The hottest gift for 2007 appears to be……….gift cards. According to one study, U.S. gift card sales are expected to grow from $27.8 billion in 2006 to $35 billion in 2007, a gain of 25%.
Now, I don’t mind getting gift cards as gifts, at least when they are for stores where I shop, but you have to admit they’re not the most thoughtful gift you can buy someone. In fact, if you don’t know what to buy for someone, wouldn’t it be better to just give the person cash? That way they could spend the money anywhere they want instead of being tied down to the store you decide to pick for them.
That said, there are some exceptions for gift card giving. I think it’s acceptable to give gift cards if you’re a grandparent with 20 grandkids spread across the country. It’d cost a fortune to ship that many gift packages, unless you shopped at Amazon.com or something, but we all know that the typical grandparent is not that computer-savvy (and I know I’m stereotyping here). Also, if you’re taking part in some kind of work or party gift exchange and you don’t know the person who’s receiving the gift very well, a gift card is ok. Lastly, I think it’s fine to buy a gift card if the receiver specifically requests one.
Wow, this is just a long, rambling post to say “Don’t buy gift cards!” Put a little thought into the gifts you buy someone. Gift cards are even more impersonal now that you can buy a card for nearly every store imaginable at your local supermarket.
Come on, people. Let’s keep the holiday magic alive. Show people you care enough about them to spend a little time shopping for something you think they would enjoy. And if you DO end up receiving gift cards you don’t want, there’s an online company that will buy them from you for about 80% of their value.
Merry Christmas!
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#1 by michelle on December 3rd, 2007
i can’t believe there’s an online store that will buy them back from you. that’s pretty cool.
#2 by Mommyca on December 3rd, 2007
There are those gift cards out there that are kind of like a debit card. You have to have money on it to use it. My mother did that for my husband(by far the hardest person to shop for) and it was great because he did get to use it any place that accepted Visa. Now we I think we might go that route for my sister and her family who lives way up in Alaska for Christmas.
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#3 by Sandy on December 3rd, 2007
I’m a guilty gift card giver…..I just don’t do it to my hubby or very close friends and relatives. There is also a site (can’t remember the name), that has a bunch of users where you can swap gift cards! So if you get one for Wal-mart, but would rather have one for Target, you can find someone through the site that is willing to swap
#4 by Sarah on December 3rd, 2007
I hate gift cards. Recently, my Sister in law decided we are not doing gifts this year. Her logic? “Well, if we are just getting gift cards then it cancels each other out.” Except I don’t buy gift cards and no one is asking for them from her. How ’bout buying an actual gift then, instead of killing Christmas.
…sensing a tinge of bitterness??
#5 by Tara on December 3rd, 2007
I wish I would’ve know about that online store last year. I ended up selling mine on eBay.
I agree with you. Put a little thought into a gift. I would much prefer a homemade gift over a gift card. It shows somebody thought about you a little bit longer than it takes to say, “Um…put $20 on here.”
#6 by Romi on December 3rd, 2007
I just don’t get any presents from any of my friends in general….what’s wrong with me? Oh wait, that’s probably not the right question for this post…
#7 by Andrea on December 3rd, 2007
Oh man, DD. I love gift cards. Then I can get what I want. I guess I’ll put a little more thought into it since you’re wiser, but . . . damn.
#8 by Tara on December 4th, 2007
It was a $50 gift card, and I got $40 or $45 for it – I can’t remember the exact amount. I was just happy I got most of the value.
#9 by becky on December 4th, 2007
i love giving/getting gift cards. you sound just like matt though. he thinks its insensitive where as i like to pick out my OWN stuff…i dont like alot of stuff people get me. i love gift cards! and if you get like american express ones then people can use them anywhere…not just from a certain store!