This holiday season, David and I are participating in a couple of Hanukkah Pollyannas.
I think they
are eons of fun, especially these days when the brainstorming can be quick and
easy online, and the shopping can be completed in a fraction of the time and
with much less energy than it would take to check out things in person. Sending
the gift directly to the recipient without having to wrap it up and take to the
post office is icing on the cake.
Given that I
have a good amount of free time on my hands, I don’t mind turning the search
for the perfect gift into a project; however, I can see a busier person or the
non-shopper wanting to streamline the task.
Regardless
of the scenario, I think there is an effortless and very valuable gift out there that people seem
to either overlook or have very strong yay or nay opinions about: gift cards.
To me, they
are a fabulous option. They are sold everywhere, and they can always be put to
good use. It would be highly unlikely
that someone would react to one by thinking “What a dumb gift,” or “Gee, that
was a waste; who am I going to give this to?”
David, on
the other hand, thinks gift cards are dressed up cash and that this type of
gift should not be permitted with a Pollyanna or it will seem like everyone is
just shuffling money from one person to the next.
To that, I
say...So what? Is that a bad thing?
He is a
believer that people should choose something personal and creative, and while
that’s a nice idea, it may not be practical. Even though we live
together, I still don’t always know what to buy for him. But, if I think I know
what someone would like, or I intentionally want to give him or her something
specific, that’s a different story.
I reminded David
that he seems to appreciate when my kids get him Lowe’s gift cards to put
toward whatever he’d want there, and he agreed they’ve come in very handy since
he is always there.
Exactly my
point.
It’s true
that a gift card may not be much fun to pick out, or be one of the more innovative gifts to give, but it leads me to wonder...
Who exactly
is a gift designed to please: the person choosing it, the person receiving it,
or both?
P.S. My
favorite stores are...
Gift cards are my last resort. I attempt to personalize my gift giving, but when it becomes a dreaded chore then I resort to gift cards! To receive them is nice, if you don't lose them or let them expire....yikes!!! Love your blog because you discuss matters that are on everyone's mind but hardly ever discussed! Keep 'em coming!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Virg...I'm glad you like my blog! I feel the way you do..xo
DeleteI'm also not a fan of the gift card. Presents are a way of telling someone what they mean to you. No matter who it is, I always buy something that I myself would love but also think they would too. It requires some work to find the right present but that part of the challenge, to me, is the most fun!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you too! xo
DeleteI don’t think there is anything wrong with giving a gift card if you honestly don’t know what to get or if you honestly think the receiver would appreciate it. However, if the giver is just being lazy and doesn’t feel like thinking about what to get someone, then I think that’s inappropriate.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite stores to shop at in person for gifts are Hello World, a cute little gift store on campus at UPenn that has all sorts of unique gifts, Loft and Target. My favorite stores to shop for gifts online are Uncommon Goods and Amazon 😊
I agree about giving a gift card if you don't know what to get or if you think the receiver would appreciate it. I'd love to check out that Hello World! There used to be so many gift stores near us and now there's really just one or two. I like Uncommon Goods a lot too!
Delete