thanks anyway, you don't have to

What's a traditional response to receiving a gift?

• Thank you!
• This is awesome, really, thank you so much!
• I can't wait to use this
• Awe, ya shouldn't have
• You didn't have to

So I emailed someone recently who is expecting a baby any minute, and asked if there was an online registry so I could buy a gift for the baby (not her). Anyway, the response I get is thanks, but you don't have to. Brilliant.

Let me get this straight. You only accept gifts from people who are obligated to give them to you? First, it's not even for you. Secondly - what kind of GIFT is given due to obligation? Gifts from co-workers, you know, forced gift giving, which is nice but there is always the underlying bullshit implying that you wouldn't have done it if there wasn't a minimum priced gift that you had to get someone.

Guess I'm just crazy, I always thought that gifts were given out of kindness, to people you care about, to show you care about them.