Community Chat

[RetRN]

I appreciate whatever anyone is thoughtful enough to gift me. 

[ciao_bella]

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@Desert Lily wrote:

My SIL was a teacher who recently retired. She had told me that every year when students brought her Christmas gifts, she & the other teachers donated the gifts or tossed (mostly food items) them in the garbage before leaving for winter break.

(Once she told me a teacher donated her gift of Philosophy soap to the teachers' restroom to share.)

They kept the gift cards. 

She said although they were thankful for the thoughts & appreciated being remembered, teachers didn't really need more candles, flashlights, teacher mugs, etc. And in today's world, they were hesitant to eat food items.

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@Desert Lily  After teaching special education in public school for 28 years (now retired 4 years), I can attest to everything you said.  

[Sooner]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

I can understand the practicality of giving gift cards and agree that at time, they're the logical choice.  However, i personally hate to receive them.  I always feel cheated, like somebody couldn't go to the trouble of selecting a gift.  I have money to buy most anything I want, I don't get a thrill out of getting more.

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@Kachina624 If you really feel that way, I would most certainly simply return the unwanted gift card to the person and say that you are not accepting gifts any more but do appreciate their kind thought more than they will know.  

Or tell them that you appreciate it but since you do not need it you donated it in their name to something and please don't send more. 

I think it is simply awful to accept "money" when you have too much, don't want it and others may need it.  Just give the card back with thanks. 

[LavernLuvsShoes]

I love receiving gift cards - Even if they are for places I don't patronize, I can always "Re-Gift" them.

Hubby has a tendency to use one and then leave it lying around for months...

I'll grab it and check the balance online, to see if there's anything left on it.

Well, just a few days ago, I found that there was $18 left on his WaWa card, so I bought 2 pints of Haagen-Dazs - Bam! - A free treat for me (lol) 

[occasionalrain]

Gift cards are fine for businesses like the ones I get from Target, or the mailman.

I want a present that's wrapped, not in a gift bag. A friend, knowing I have a fondness for cats, gave me The New Yorker book of cat cartoons and it was the perfect gift. I still have it and still laugh when I read it. If you know the person, it shouldn't be that hard to please them. 

[Spacrazy]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

I can understand the practicality of giving gift cards and agree that at time, they're the logical choice.  However, i personally hate to receive them.  I always feel cheated, like somebody couldn't go to the trouble of selecting a gift.  I have money to buy most anything I want, I don't get a thrill out of getting more.

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Ditto

[feline groovy]

I like both giving them and receiving them.

[Suzeecat]

I like them, but when receiving them, I prefer them to be as generic as possible.  I have received gift cards in large amounts from luxury stores from people that I work for.  Although it is appreciated, cash would be SO much more useful.  I'm more of a Costco or Kohls shopper than Nordstrom or Saks.  Visa and MC gift cards can be tricky, as some stores don't take them (I found using them at Meijer is a nightmare!), and I'm always left with a small amount that never gets used - what a waste! 

I would much prefer to take $100 cash to the grocery store and buy a week's worth of healthy food than take a $500 gift card to Saks and buy - what? I have no idea!  Spending that much money on a winter coat (or jewelry?) that I would spend less than $100 for at Costco just makes me queasy if I'm being honest. 

With that being said, I think gift cards can be a  thoughtful gift if you take a little time to find out where the recipient prefers to shop.  In the end, CASH IS KING.

[Shelbelle]

My kids love giving them and receiving them so that is what we do, makes it easier on all of us. 

[software]

Back when I worked my parents always struggled with what to get me for Christmas.    My mom didn't like gift cards either but I convinced her that with the after Christmas sales, I could double the amount of her gift.   So instead of her buying me a sweater to open on Christmas day, after Christmas I could buy a sweater and a pair of shoes because of the after Christmas sales.