My mother asked me for a Christmas list. I had one item on it. Then I said that I have all the nicknacks, doodads and clothes I could every need or desire, and multiples of a lot of stuff I rarely use. I don’t need more little stuff. While I need a new winter coat, the only reason I haven’t bought one yet is that I haven’t found the one I want, so please DO NOT buy me one! No hats, no gloves (I own 5 sets), no scarves (2), no shirts, none of that stuff, please.
And then I’m kinda ashamed to admit it, but the rest of my list was gift cards, so I can take my time and shop for what I want. (Mostly iTunes, B&N and Target so I can buy my own movies, books and music)
Then today I get the lists for the rest of my family. 90% of the list is gift cards. :smack: Only my younger niece came up with a list of real items, but I tell you what, sweety, you’re not getting them. I’m not buying you an iPhone or an iPad.
sigh
Is there a point where we can just rename this as Gift Card Day, and then maybe eventually get rid of that and just go with “Just get shit for yourself instead and we’ll call it even Day”?
Way back when in the good ole days when we had the extended family Christmas party we would draw names to buy for. We would get gift ideas by calling a close family member of the recipient, never the recipient directly.
Part of the fun for me was looking for something I thought the person would enjoy, the shopping was part of the gift.
Sometimes I’d receive things I didn’t like so much, but most often I’d get something that I’d never thought of asking for and was pleasantly surprised.
Somewhere in there though, people started giving cash and gift certificates. So I’d had my godmother a $25 gift card to her favorite store and she’d hand me $25 in cash.
What’s the point?
All cash and gift cards say to me is “I’m giving you a gift out of obligation and I have no idea who you really are, what you really want, and I don’t have the time or inclination to think about it either”.
After years and years of buying each other stupid gifts that we don’t want, the market has responded with the solution: give a gift that the person can actually use. What’s not to love about that?
Sure, cash was always an option, but this ensures the gift is not spent on hookers and blow. Not that there’s anything wrong with hookers and blow…
I try to avoid buying much for myself in the months leading up to the holidays. If I see something I like, I make a mental note to add it to my Christmas list. Every year my fiance and I manage to think of actual stuff to ask for in this way. I think it’s more fun for both the giver and the recipient if Christmas involves an actual package rather than just a gift card.
That being said, I certainly don’t complain about gift cards and money. My fiance has a grandmother who likes to send checks in lieu of a present. We certainly can use the money so I’m quite grateful for that.
I honestly have no problem with giving me giftcards or straight up money. I don’t look down on them or think less of them, or think they don’t care about me. Sometimes people ask me if there’s anything I’d like, any wishes or desires, and if I honestly can’t think of anything to tell them, I’m not going to think they were thoughtless if they get me money or a gift card.
My family just doesn’t do gifts. Christmas is basically Thanksgiving: the sequel. If the stock market has had a good year, my parents might give each kid a check, but that doesn’t happen every year by any means. Parents usually give gifts to their minor children, but that’s it.
I feel really smug and self-satisfied about this when everyone else is dealing with Christmas prep stress.
I use an Amazon Wish List. My parents insist on continuing to buy presents every year, and gift cards aren’t allowed. I make sure I get stuff I’ll like by putting books or kitchen items or household goods or food I like on the list. I make sure the folks have a link to it and they can go buy stuff from the list in meat space since they like to shop for stuff. It’s worked well for the last two years. If only they could get the hint and make lists of their own to send to me.
I do the same. If people are going to buy me things, I’d prefer they stick to a list of things I actually want or need. If they don’t want to shop, a gift card is fine, as long as it’s to a store I actually shop at. I just hate when family members get creative and go off-list so I’ll get a “surprise” gift. A few have been wonderful, but the vast majority are items I have zero need for and end up cluttering my house. A charm bracelet? Monty Python bunny slippers? For goodness’ sake, if you’re going off-list, stay practical. Pay for my next year’s Costco membership, or get me a Target gift card so I could use it the next time I run out of toothpaste.
We exchange names in my family. What we draw from the hat is a wish list. A few years ago I put only a few things on the list, nothing usual. I noted if the gifter went to a specific needlework shop and told the owner s/he was shopping for me, they would know what I want. Or there was a specific perfume I wanted available at a small shop central to all of us. There were home decor items I wanted, I put the darned Target stock item number on the sheet. I ended up with cookie sheets, a clock, and towels.
This year I said I wanted a new welcome mat and Amazon gift cards. I heard through the grapevine that the person who has my name doesn’t like to buy gift cards. Too bad - I have a Kindle, want to buy some books or games. I’m guessing I will get a welcome mat and more freaking towels.
Christmas is for kids. My son’s 4, and there is no way any adult is going to be as excited opening a book or a gadget the way he’s going to freak when he sees that cement mixer toy he’s been talking about for the last 2 months.
Now that my nieces and nephews are all tween to college age, it’s hard to find a gift that pops within our budget. So, they get gift cards, movie tickets, starbucks, amazon, things they can use for what they really like. It’s not for lack of effort, we put together a nice package for them to open, but it also levels the playing field so one kid doesn’t think he’s getting a worse present than another.
Everyone on my list is getting wine this year. It’s something they can enjoy, and won’t clutter up their home. Don’t drink? Well, now you have something to bring to the next party you go to!
Monty Python bunny slippers? As in, the ones that open and close their fanged, bloody mouths when you walk? “E’s a killer!” “What, be’ind the rabbit?” Those Monty Python bunny slippers?
I do understand that this was not a gift you enjoyed, but I am swoooooooooooning with envy over here. Monty Python bunny slippers!
And on-topic, yeah, gift cards are awesome and way better than cluttery unnecessaries.
I’ll be the first to agree that it seems pointless in the extreme to give each other gifts one has no use for (I’m looking at you, Unnamed Family Member*), but if all one can come up with is a gift card, please don’t bother. Give me something I can eat or drink, take the money and give it to a charity, or if those don’t happen to give you the warm fuzzies, spend it on yourself.
*Apparently the Unnamed Family Member has something against wish lists. If one would just ask, I can easily come with a list of five highly affordable things that I would love to have. Just choose any one item from the list and that’s the surprise. I’ve tried this a couple of times but Unnamed Family Member goes off and gets something utterly useless (and typically more expensive than anything I proposed) instead.