There you are, just days -- if not hours -- before Christmas, and you still need gifts for Uncle Phil, Cousin Betty, and your wife. So you swing by the mall on your way home and pick up a handful of gift cards. Will you be considered Santa of the year or a Scrooge? That depends on where you get the cards and who you get them for.You know Uncle Phil is a serious camper and backpacker, so you hit the mall sporting goods store for him. Your wife shops at the big department store a lot, so you get her card there. And for Cousin Betty, the clothes horse, you hit the first clothing store you saw. Did you do well or will you be getting coal in your stocking?
Roto13,11-11-2008, 12:10PM
Oh, gift cards. How I love and hate them.
On the one hand, I can't stand the thought of buying someone something so impersonal. On the other hand, every thing I want is too expensive for other people to buy for me, so they're perfect for me to receive. :P
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Honey,11-11-2008, 4:31PM
Some in my family will ask what I want for my birthday or Christmas. When they do, I will usually ask for a gift card for a specific store. That way, I can get exactly what I want and make sure, if it is clothing, that it fits. I think gift cards are a great idea. Much better than getting a scarf or somehing else I cannot use every year! lol
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Mandy,11-11-2008, 4:58PM
I was a teacher for five years at a private school...so lots of Christmas gifts. I appreciated EVERY gift I received (even if it went unused...lol!) but we always LOVED getting the gift cards!! :)
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cltol,11-11-2008, 5:49PM
I love to receive gift cards! It's true, they can come off as impersonal, but not if you really put thought into it. A gift card can show that you pay attention to the interests and tastes of your friends and family members.
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Sarah,11-11-2008, 5:45PM
I work in a school as well, and let me tell you--IF I GET ONE MORE CANDLE, I'M GONNA LOSE IT!!!!!! Gimme a gift card any time!
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mdvee,11-11-2008, 5:56PM
I like them, and enjoy spending them! Right size, right color. Can't go wrong!!!!!!!!!!
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ellen sheehan,11-11-2008, 6:29PM
i used to spend a fotune on gifts for my great grand kids which i didn't mind but i'm 78yrs young and i dislike the malls so what i do is buy gift cards for the younger kids and let the parents buy what the children need b/c the parents buy all the huge gifts and there isn't too much left bfor me to get. when i lived in n.y. it was an entirely different story to the older grandkids i send a check and let them pick out what they likeor want. theyhave different tastes every time you turn around
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JM,11-11-2008, 6:35PM
It is the perfect gift for teenagers but maybe not for the spouse. I myself (who is not a teenager)love them. I parcel them out to myself throughout the year so when I have no money I can still go shopping--even if it something special at Starbuck's.
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BevQB,11-11-2008, 7:18PM
I used to think that a gift card meant the giver just couldn't be bothered. But now that our grandniece/nephew count is up to 13, and all but 2 of them don't live anywhere near us, I finally admitted defeat. I canot keep track of all the birthdays, shopping for gifts for kids that I have no idea what they have already, and shipping the gifts to all the kids by their birthdates and then again at Christmas.
Actually, I've more than admitted defeat. As of last year, all the grandnieces/nephews get both their birthday AND Christmas gift cards mailed to them at Christmas time ONLY. The ones who are in town for the holidays probably feel a bit cheated because they don't have gifts to open. But, it sure has meant a whole lot less stress in my life. And a whole lot less gifts that have to be returned.
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Wendy,11-11-2008, 7:20PM
I don't care what anyone says - I love getting gift cards! They're also great for friends and family far away (no broken gifts in the mail) and for office exchanges where you have no idea what the person would like and aren't supposed to spend a lot of money. Gift cards let people pick out something they'd really like and probably wouldn't normally buy for themselves without feeling at all guilty.
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Margo,11-12-2008, 2:34AM
I NEVER give gift cards...If you're gonna give money...give the damn money. I hate someone telling where I can spend their gift. I might just need that money for food, or to put toward the elcectic bill or Maybe I want to go to a strip club and put that money down some guys G-String?
Also NEVER give a gift to a charity in my name....you gave me nothing.
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diane,11-11-2008, 8:00PM
I love to receive and give gift cards. The fit is always great! Shipping is so expensive too so gift cards make more sense. We have family living all over the USA!
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Sonja,11-11-2008, 8:18PM
I love getting gift cards! It's fun to go out and spend someone else's money! I can get exactly what I want and get more for the money after Christmas. Also, for relatives that live far away, postage to send gifts is outrageous and since you don't seem them very often you have no idea what that have/don't have, so it a great convenience and cheaper to put a gift card in a Christmas card and they can pick out whatever they want. I think nowadays most people enjoy getting gifts cards - probably more women do than men. I know my husband isn't crazy about them and he can never make up his mind what to buy, but, then he does have problems making decisions and very little interests him other than anything having to do with cars.
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Cris,11-11-2008, 8:56PM
My children love receiving gift cards! They have money to spend for a change. It also teaches budgeting: "you don't have enough money for that" and " yes, you can get this and this and this..."
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Sue,11-11-2008, 10:03PM
I get my kids Visa gift cards every year for Christmas and they love them. They have the choice to spend it on whatever they want...even save them for summer vacation so that they can buy souvenirs for themselves and/or family and friends. Tacky? Never!
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Nicole,11-11-2008, 10:52PM
I find them horribley tacky! Personally, I have a small family count, so it doesn't bother me to look for gifts. Giftcards, to me, show a lack of care put into them. Yes, I know that some people just can't be busied, but where's the holiday spirit? Might as well just give the person cold cash, if you ask me.
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Kathy,11-11-2008, 10:58PM
I like gift cards for trying new eating places! I hate getting a gift card for something else to put inside my home!
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Shane,11-11-2008, 11:05PM
I hate hate hate gift cards! The worst are those corny Visa or Mastercard gift cards. You can never spend the full 50 due to tax so in essence its like a $48.52 gift card. Some even depreciate in value if left unused for months. Just give cash. Who hates cash? Only cool gift cards are iTunes.
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Bilf,11-12-2008, 1:06AM
Time was, a CASH gift was considered tacky--but, unlike a gift card/certificate, cash is good everywhere. Don't be brainwashed by businesses: if you can't give a gift tailored to the likes/needs of the recipient, give cash rather than a gift card!
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Wolfster,11-12-2008, 3:20AM
I used to hate gift cards and I still will NEVER buy one that has an expiration date or yearly fees. But they can be a handy way to say to relatives I don't see much "I don't know your tastes down to the last detail, but I still love you and think of you." And it seems every other time I go to the damn P.O. they find fault with the way I boxed something and send me home to do it over. Screw them, gift cards fit in an envelope with no extra postage.
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