom and have some folks to go in on a gift with, how about the Apple iPod + hp digital music player? Weighing just 5.6 ounces, this palm-sized dynamo holds about 5,000 songs and provides up to 12 hours of playing time before the battery needs charging.