Gift cards: Jumping the shark?

It's lazy and generic. But then, I have a small family, so buying gifts isn't that much of a hassle. I might feel differently if my family were larger.

 

They also hate them in a way. Whatever amount is on the gift card doesn't get added to their sales until the person uses it.

So they could sell it in December, but it wouldn't count on their Christmas sales receipts.

 

I feel the same way. I told my sister-in-law to get me an iTunes gift card this year only because I can't think of anything anyone should get me.

 

I've been trying to find a Black and Decker Autowrench (cool tool, it's an adjustable wrench that's self-powered so it adjusts itself) for one person on my list. The problem? The Autowrench turns out to be this year's version of the Cabbage Patch Kids for grown-ups --- sold out everywhere. My solution was to get a Home Depot gift card for $35 (a little over what the Autowrench costs with tax added on) ... with a picture of a candy-cane-painted adjustable wrench on it.

JR: Don't tell me there's no excuse for gift cards. This one filled a need.

 

Did the same for my Dad. Although I saw the wrench for 50 on Amazon, so I got Pops a $50 dollar card for Home Depot. Either way, as much as I wanted to have the tool in hand (Christmas Truce, quote function funsters), my Dad will probably light up just as much seeing 50 bucks for his toystore sitting in the box. That freakin' wrench is sold out in my entire COUNTY. Good gravy.

 

1. Moddy, the dollar amount is a must.

2. If the stores are getting an interest free loan, then they can't bitch about not getting the sales on the christmas quarter.

 

Here as well. I hit two Home Depots, two Lowe's, three Wal-Marts, two K-Marts, two Targets, three Ace Hardwares and a Sears trying to track one down.

 

Clearly we underestimated the sheer volume of lazy bastards like us (and our loved ones) who saw the commercial and thought, "a wrench that does the job of flicking my thumb FOR ME? BRILLIANT!"

 

I have a teenage daughter. She has made it perfectly clear that her mother and myself have no fashion sense. None at all. She is astounded that we aren't arrested when we go out in the clothes that we regularly wear.

So, rather than have her provide false gratitiude for clothes that we all know she will be returning...

It's a gift card christmas 'round here.

That way, she can go out next week and buy clothes that I will object to. Everybody wins :

 

Hold on a minute.

I never said it was "wrong". I just said I wouldn't buy them for my kids or loved ones because it shows a failure of imagination on my part.

But hey, I'm happy to receive them.

Chapters. Amazon.ca. HMV. They're all good. :

 

After the bitch fit she threw this year, my sister is never getting anything but a gift card from me for the rest of her life (well, maybe not that long, but for a while anyway). She's never happy about what she gets unless it comes off her carefully prepared list, which she never produces until about Dec. 15 (long after I've done my shopping). So I give up. It's not worth it.