Comments on: Wish Lists? Gift Cards?

By: Philip Greenspun

Philip Greenspun — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:00:48 +0000

Living several states away from my son, it’s always difficult to know what to give
him for a gift. I KNOW he LOVES Amazon, and purchases computer/phone accessories
regularily from Amazon. This year I gave him a gift card and it was the #1 favorite
item I sent.
Santa may be a little old elf, but he’s an AMAZON to me!

By: Kerry

Kerry — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:19:32 +0000

I love gift cards. I think Amazon.com gift certificates are my all time favorite gifts!

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:26:15 +0000

If I had to choose between something someone buy me or a gift card? I choose the gift card. I don’t take anything back to the store so chances are if I don’t like the gift, it will be “donated” and not used. A gift card? I’m not really much better, I got a Staples card two years ago and I still haven’t used it or I re-gift them ( I know!) . Above the rest, I agree with Wendy and love getting homemade gifts. Thanks for the question…I think I’ll pose it to my own family.

By: Tanya T.

Tanya T. — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:19:04 +0000

I love gift cards–giving them and receiving them!!! I never know what to get my in laws so the last few years I have gotten them gift certificates at giftcertificates.com I get them the super certificate and then they can go and choose what store they want the gc to!!! My mother-in-law loves it!!! One year she got a gc to Dillards and then bought herself an outfit to wear to her class reunion. She was so excited to use it for something special that she wanted and probably wouldn’t have been able to get if she didn’t have the gc!!!!!

By: Linda

Linda — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:59:58 +0000

I don’t like gift cards. I feel like I am having to buy my own gift. No time or effort on the other persons part & I don’t want to have to buy my own.

By: Caryl Bevan Young

Caryl Bevan Young — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:44:00 +0000

How about a gift card from the Mall? A gift card that is good for any store in the Mall….

By: Wendy

Wendy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:38:03 +0000

Personally, I tend to make presents for people (last year all the younger cousins got library book bags with their names and a special little pocket for their library card along with a bookplate stamp and all the adults got hand-dipped wax luminarias). When I’m actually shopping, though, I like wishlists because even if I don’t decide to get what is on it, I can at least see what their tastes are. And I like creating a wishlist for my daughter because it helps guide some relatives who happen to think she’s still into princesses and Barbies. There is a lot of cool stuff out there (Etsy, The Science Company, Imagine Childhood, etc) and if you have an Amazon wishlist, you can download the Universal Wishlist Button that lets you add items that aren’t sold by Amazon to your Amazon wishlist. As for what I want, I’m holding off on birthday, mother’s day and Christmas presents for as long as it takes to save up for a decent DSLR. I saw a video made with a Canon 5D that was incredible.

By: Pam

Pam — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:04:04 +0000

I do not like to receive gift cards, and only give them if it’s what the person asks for. Even then I usually include something extra that I know they will like. Gift giving should be thoughtful. You should think about the person you are giving to and pay attention to things they say to find the perfect gift.
My husband is an expert at this. For years I would spend hours and more $ than I had to give my kids a “good” Christmas. My husband would buy one item for each of us. It was always the most anticipated and most well received of any other item under the tree. The amount he spent was not important. Some gifts cost way more than others, but it didn’t matter. It was the perfect gift for that person. To me, that is what gift giving is all about.
As for my list this year…..I’m like you, Jodi. Don’t really know of anything I want or need so I will be happy with the surprises that my family has in store for me. As long as it comes from my favorite camera store!

By: Morgan

Morgan — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:11:10 +0000

I love the idea of gift cards! I ask for them every year but, like yours, my family thinks they are too impersonal…. They go buy me things and the week following Christmas I’m left to go to every store on the planet and return it… Yes, I usually return/exchange just about everything I get (90% at least).

This year I made an idiot proof spreadsheet with the item, the size/color where to find it (numerous locations) the price at each location, where to find coupons (if available) for said item, and a picture.

At the very end of my list I put gift cards… Hopefully they will stick to my list but if not, hopefully they will become overwhelmed and just give the giftcard so I can buy the stuff I want!

By: Lena

Lena — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:40:07 +0000

I love wish lists! I always have a hard time thinking of what to give people (especially my dad!) so I really like it when people have made a wish list. I started making one of my own to return the favor, but then I found that it’s kind of fun! Now when I am aimlessly window shopping online, I can actually add things I like to my list so maybe I will see them again! I’m not a fan of gift cars, however after a bad experience with being told one was expired before I had a chance to use it. Instead, I make “funds” on myregistry.com (the place I made my wish list) and label them with the stores I would normally want gift cards for. This means more money for me to spend and less hassle for the people giving me the money!:)