I think gift giving divides into what I call order takers and dream fillers. Order takers want to provide something that the recipient specifically wants or needs, and that completes the 'transaction'. A subset of order takers just need to check off a gift from the list, and as long as it is an object or GC, check it done. For an order taker, gift cards are a godsend. No more running hither and yon trying to find X or Y, just pick up the card, load it and boom, mission accomplished. Dream fillers want to provide a gift that, as the saying goes, the recipient didn't know s/he wanted until it appeared. For dream fillers, the downside is trying to get into the minds of people to suss out just the perfect item. Not an easy task! For a dream filler, gift cards or cash completely negate the goal, and to boot they kill the dream by making it crystal clear just how much was spent on fulfilling the 'dream'. I used to be a dream filler--it was my perpetual goal to get the PERFECT gift for those on my list. However, as I've gotten older I have come to realize that as with much else in life you can't control or force anyone to feel, do or enjoy gifts no matter how carefully you try to pick something special. And of course gift cards as a product have exploded; you can literally give them for every and any product or service. What I do now is try to combine order taking and dream filling. So, for Christmas I paired a package of sugar free chocolate bars I special ordered for my diabetic dad with a GC for a movie theater. He and my stepmother will be facing an extended period of medical treatment out of town and my 'dream' is that they can have a night out at the movies as a respite, where he can snack on treats that aren't bad for him. I gave my sisters, all of whom like me are avid readers, each a pair of book-themed novelty socks packaged with an Amazon GC. Dream: they can order something they enjoy reading and peruse it wearing snazzy socks. Okay, that one is pretty light hearted dream filling but still, it's at least a start! And that's how I try to combine the practicality of gift cards with at least some attempt at creativity and personalization. Ann

I don't do gift cards. I don't see how they are more personal than cash or a check. Especially the Visa ones. What's the point? When I receive them I have to remind myself to use them up right away or I forget. I use cash for almost everything so pulling out plastic isn't routine for me. I really really hate the Walmart commercial that has the mommy talking about how her kid loves Walmart gift cards. I'd rather pick out a gift for a child that might expose him or her to something fun they might not even be aware of. I even saw gift cards requested on giving trees this year.

Gifts are good to give out to others due to they can be used for shopping at stores for only they can know and buy what they like. Grocery gift cards are a good one too, in fact if grandparents are doing the cooking all the time for these expensive meals, I see them here and that is a huge cost for them, help them by giving them gift cards for those and not break their budget or go without after its all over, food has become hugely expensive and hard to buy at times. Gas gift cards for those driving cars. Restaurants, book stores, there are such a variety of gift cards that can be bought and what they like and can choose what they like themselves. But think of ones you are giving gift cards and will they use them as all many not like them or not go out and about to use them. I caught this show where they were talking about gift cards and one loves them so much for everything from going to movies, to food, to gas, to shopping all those things to do. Another said she has a huge pile of them and hates them, feels they are a unthought gift. Another said she likes to actually open up a gift given. I tried that with my brother and sil years ago as I couldn't afford their expensive taste so thought I would give card where they shopped back then and they hated them said that is an unthought gift. There are many that are hard to buy for and you give up then as they aren't happy with anything. I would love to have something like grocery gift card, bookstore gift card, for me those are useful and great gifts to have but I have no one to give anything like that to me except if I do it to myself. LOL kathy

>>Here it is $6-7 each for purchasing, and if they aren't used quickly, monthly fees eat up the balance for the recipients.>> Different banks will have different fees for Visa/Mstrcd gift cards. And "use quickly"? Federal regulations now prohibit ANY monthly non-usage fees until one full year after issuance date. The law was changed in 2010. If a recipient hasn't used that card up in one year, I wouldn't feel sorry about their having to pay a fee. More likely that gift card is zeroed out within a couple of months, LOL. Doesn't bother me to pay a small charge to buy a card. Better to let the recipient choose where/how to use it, than restrict them to a single store unless you are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN it's one of their regular favorites. We enjoy Barnes & Noble but I would suggest anyone who has their gift cards, use them up within the next 18-24 months. They're going under slowly, and nothing is going to save them. Chain bookstores are no longer a viable business.