an anti-gift card piece

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/FindDealsOnline/GiftCardsAreNotGifts.aspx

Although they're easy to give and I wouldn't mind getting one, there's some excellent points in the first part of the column.

But its unbelievable how little shame some people have in the second half of the column (especially the mother of 3-year-old)

 

I can agree with the idea that gift cards are rather impersonal, but my friends and family do not think less of me for giving them.

For instance, take my brother's family (husband, wife, and four kids under the age of 5). I can't get the kids toys or clothes. I really don't have any kind of relationship with my sister-in-law. My brother is a workaholic who has no hobbies (with four kids, how could he?) Therefore, Starbucks gift cards for him and her and a gift card to a movie theater chain for the family. They've been very appreciative.

My parents gift to my wife and I every year for the past four? Big-balance Lowe's gift card. Things have transformed our house. That's a gift.

 

I'm kinda ambivalent on the gift card thing, but 50% of the correspondents said they like receiving them. It's hardly the end of the world.

 

I love gift cards. The friends I've asked about them also love them. But I guess it's a matter of taste -- like all gifts.

 

Don't ask JR what he thinks unless you have time to read the lengthy response.

 

I'm luke warm on receiving gift cards. On one hand, they're handy as hell if they're from a store you regularly frequent. Who doesn't enjoy free money? But when it's a store you've got no business stepping inside -- like Foot Locker, for me (I wear Vans, DC Shoes and Chucks) -- the cards are a waste. I've been carrying that useless piece of plastic around for about two years.

And I'm not a big fan of buying them. But my sister loves gift certificates from A&C Moore, Michael's and anything craft-related. Considering she's one of those people who buys everything she wants whenever she sees it, the gift cards are a nice fall-back option.

 

I have nieces and nephews. I have no idea what video games they have, or what music they like this week, or what sizes they're wearing this year, or what colors they wouldn't be caught dead in this month. Rather than risk buying them something they already have or something they'll be trading in on Dec. 26, I give them gift cards for places they like. Perfect solution. For the little ones, they also learn something about making choices that fit within a budget. Got a couple of the teenagers iTunes cards and they were gleefully downloading on Christmas afternoon.

Instead of saying, "There, you're off my list," I think it says, "Here, pick out something you really like rather than trying to fake gratitude over something you never wanted."

 

I've never given a gift card and doubt I ever will. As far as getting them, I'd rather shop where I want or eat where I want than be directed to Macy's or Barnes & Noble or Olive Garden and try very hard to avoid malls or places that belong in a mall (except movie theaters), but of course I'd never bitch about it to the person giving me one.

 

To hell with what JR thinks. He has 3 boys, - a 21 year old and twin 19 year olds. What the hell else can get them????

 

Gift cards: Love 'em.

I'm pretty tough to buy for--all arms and legs when it comes to clothes and darn choosy with books, DVDs and CDs. My family gives me gift cards because they know I can get something that I want and need.

When it comes to giving them, it's easy. Sis'beat loves Sephora. Loves it. So she'll tell me to get her a gift card and she'll be able to get what she wants, instead of me screwing up and getting something that she won't use and be happy with.

 

This Christmas is shaping up as one giant gift card swap at my parents' house. Which is fine by everyone.

All my dad wants is a gift card to Barnes and Noble (which he'll never use, but I digress). All my sister and brother-in-law want are gift cards to Home Depot. All my wife and I are requesting from my parents and sister/brother-in-law are gift cards to a furniture store (we're replacing our living room set sometime next year). Actually, I'm requesting the BASW too, but I've gotten that every year from my folks since like 1992.

I never quite got the hand-wringing over gift cards. I guess I can understand if it's a situation like the one Frank or Mike described (hey, great, a gift card to Olive Garden, should we tell them the last time we ate there you got the runs, no, OK, great thanks!), but asking for them takes all the guesswork out of searching. And that's often a relief, as Smasher said.

Plus, my mom has been in the "you don't need clutter/junk/gadgets" phase for a few years now. So to get us a gift card to a furniture store makes her feel as if she's helping us get something useful. Which she is.

 

I get my parents a gift card to Home Depot every year; sometimes $25, sometimes $50 -- depending on how well we're getting along at the time. They do so much work on the house every year, that it always goes to good use. I really can't lose with it, and it's a whole lot cheaper than ceramic music boxes and power tools.