52.1 percent of Americans say they'd rather receive a gift card or cash rather than a gift this holiday season, writes MarketingCharts, citing an American Pulse Survey of 4,069 respondents by BIGresearch.
One reason may be that consumers do not like gifts chosen for them (45.4 percent of those who received clothing as a gift in the past didn't like or didn't wear it).
Another may be that 46.3 percent of those who participate in gift giving/receiving during the holidays say they hate to return gifts because it is a hassle.
I think it all depends on the person you are giving it too....some I know would be insulted with a gift card and think I put no effort what so ever into finding the perfect gift.....where others are tickled to death to get a gift card so they can pick out exactly what they want.
I like gift cards or certificates for restaurants or even a movie theater. I like it if it's for something that is an enjoyable activity. I don't mind gift cards if it's something like Barnes & Noble or something that is of personal interest.
Like I was saying in the grab bag topic, I think with the times as they are, fun things are going down on the list of being affordable. Giving a gift certificate for a movie, dinner, pizza, bowling, skating, can be a fun gift. Wrap it with something that goes with the theme. Movie tickets? Wrap with a popcorn tin.
An entertainment guide is always a great gift idea too. It offers many gift certificates from fine dining, casual dining to grocery store $$ off. Many different ways to use it and it's good for a year of values.
I also love to have a gift card for the times I would love to go shopping just for me but don't want to spend the money. Ahhh, the gift card I was saving is like a special treat then.
My daughter prefers to pick out her own things if at all possible and he's only 14.... my son who is 18 ~ forget it. He's been gift cards or cash for years. He never likes anything you give him...even if it's what he asked for.
Wrong color, too big,too small etc.....
We go shopping a lot together and I just watch what they want or I tell them, OK, walk through the store and give me hints. That usually works pretty good. They know they won't get everything of course but they usually are pretty good in keeping me with a list of the things they like that still fits in the budget.
My daughter prefers to pick out her own things if at all possible and he's only 14.... my son who is 18 ~ forget it.
Christmas is suppose to be about giving and being surprised when someone gives you a gift. To me it takes the magic out of the day if you already know everything under the tree. I have received some really cool gifts of things that I would never have thought of if I had made a list.
One of my favorites is my Thomas Kinkade painting. It is beautiful and it turned out to be the same picture that happen to be on the front of my Mom's card for her funeral. It gave extra meaning to the painting for me. I never would have put that on my list simply because I never thought about it. So sometimes making a list is fun because there are a few things that you really want, but it's the surprise gifts that usually mean more to me.
We go shopping a lot together and I just watch what they want or I tell them, OK, walk through the store and give me hints. That usually works pretty good. They know they won't get everything of course but they usually are pretty good in keeping me with a list of the things they like that still fits in the budget.
Nope, not here...I had my son tell me specifically what he wanted for his birthday a few weeks ago...a winter coat. What color? Black... Hood or no hood? No hood. Zipper or snaps? Zipper
I found the coat to specifications and it was still wrong and he refuses to wear it, so he freezes this winter.
A. take it back himself and pick out what he wants in the price range that I paid.
or
B I'll give the coat to a kid that would appreciate getting a new coat and yes, let him go with the old one or freeze.
and..next coat comes from Goodwill.
Period.
(not to say anything against, Goodwill, since my kids love going there. We have found some really great things there...but still, a new coat from the store is special, or it should be. )
I think kids prefer gifts and adults prefer gift cards.
for the most part, i agree.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CarolsCritterCare
Yup, that's about right..... Here the 18 yr old hates anything you buy him so it's gift cards this year.
I hear ya there, my (almost 18 yr old) son said if he doesnt get a new xbox360 he wants nothing lol guess nothing it is
actually i never know what to get him, however he and his best friend were discussing a concert that they would both love to attend in January, but cant afford it, so i'll be buying them those tickets for x-mas. Also since they dont know i overheard them while they played video games the other night, it will be a surpise. along with that they both love wrestling & wwe raw will be in madison in january as well, with his friends birthday being a couple days before x-mas i can give my son both tickets for x-mas & cover his friends x-mas & b-day with the other two.
Then Motley crew will be in Madison Feb 14th, with my sons birthday being within a few wks after the concert i may get him 2 tickets for that & let him invite whoever he wants.
I love ticketmaster... and thank god my son is a concert/event junkie, it has saved my azz several times!
My 13 year old son just got one last week and totally loves it.
awesome for a 13 yr old, however my boy is now pretty much a man & my days of wasting money on those things are history yay lol
Also he will get the x-box & will want every single game lol at least with tickets there is no extra to buy.
My son would love it as well, keeps leaving hints & pointing out thay are only $200 now instead of $400, i just say "good for those who get one!" lol he hates that.
He will be way happy with his tickets... he wants to go to the concert & raw but already said there's no way he will ever come up with the cash so has let the idea go.
now i'm stuck on what to get my 20 yr old daughter...
awesome for a 13 yr old, however my boy is now pretty much a man & my days of wasting money on those things are history yay lol
Also he will get the x-box & will want every single game lol at least with tickets there is no extra to buy.
My son would love it as well, keeps leaving hints & pointing out thay are only $200 now instead of $400, i just say "good for those who get one!" lol he hates that.
Oh I'm sorry I should have mentioned that I did not buy it for him. Heck no. I am proud to say that he figured out a way to earn the money himself. We had a yard sale and he put all his old toys etc. in it and worked his table of his used games and trading cards and pretty much earned the money he needed. The rest came from allowances etc that he saved.
He did the same thing the year before and put it together with Birthday money he received and was able to buy a Wii system.
Both systems came with 2 games each. And we have a store that you can get used games at a good price.
It also helps that his nephew (my grandson) that is 6 months younger also had an XBox 360 and has games so they can share.
now i'm stuck on what to get my 20 yr old daughter...
I have two daughters, one 31 and one 15. The oldest one is so easy to buy for. Having her own home and loving to cook makes for alot of different ideas.
My 15 year old is a bit more difficult. She really isn't materialistic so it's harder to try to find something other than her CD's she wants. I ask her what she wants and she will respond with, I don't know..maybe toe socks. lol
I do have a few ideas but can't write them since she reads the forums.
With the economy the way it is, a check or even cash might be safer than giving a gift card for a business that may be "out of business" after the holidays. Check this article from Snopes on the subject:
A. take it back himself and pick out what he wants in the price range that I paid.
or
B I'll give the coat to a kid that would appreciate getting a new coat and yes, let him go with the old one or freeze.
and..next coat comes from Goodwill.
Period.
(not to say anything against, Goodwill, since my kids love going there. We have found some really great things there...but still, a new coat from the store is special, or it should be. )
We have a wonderful clothing share out here. You donate and you can participate...it's like a huge rummage sale, only everything is free. You will find brand new things, slightly used things and sometimes so brand new the price tag is still on it. That's where I send unused or unwated clothing.
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Christmas Gift Cards Or A Gift?
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