I do like them. My favorite store is Loft. But, I do like getting an actual gift as well.

It's funny. We told the kids not to give us anything this year but both sides gave us generous Darden restaurant (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Yard House etc.) gift cards. We are tearing out our kitchen I guess both DS and DD came up with the same idea. They said they never consulted each other. The same thing happened last year. LOL Both gave us family pictures in nice frames. Great minds think alike.

My favorite gift cards are for restaurants, BB&B, TJmax, Lowes, Home Depot and Target.

I like them, but I only gave one out this year as a gift.

It really depends upon the type of gift card. I am never going to use the ones for trips to a spa. Bath & Body Works had nothing I wanted, and I left with a huge headache from the fragrances. I makes me sad to have them go to waste, and I don't know anyone who would use them to regift. Gift cards for my two favorite nurseries, yes please! There cannot be too many of those. I can at least use Home Depot/Lowes, Target, Kohl's, Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond or Amazon. Restaurants are hit and miss--depends if they know where I like to eat.

I try not to give gift cards, but sometimes I have no idea what to gift a person I have very little contact with beyond exchanging gifts once or twice a year. I tried to get an agreement to discontinue the practice, but was told "Don't do that! You always give us such nice electronic stuff." Well, I've tired of gifting them cameras, speakers, etc. Unless I think of something inspiring to give, they get a less stress (for me) gift card.

I received Three Lowes cards, and Two Red Lobster cards! Always use the Lowes cards in spring for my flowers! We gave a few cards too, kids wanted I Tunes and restaurant cards.

I've never been given a gift card, but my mate gets one or two small value ones a year (not Christmas but random thank-yous) to restaurants where we will use them for a lunch out. Pleasant enough.

We gave four of them this year, not being close enough to the recipients to have a clue about appropriates gifts we could get them, and liking the idea of sparing the postage as well.

I love receiving Amazon gift cards and hate receiving store or restaurant gift cards as I rarely have occasion to use either one. In general, I don't give gift cards, just cash, but this year I did a themed present for one aunt and included gift cards that followed the theme. I think she liked the gift.

I really do enjoy getting gift cards. Those who know me well have learned that if I'm given cash, it simply goes in the family account for bills and household stuff. If it is a gift card to a clothing store for example, I will go and get something nice for myself.

I don't normally treat myself, I'm a pretty practical person, but with certain gift cards, I am forced to treat myself and it really is nice.

I didn't get any gift cards this year, I only got one present. We draw names for the adults on my side of the family and my mom had my name. She got me a beautiful designer purse, I really was quite surprised and I do love it.

The practical side of me could never justify spending that much on a purse but I do so enjoy the indulgence of having something so nice.

I gave one gift card this year. My aunt's wife admired my chandelier and mentioned wanting to get a chandelier for their new place. I gave her a gift card to home depot, where I got my chandelier from. I figured she would want to pick her own chandelier. She seemed genuinely surprised and excited to receive her gift.

I ADORE receiving gift cards! My favorites to get are Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Probably my least favorite gift cards are to restaurants. Hubby and I got $100 worth of gift cards to an Italian restaurant that's not near our house and is geared toward serving big groups of people rather than a couple. We got those restaurant gift cards LAST Christmas and still haven't used them.

I am seriously thinking of trading or selling the restaurant cards online. Our local news program listed a few websites where unwanted gift cards can be sold. I think I'll check them out.

Has anyone here sold gift cards they didn't want? I'd be interested in hearing about your experience and what website you used.

Kessala

I only give gift cards if it's to a place I _know_ the receiver likes to shop and especially if they're saving up for a big-ticket item from that shop.

I adore receiving gift cards! If for a restaurant or other establishment that I don't care for, I regift happily.

Robert knows that I very much want gift cards to one of the many privately owned garden centers/nurseries, where I will linger for an hour to add to my garden pottery collection or a unique plant or two.

Starbucks has a most excellent pastry and sandwich menu, as well as a selection of non coffee options; I'd be very happy with a gift card!

Robert appreciates Gander Mt. or similar gift cards....like I know what he craves to add to his fishing/boating accoutrements, no way!

Starbucks doesn't work for me because not only do I not drink coffee I hate the smell. I avoid Starbucks for that reason. Just as I avoid candle shops and smelly bath and body shops.

I enjoy getting gift cards because then I know I can pick out something I need and will use. My favorite are the Visa gift cards because I'm not limited to one place and can use it anywhere.

I always put gift cards in peoples stockings as one of the stocking stuffers. This year I gave $25 amazon in each stocking. I have 3 young ladies who clean my house weekly so I gave them each an amazon card and some Bath and Body things. I wouldn't give them as the only gift but I do use them as fillers unless it is someone like my father who loves to eat out daily and then he gets a gift bag full of different cards to different restaurants I know he goes too. He never likes anything physical you give him so they work for him. I also fill his stocking with his favorite candies and treats and put a $25 amazon in his stocking.

I too love to receive gift cards. I live alone in a small rental property, have pretty much everything I need and am also getting on in years :-) That can make gift giving difficult for family and friends. But I love to cook and eat (!!) and I receive a generous GC to Trader Joe's each year from my brother and SIL that is always welcome and very much appreciated. My niece has also gifted me with cards - Nordstroms, Macy's and an AmEx card - all of which I have used with relish!!

I love any gift someone went to the trouble to give me (I take that back, I just got a subscription to a magazine I'm pretty sure I'd not have bought on my own. But they thought of me! Yay!). I always give a practical gift card if I give one. Cards for local grocery stores, home improvement places, and Amazon. They're general enough surely they can use the card. Except my boss. He and I are both crazy about movies. This year, we each gave the other theater gift cards :) And both used the cards already.

I love getting gift cards! Our landlords gave us some to a grocery chain last year, which we loved, and this year to a steak house. Normally I don't enjoy getting them from a steak house, but this one will almost cover the cost of the meal.

We also get them for Canadian Tire which is a favourite store. In the past hubby has given me ones from a local nursery and a local restaurant supply store, which I loved.

We got some to Tim Horton's as well, which will slowly get used over the course of the year. Neither of us frequent coffee shops, but it'll be good when he and a buddy are getting together.

I love getting gift cards to my favorite craft stores and my hubby likes getting cards for Lowes or Home Depot. We sent a few gift cards too inside the box with their present.

It depends. This Christmas we got a few gift cards to some of our favourite restaurants, so we love those. But hubby's brother gave us a gift card to the movie cinema. We don't go to the movies! He gave us one last Christmas too and we only just used it last month (finally relented and went to the cinema).

I gave a few gift cards this year. One for the liquor store and a few iTunes cards to teenage boys. I'm sure they can use them for games, movies or music.

We love gift cards to most any restaurant, and home Depot, Lowes. We have used one gift card at a Starbucks, and although we both LOVE coffee, we found their coffee to be completely undrinkable, and the blueberry muffins were dry, crumbly, and tasteless...but super sweet. It was more like a sugar muffin. I have several friends that stop at Starbucks on a daily basis, so will regift. We never go to the movies either. seems a lot of money for very little quality. When we give gift cards, we find out in advance where folks like to eat, and buy accordingly.

I like receiving gift cards. Amazon and TJ Maxx are two of my favorites, but I had fun with one to the liquor/wine store my boss gave me when I worked at the library. And I've enjoyed a couple for massages. I used to love cards from Borders when we had one here.

This year I was given one for Macy's. I'm used to shopping online for the best prices on most items, so although Macy's beautiful kitchen department is seductive, I'll probably pass it by and use my card for clothes and shoes.

I have never received a gift card and have never given one. Unless people know what restaurant I frequent, and gave me one I don't, it would be a waste. I probably would rather give cash and let the person decide where to spend. But I buy gifts because I know the people's taste.

I think that's the point lily, know the person's taste. It's how my boss and I both knew we'd like the movie cards ;)

I love gift cards! I don't need anything really, so having the opportunity to use a gift card at a restaurant is a wonderful gift for me. I give gift cards too, I hope the people that I gave them to enjoy them as much as I do. Yesterday I used one at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Then I used another at Chipotle. My children just left to have lunch at Cheesecake Factory and are using gift cards from grandma.

I would rather have a gift card than have someone buy me a gift. I don't usually give them, although one year I gave a bunch of them to my daughter and son-in-law. Now I just give them money.

I appreciate any gift card, but any American Express or Visa gift cards are what I usually like. But if I'm in need of cash, I usually trade them to a friend.

We emphasize to friends and family that we don't want anything, as we are at the stage where getting rid of stuff is more the focus. But we have four younger friends who are very happy to receive gift cards, so we use them as gifts when we know there is something that they particularly want/are saving for.

I can buy the Mastercard or Visa cards at our local supermarket, and load it with anything from $50-500. Very useful, and usable however they want.

Unfortunately, those MasterCard and Visa gift cards come with hefty fees. Here it is $6-7 each for purchasing, and if they aren't used quickly, monthly fees eat up the balance for the recipients. I hate feeling rushed to use them.

Love gift cards to Amazon, HD., TJMaxx. or food store!! i only give GC's to people that i know very well!! my 2 nephews, gave to a local brewery, they loved them!! easy-peasy!!! gave wegmans to MIL, TJMaxx to a dear neighbor...

who doesn't love to buy exactly what u want??!!

and so many are available at local supermarket!!

I love getting gift cards! I have a drawer full of them. Yes, I do re-gift them sometimes. But it's always fun to not have to "pay" full price for something when you can also apply a gift card to the purchase.

This year we gave gc's to the nieces and nephews to a grocery chain that also has gas stations so they can either buy food or gas with them. They were all very appreciative.

Usually I like and appreciate them but I once received a huge one for Yankee Candle. I rarely burn a candle, too many cats. There aren't any stores near us, either and I had to go to one in FL while we were on vacation, to use it. In retrospect, I should have sold it on EBay since I ended up giving all the candles away anyway.

I save my Discovercard rewards for gift cards. Recently I purchased kitchen cabinets at Lowes and the promotional offer included a gift card. With that card and my Discover Lowes gift cards I have enough get a top of the line dishwasher "free" or put it toward a wall oven or new fridge. I thinking of using it for the oven or fridge because then I could stack the deal with zero interest for the year.

I love gift cards. Amazon ,wallmart, Safeway , and the hot gift card( that they run out of this time of year) Goodwill.

FlamingO- I love Yankee Candle. I have cats and I use the scenterpiece system they have because it is flame less and the burners are heavier than the tart burners. I do not use any candles with open flame only the battery powered ones. I used to use tart burners but one time one of the cats was flying around the house caught the cord to the tart burner and there it went. I had to clean wax off my walls, out of my carpet and worst of all the cat. He was pink for a month even after the wax removal. But the scenterpiece ones they can't move easily.

>>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.

I like getting them so I can buy whatever is on my wish list. Why not just give a "Visa" gift card then they can spend it anywhere.

I buy Visa gift cards from my credit union and there is no charge and they don't start losing value til 12 mo. I sometimes give cash and a picture of something I think they might like so they have option.

I'd rather have the cash or a check and decide where I'll spend it. Rather than being forced to overpay someplace I can choose to buy something on sale, clearance or have the option to get the brand/model I want instead of having that decided for me. Why do people have to make everything, even cash, be foo-foo these days?