What is it about receiving a gift card for Christmas that feels so promising yet so unfulfilling? Why do we feel awkward giving gift cards as gifts to our loved ones? A gift can signify many things and around the holiday season relationships get tested. From gifts between mothers and daughters to your exchanges between significant others- when and where is a gift card appropriate? Is a gift card a sign of intimacy within a relationship? Should we interpret it as “Oh, we are close enough, here’s a gift card you already know how much you mean to me,” or should we leave gift cards at the “We are new to each other, here is a gift card. Go buy yourself whatever sweater you think you’d like.”
Personally, receiving a gift card from friends or family for Christmas or my birthday feels like discovering a literal pot of gold. The world (AKA wherever the gift card is valid) is all of a sudden my oyster. I feel seen, heard, and respected for the fact that they at least know where I want to make my next purchase and are willing to put aside any formalities and just help contribute to my next shopping spree.
However, I will never forget that white-hot rage I felt when my boyfriend of two years at the time gave me a Sephora gift card for Christmas. Blinding. Consuming. Towering rage. I opened the card with excitement and closed it in silence. It wasn’t the material gift itself, but the lack of effort present in my present. A $50 gift card could have easily translated to a used book, a CD, and a throw blanket from Target and probably would have cost less.
The line for gift cards versus not gift cards changes with each and every relationship. It isn’t a line to toe around either- it is in bold in 22-point font on a 12-point font paper. I think at the end of the day, sticking to smaller, more meaningful gifts is the way to go. Sure, you have to think for five more minutes of what to buy but then you also get the bonus of wrapping a cute package in some cute paper too!
My husband is notorious for buying not the best gifts. Like, he knows I like Nightmare Before Christmas and then gets me a small children's shirt. Hmmm. It's like close.
ReplyDeleteGift card might be better than a vacuum! (I kid you not!)
This is such an interesting blog topic! I feel like my opinions on this have evolved as I have gotten older. As a little kid, I was definitely disappointed to receive a gift card because you look forward to immediate gifts. However now, a gift card from the right place is perfect. I would much rather go pick something out for myself than receive something I would never use but feel too guilty to throw away. There's a line drawn there though, I feel like gift cards are acceptable for friends and family you're surface level with. I can't believe your boyfriend got you a Sephora gift card. I felt my blood boil for you when I read that line.
ReplyDeleteGift cards I think are very practical gifts. I enjoy receiving them, because I can buy something I enjoy, rather than receiving something I don't need or will not use.
ReplyDeleteI love getting gift cards. But I hate giving them. It does feel like there's a social taboo on gifting gift cards, but I promise I don't mind! If I am close to someone and have no clue what to give them, (I am the WORST gifter), I will just offer to take them to the store and I will pay for whatever they pick, with a limit of course! - Cameron
ReplyDeleteHello Vivien great blog! I could not agree with you most on giving gift cards as a gift, especially during the holidays like christmas! It is important to make sure you put at least some thought into something small such as a small item that you know that person might be interested in instead of giving a card which seems like the easy route. I know that it is best to gift a gift card if you are giving one to someone you might of met once and are not close to, but if you know the person , you should take the time to gift them with a small item that had some thought put into it!
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