JeanieS:  I have a cousin on the Mormon side of the family with ten children and the oldest have reached graduation age - and therefore, marriage, babies, showers, etc., etc., etc. I have met these children once - seven years ago at our grandmother's funeral. Now I'm getting back to back graduation invitations, shower invitations, wedding invitations, and baby announcements, which overlap depending on which kid it is and what they are doing, i.e., graduating, marrying, procreating, and/or begetting her 15-so-far grandchildren. I'm Auntie Money Bags. They think.

Question: Jeanie makes a good case re: when it's inappropriate to hit a relative or long lost friend up for a graduation/shower/wedding/baby gift. Can anyone provide a decent measuring stick to such things?