This may sound like a stupid question, but are the gifts bought for a wedding shower usually gifts from the registry or are they personal gifts like lingerie.

They can be either. Many people prefer to give gifts that they know the couple want/need, so the registry is perfect. For a general shower, lots of gifts will come from the bridal registry. Some showers have themes to them. For instance, a personal shower will have lots more lingerie than a kitchen shower or a travel shower.