Gift cards: gift or not?

[Force Guy]

With the holiday season upon us, just thought I'd see what you thought about gift cards.  Whether it's someone's birthday, wedding, etc., do you believe in them?  Have you ever given a gift card as a gift?  Or do you believe that it's way too impersonal?  Do you enjoy receiving gift cards?  Thoughts?

[Ben]

I'm never good at choosing gifts for people, so these are a good compromise for me. I make sure to get them at a place like Best Buy, Sears, Target, Menards, or Lowe's, though. Cash is a little impersonal, unless you know they could really use that more than anything, like siblings in college.

I like gift cards, myself. The last few years, I've gotten so many cheap tools I can't use since they're ******, so I'd rather have gift cards or alcohol. I never get Star Wars loot. 

[DSJ™]

I have been giving gift cards for a few years now. I buy them all at one place, quick & easy & I avoid the crowds. Best Buy, Futureshop, ToysRus, Safeway, book stores, restaurants...etc.

[john todd]

i hate getting gift cards.  if you don't know me well enough to think of something to get me, then maybe we shouldn't be exchanging gifts.  the only exceptions would be for somewhere specific like a golf club or starbucks.   i really look forward to seeing what my friends and family come up with to get me for presents.  sometimes they are ridiculous but it still feels more personal than $20 at walmart.

[JayDouble]

Personally I love receiving gift cards.  I'm a pretty picky shopper to begin with, so most of the time non gift card gift are going back.

[Jesse James]

I don't get many giftcards actually, but I'm pretty picky so it's ironic.  My gf did get me a nice $120 Lowes card last year though, and I loved it...  I'm always buying home improvement stuff, tools, and such, so I'm appreciative that she knew I'd need/want that rather than her try to get me the drill bits I need or the weird tool I want now...

SW figures, forget about it...  If she knows what I want, she usually can't find it, and she's not into buying me "duplicates" much even if they're something I want...  I sort of wish I got more giftcards then.

I just know the last thing I need these days is clothing aside from dress shirts.  I'm pretty particular about wearing things out, and generally don't get rid of clothes...  So I hate the backlog of clothes I can accumulate.  I'd much rather have a giftcard for a department store like WM or Target I think, where I can get some serious useage out of it.

[JesseVader08]

When in comes to receiving gifts, I think gift cards are great.  I get to pick out exactly what I want, but they're still personal enough because the person has chosen the store for you.

When in comes to giving gifts, I normally don't give them -- ideally, I prefer to pick something myself.  But they sure are handy when you want to give something to friends or family when they live far away.  Why spend $20 on a gift and be stuck paying another $20 in shipping, when you could just give them a $40 gift card and pay $0.52 for a stamp?

[Chris M]

I like gift cards for me, but for giving them I'm not so sure.  They are great for gifts to newlyweds and brothers in college (as was mentioned), but no so much for other things.  A buddy's wife always gets me a gift card for my birthday, usually to either Academy or B&N.  Mainly because they don't know what books I have and have not read.

My wife is the same way.  She doesn't mind getting them but hates giving them because they are impersonal.

[Carpeteria3000]

there are an estimated $4.8 billion in gift cards that go unused every year. seems to be quite the boon for businesses and not so much for the giftees.

[name]

The past several christmases, my wife has slipped a thirty dollar giftcard to HOOTERS in my stocking.

It's the most thoughtful gift ever.