The Right Person, The Wrong Gift Card

Have you ever given the right person the wrong gift card? Did you find out that your friend, co-worker, or loved one didn't like your plastic present? How did you handle the situation? Have you ever received what you deemed as a useless gift card from a wonderful person? What did you do? Did you let your "gifter" know that you dislike the restaurants listed on the gift card you received?

As I stated yesterday, this is a one of the seasons in which gift cards are purchased, given, and received more than at most other times of the year. Bosses give them to co-workers, friends exchange them, and family members give them to each other to save themselves from the hassle of shopping for a gift that requires more thought, time, and effort.

I would venture to guess that most gift card purchasers consider the likes, wants, needs, and spending habits of the people they are "gifting", however, more times than not, a few of their recipients have been somewhat disappointed (even if only secretly) with the company name and logo on the front of those gift cards. On the other hand, I have personally witnessed the "re-gifting" of gift cards from recipients who were less than pleased with the cards they received. Instead of allowing themselves to feel forced to buy items from a store they don't like or to eat at a restaurant they don't usually frequent, they simply give the cards away.

So, if you're planning to load money on a gift card for someone this holiday season and don't want to see it go to waste, be sure to consider who you're giving it to and how much money is appropriate to place on the card. For example, if you know that your cousin loves to shop at Target, don't give her a gift card to Walmart. If you're planning to give your nephew a gift card for use at a restaurant, load enough money on the card to at least cover the entire cost of his meal. For example, if the typical cost of a meal and drink at Outback is $20.00, don't give him a $5.00 gift card. If you do, it's possible that he may never use the card and is more likely to misplace it or forget about it.

Remember, giving gifts isn't about making ourselves look and feel good. The focus is to honor another person with a present that says, "I know you", "I was thinking about you", or "I love you". Before you load money on that card, invest some time and attention into getting to know the person you plan to give it to, or ask those who are closest to him or her which card would be best so that you can avoid giving the right person the wrong gift card. And if you just so happen to receive a gift card you're not too excited about, find a way to enjoy using it. I can't say that I'd be ready to do cartwheels if I were to receive a gift card from The Home Depot, but I tell you what...I'd go in there and find something to take home and appreciate as a gift from a thoughtful person who has spent his or her money on 'lil 'ole me.