Impersonal
For the longest time, I always felt giving gift cards or actual money to someone as a celebratory gift (birthday, Christmas, Arbor Day, etc.) was lacking any sort of personality. Essentially it said, "I don't know you well enough to find something you'd like, so go use this to buy your groceries this week." Oddly, I generally don't mind receiving gift cards - my birthday this year was almost dominated by them outside of my household. The WalMart card my father got me went towards discount gas for a few weeks, my copy of Burnout Revenge is thanks to the Best Buy cards from my mother, and a couple of books I've been wanting is stacked curtesy of the Border's card from my sister.
Every so often, I'll give a gift card to someone who I think really could use the help with day-to-day expenditures. Everyone has rough patches in their life, and you can pretend to be inconsiderate to save their pride. If that makes any sense, you're probably in the same boat as I am. Sometimes I'll give a very specific gift card - AMC movie theaters used to do a 'movie night for two' package that was redeemable for two movie tickets and some concessions. I gave that to my sister shortly after the birth of their first child - essentially a sponsored date night for people who could use a night out.
So I find myself about to give someone cash for their birthday so that they can buy what they want at a convention this weekend. It feels so impersonal - I'd much rather give them a dust collector themed to one of their favorite things. The logic of the situation clearly favors the cash.
Oy. I get wrapped up in some of the most mundane subjects. Lets not talk about the fact that I essentially walked out of work two hours early in aggrevation yesterday, lets talk about a gift-giving hangup.
Link of the Moment: Need a unique gift? Why not buy someone a title? I bet your uncle would love to call himself Viscount Bubba!
Every so often, I'll give a gift card to someone who I think really could use the help with day-to-day expenditures. Everyone has rough patches in their life, and you can pretend to be inconsiderate to save their pride. If that makes any sense, you're probably in the same boat as I am. Sometimes I'll give a very specific gift card - AMC movie theaters used to do a 'movie night for two' package that was redeemable for two movie tickets and some concessions. I gave that to my sister shortly after the birth of their first child - essentially a sponsored date night for people who could use a night out.
So I find myself about to give someone cash for their birthday so that they can buy what they want at a convention this weekend. It feels so impersonal - I'd much rather give them a dust collector themed to one of their favorite things. The logic of the situation clearly favors the cash.
Oy. I get wrapped up in some of the most mundane subjects. Lets not talk about the fact that I essentially walked out of work two hours early in aggrevation yesterday, lets talk about a gift-giving hangup.
Link of the Moment: Need a unique gift? Why not buy someone a title? I bet your uncle would love to call himself Viscount Bubba!
posted by Kojubat at
08:19
7 Comments:
That's so true Koj. My dad is in the same "gift cards and money are so impersonal". But to me it says, but whatever they hell you want!
Don't fret. Whoever gets the card will love it!
By
Tevin, at 15:45
Cash = sorry, I didn't have enough time... but these gift cards are redeemable anywhere in the US and are internationally exchangable.
Gift cards = I had the time to buy you something, I just didn't care what to make it/I don't know you well enough.
By
Galen, at 18:58
I personally adore gift cards. To me it says, "We know the store you love the most, so here's some money on a card just for that store. Have fun!"
Heck, Rammy got tons of Best Buy gift cards for his birthday one year, he loved it. I guess it depends on the store, but it's the store that I focus on for the gift card, not the fact that it's not a specific product that could run the risk of being something they don't like.
With the card, you give them the chance to goto town in their favorite store. Ain't nothing wrong with that!
By
Silver, at 21:59
I have always been a BIG fan of the gift card, you can get what you want in a place that you like, its always a welcome idea in my opinion.
By
Antek, at 21:32
Wow. Guess I'm weird. ;)
By
Kojubat, at 23:09
I'm against gift cards. I'll tell you what I want and then you go buy it for me.
That is if I ever want anything. I detest receiving gifts.
By
k o w, at 16:07
Keg, how the hell can you detest receiving gifts? Are you down on puppies and sunshine too? ;)
I love receiving gift cards but I always feel strange about giving them.
By
Brandon Cackowski-Schnell, at 12:25
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