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What is your opinion of getting or giving gift cards as a gift?
My mate loves to get them and his family all.asks for them. My family recoils in horror if you give them one (except for a teenage cousin who likes getting them from a certain clothing store.) My family puts s big emphasis on handmade or very personal gifts and therefore doesn't like gift cards.
Do gift cards seem impersonal or are they a godsend for a busy holiday shopper? (Yes. Before the lecture starts let's assume everyone is grateful for any gift. But people do have preferences.)
What constitutes a homemade or personal gift? Something with me in mind, or the giver in mind?
I ask for gift cards. It's wonderful to go out for a meal, to a movie, or buy a new sweater and I have a gift card in my wallet to cover it.
Let's see..
One year I got a stained glass lamp made by a relative who does that. Another year a beautiful quilt. I paint and often do portraits of pets, kids, the individual, their house. That kind of stuff. My nieces sewed dolls and bears for our baby.
Years ago I got a gift card to a very expensive restaurant from a fiancee's mom. I could not afford the tip on the meal as I was in school and struggling. I donated it to a women's shelter who used it to take several of the residents out. My almost mother in law never forgave me when she found out. That Christmas I had given her a pot I threw (I used to do a lot of pottery and taught classes in the evening.) She acted pleased but it went into the garage where I saw it on later visits. Not everyone values the same thing.
I ADORE gift cards, because I am generally very picky and hard to shop for. I can use gift cards to pick out what I want. I'm also often "saving" for larger ticket items, and can put the gift cards toward it.
My family has transitioned to using Amazon wish lists, so we choose individual items that we want and it works fairly well (except for the flurry of texts in November telling people to update their lists lol). My list is a mix of actual items I want, and stores that i would like gift cards to.
I would prefer not to receive anything homemade. It's not my style, and I find all homemade gifts to be the style of the giver, not the recipient. Not my taste at all. I'm grateful you wanted to give me a gift, but now I have to figure out where to stash this thing in my home until it's polite to get rid of it. It would have been easier to not exchange.
I ADORE gift cards, because I am generally very picky and hard to shop for. I can use gift cards to pick out what I want. I'm also often "saving" for larger ticket items, and can put the gift cards toward it.
My family has transitioned to using Amazon wish lists, so we choose individual items that we want and it works fairly well (except for the flurry of texts in November telling people to update their lists lol). My list is a mix of actual items I want, and stores that i would like gift cards to.
I would prefer not to receive anything homemade. It's not my style, and I find all homemade gifts to be the style of the giver, not the recipient. Not my taste at all. I'm grateful you wanted to give me a gift, but now I have to figure out where to stash this thing in my home until it's polite to get rid of it. It would have been easier to not exchange.
True. Over the years I have been gifted some handmade stuff that was very thoughtful but not my style. And there's so much put into it you can't throw it out. But I have also gotten some gorgeous and unique things. I often lose gift cards and find them after they expire but at least they don't add to clutter.
When I give a gift, I like to give a really good gift. Running into the grocery store and buying a card of the rack is very unsatisfying, though I realize that's about me, not the recipient.
When I give a gift, I like to give a really good gift. Running into the grocery store and buying a card of the rack is very unsatisfying, though I realize that's about me, not the recipient.
Not always.
I love it when my mate gets something that shows he was really listening and I can't say that's ever been a gift card. He's pretty good at getting some incredibly romantic and beautiful gifts. I love finding the exact right thing for him too. But he's honestly happy with a gift card.
Asian culture goes directly for the red money envelope... time to pick up that tradition
Tell me about it.
My mate is Japanese American and Argentinian. The Asian relatives can be very angry if the gift card isn't big enough but they don't say anything directly. The Argentinian relatives only want gift cards to Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Versace etc.
I love shopping for the perfect gift...but for some people, a gift card IS the perfect gift. Like, my husband prefers gift cards to Best Buy, and my brother prefers gift cards to Bass Pro Shop. As a matter of fact, they look forward to receiving those gift cards.
I've gotten to the point that I just ask people what they'd like. I've have my SIL's name this year, and I just asked her what she'd like. She'd like a new set of towels. I'm going to give her a new set of towels. lol
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