Oh, no, there was digging involved. And DEAD THING. It would have been cute except for the dead thing.
Hrm. Maybe the ones I did are fresher or something. Odd!
I’m not quite getting the DEAD THING problem here. Okay, so the mollusk was dead. But it wasn’t any deader than anything that had been on your dinner plate, and you touched that stuff with your mouth.
Of course, I have one of those necklaces, and my experience was pretty much like everyone else has described it. Pop the top of the can, open the oyster with the little tool provided, pull out the pearl. I’d want to do the opening over a sink or plate or trashcan for the sake of neatness, but there was no rancid seawater slopping about or digging around for the pearl. If yours was that nasty, I wonder if maybe you got one with a bad seal on the can.
I gave my bridesmaids jewelry to wear and small silk purses to carry on the day of the wedding. The best bridesmaid gift I ever received was a crystal ring holder about 20 years ago. I still use it to this day. These days, there are many more options for bridesmaid gifts. I’ve even seen custom made cookies you can use as an invitation to ask your girlfriends to be part of your wedding party.
Both my bridesmaids love wine. I gave them bottles of a nice red wine along with wine glasses engraved with their monograms.
I also really like the idea of giving personalized gifts. Think about what you might get them for their birthdays or Christmas. What hobbies, books, CDs, or restaurants do they love? Just make sure you try to spend the same amount on each bridesmaid.
I did Vegas with my girlfriends a few years ago. I gave them bags and put in sunscreen, cheapy sunglasses, little bottles of liquor, a roll of quarters (not that many slot machines in Vegas actually TAKE quarters anymore - but its the thought), and a deck of poker cards.
As to weddings, I gave my bridesmaids a basket of bath stuff - bubble bath, lotion, etc. And a trashy “appropriate for reading in the tub” novel.
I’ve only been a bridesmaid once, and I don’t think the bride bothered.
Both giver and reciever of jewellery. I must say, every time I wear a piece of jewellery from a wedding, I remember the wedding, which is nice. 
Clutch purses and necklaces that went with the dresses they were wearing to the wedding (I didn’t really have matching bridesmaid dresses, as it was a destination wedding).
I took my bridesmaids out to a boutique bath store where they have a custom blending bar. We had a private blending party where we all made custom-frangranced bath products. We had fun playing with the scents, trying new scents and in general having lots of fun, girly time. They loved it! While we were having the party, I gave each of the girls a hand-made, personalized jewelry box with a snowflake pin inside (I was having a snow-flake themed wedding). I also included my mom and my mother-in-law because they were being very helpful and deserved a big thank you!
My sis-in-law gave me and the rest of the bridesmaids cute reversible beach-bags full of girly bath/body type stuff, a Victoria’s Secret thong and stuff like that. They were all somewhat personalized with our favorite colors, styles, etc. I’m not a fan of weird keepsakes that just end up in a junk drawer. I thought the goody-bags were great bridesmaid gifts: a useful bag with useful girly stuff in it.
Someone mentioned gift certs for a massage or mani/pedi at a later date. That’s a great idea. I’d love that.
Hahaha, whereas this sounds like *my *idea of what would just end up in a junk drawer.