Let us speak of gift cards for a moment. I hate gift cards. I do not like it when people give me gift cards. Gift cards are someone's way of saying "I didn't know what to get you, so here's something that is pretty much cash, except you can only spend it at one store"On one occasion, have I ever asked for gift cards. Last Christmas I asked for gift cards to Pier 1, because I wanted to buy furniture there, and gift cards would have helped offset the cost. No one bought me any gift cards, because they didn't believe I really wanted them.
Gift cards are acceptable as a form of gift to a boss from a group, or something like that, but for my birthday, christmas, or wedding, (because Rachel's post is what brought this up) get me something off my list, or cut me a check, or just skip the present all together. Don't get me a gift card.
If you're going to be lazy, and just give me a gift card, I'd rather you just give me the cash, or give me nothing at all. I think gift cards are thoughtless gifts. They require no thought, and no effort whatsoever.
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Hence, why I'm going to get one for Tamera's wedding. Actually, I'm not getting her a gift because she's stripping me of house and home paying for everything else.
Anyway, if a close friend or relative got me a gift card for my birthday or Christmas, I'd be pretty peeved. For my wedding, I don't care because many, MANY people don't know HOW to use the list system at various stores and get the same thing that five other people got, so if they want to get me a gift card, that's fine with me. It will most likely be to a store that I shop at anyway or can get stuff that isn't on my list.
*shrug* I'd rather have a gift card than a tacky gift that I don't want/can't use/already have.
Usually when it comes to gifts from my parents, I pick out what I want and Mom and Dad pay for it or I just buy it myself and they reimburse me. It takes the suspense out of unwrapping gifts, but I get exactly what I want.
I get exactly what I want from cash too, rach.
and toni, you don't have to use the list if you give cash.
books and music are something you generally want to pick out yourself. when my parents get me a gift card to b&n or best buy, i know they want me to buy myself something they can't possibly pick out.
i also specifically ask for them to the gap when i need jeans or something. again, something a person must pick out on their own.
i think it's nice. in my family, we give and get them all the time.
I posted a rant about gift cards once... probably in the Cave. Anyway, they're worth less than the same amount of cash, and hence are exceptionally dumb. I wholeheartedly agree about the stupidity of gift cards.
I HATE Gift cards too....unless they are from target, there is just no thought to the present
I will ask for gift cards to certain stores that I don't want people to pick out my stuff in. Like clothing stores. I do not trust a majority of my family to pick out clothing gifts for me. I would rather ask for and recieve a gift card. If I do get a piece of clothing I would be thankful and hope for a gift reciept if possible.
However, the gift cards I do have a problem with are the ones to places like the "cough" MOA "cough", these cards once puchased rapidly begin to loose thier value. If the card holder wants to call to see how much is on THEIR card, two dollars are deducted from the card. These are the types of "gift" cards that I have a problem with. But if I ask for a gift card from a certain store it is because I will use it in a timely manner.
See, for me it's not that I feel like someone didn,t know waht to get. That's forgiveable... sort of. To me, giving a gift card says "I really couldn't be bothered to think about what to buy."
thanks carly, i ws beginning to feel outnumbered.
I don't mind them, I thne get to buy whatever I want. Some people are very hard to buy for.
So rather than having to take back a gift I don't want, I would much rather have the gift card.
Gift card is very different from cash. Cash you can spend on paying your telephone bill, a gift card must be used to buy you something.
A gift card is saying, "Hey, I really didn't know what to buy you, but I am sure you can find something here."
It's like taking the first step but not narrowing it down to one item, but rather a "type" of item.
I hate gift-cards that are thoughtless. However, some gift cards can be a thought--I once gave my dad one for his birthday because I knew a book he wanted was coming out later that year. It was too early to pre-order it (which I had done in the past), so I bought him a gift card with the note saying, "So you can get {the book} when it comes out."
In short, if it's for a specific gift that's not available, or if it's to help offset the cost of something expensive, I like them.
I guess I just prefer cash, because for me, at least, it is thoughtful. Because it's what I currently (and frequently) need. So if it's a choice between cash and a gift card, I'll take the more valuable and more liquid cash any day.
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