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View Full Version : In Britain, a Gift Registry for Divorces



kwame k
02-26-2010, 12:14 PM
Divorce can be liberating for some. But starting over can be emotionally and financially taxing, as well. One British department store chain hopes to ease the transition for the recently divorced by launching a specialized gift list that family and friends can use to help newly single loved ones stock up on things like sheets, towels and appliances for their new home. You've heard of a wedding registry - well, this is a divorce registry.

"Obviously divorce is quite an expensive time with legal fees and it can be quite busy; there's lots of stuff to think about," says Ruth Attridge, spokeswoman for Debenhams department store, which has more than 150 outlets across Britain and Ireland. "So we thought well, we'll set up a divorce gift list and maybe it'll be a way for friends and family to help that person on their way a bit." She says several customers turned the company onto the idea last year when they inquired whether there were divorce gift lists similar to the ones the chain offers for weddings, anniversaries and birthdays. Since the program was unveiled in January, calls have flooded in from curious prospective clients. (See five Facebook no-nos for divorcing couples.)

Setting up a divorce gift list is simple. Customers book an appointment at a store to pick the items they think they'll want in their new place, with or without some help from the staff (a divorce registry specialist, if you will). Afterward, the selections are posted online for family and friends to browse and buy. Based on market research, Debenhams expects most divorce gift list recipients to be men, for the simple fact that more women tend to remain in the marital home after a breakup, especially if the couple has children.

The British chain is believed to be the first to launch such a program.
However, given the proclivity of Americans for divorce - recent statistics put the U.S. divorce rate at about 3.5 per 1,000 people, or roughly half the marriage rate - it may only be a matter of time before the concept makes the jump across the pond. Indeed, divorce has become a big industry around the world, thanks in part to such high-profile celebrity splits like Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston and Heather Mills and Paul McCartney. "Celebrate-don't-commiserate" products like greeting cards, sponge cakes and divorce-themed books are all the rage now in the U.S. and Europe. Christine Gallagher's book The Divorce Party Planner includes a "full party plan," with advice on gift ideas, games and appropriate divorce party music. And one London-based law firm, Lloyd Platt & Company, even sells divorce legal advice vouchers for $200 per half hour.

Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100226/wl_time/08599196796800)

kwame k
02-26-2010, 12:14 PM
Where was this when I was going through my divorce, brilliant.

Igosplut
02-26-2010, 12:17 PM
Some that have been through a divorce can tell you that it in itself is enough of a gift.

kwame k
02-26-2010, 12:25 PM
Yeah, it sure was a gift and I looked at it as....if she wants all that stuff just to get rid of her, fuck it!

Considering the divorce rate here, we should celebrate it, as much as we do weddings. Better still, no one should have to bring a gift for a wedding until the couple reaches the five year mark.....then celebrate and get gifts, as that would be an accomplishment.

Nitro Express
02-27-2010, 02:54 AM
My mom cracked me up one time when she said she never thought about divorcing my dad. She said murder entered her head a few times but never divorce.

Susie Q
03-03-2010, 09:51 AM
I honestly think a wedding is nothing more but show and tell anyways. I don't understand couples spending thousands of dollars on a one day event. A dress the bride wears once, then what? It should be about the connection of one to the other and not about "status" or whatever. I was married twice. Both times it was very plain and simple. Some here might look at it as a low budget bullshit. Looking back...I saved a hell of a lot of money. I would have committed suicide if I paid $10,000 for one of these weddings only for it to go into the shitter. My first marriage we had just as much fun without the pomp and circumstance.

Marriage for me is not about commitment anymore, it's about paperwork. I can commit to someone without marrying them, I can love just as strong, care just as much. The paperwork is so that you have health insurance, life insurance, and whatever else benefits.

Igo hit's the mark with his statement. After living through bullshit, a Divorce Party is where it's at.