so, since some of us are venting about christmas, I'll do my share

Alright, let me get this all out of my system, but first of all, I want everyone to know that I am absolutely not ungrateful for things, I appreciate efforts when efforts are made, I will never discourage a gift - despite how much I may dislike the gift itself - if there was thought put behind it.

That being said...

Number One: I HATE GIFT CERTIFICATES! I HATE THEM I HATE THEM I HATE THEM! Seriously, I don't like them. I will never give one as a gift, unless someone puts that on their wish list (like my neice, who only wants gift certificates) but I hate them. I think they're the laziest form of a gift, second only to cash itself. It's much too easy to walk into a store, not even look to see what's there, buy a gift certificate, and leave. Plus, THE VALUE OF THE GIFT IS RIGHT THERE! It's the same, in my mind, as leaving price tags on a gift you give. Don't do it. I couldn't tell you where I got this from, but I just consider gift certificates to be one of the most half-assed attempts to gift giving.

Number Two: Anyone who has known me for more than a week knows I'm not one of those jewelery-make up-perfume wearing frilly-pink-dress sporting kind of girls, so do us both a favour and don't even THINK of putting that in a gift. I can admit, they're pretty, but absolutely not for me.

Thirdly: trying to fill up a package, gift bag, or gift box with (quite obviously) dollar store items that are either kinda ugly or meant for very little children is a waste of money and space. Please don't. It's not cute.

Lastly: There's no harm in asking. I'll admit, there are people on my Christmas list that, even though I've known for years, I've a hard time shopping for, so I'll ask them a month or so ahead of time what they may be interested in, to give me at least a theme to work with, if not specific items. I won't be insulted if you do the same with me. It's much more awkward to have to ask for the receipt to exchange the gift rather than asking a while ahead of time.

Oh, wait, I lied, one more thing: Just because something interests YOU does not mean I will like it. If you like that big expensive book about Picasso, then get it as a gift for yourself. If ya like that crushed velvet whatever it is, you'll be doing yourself more of a favour keeping it at your home instead of trying to pin it on me. Again, there's no harm in asking me for an idea or two, I've got a few to give.

 

Hehe. I like gift certificates...especially to restaurants...because it means that I can treat my partner without using my own money

My partner got me a Borders Gift Card this year and I thought it was nice because he knows I LOVE to read, but for someone to go out and buy a book taht I will like that I don't have is damn near impossible.

But I agree with you on everything else

 

to each their own Some people love gift certificates, but they're not for me. As I originally posted, my neice prefers them, partially because she's 13 and not only is she hard to shop for because she's thirteen, but a g.c. also gives her an extra excuse to go hang out at the mall to shop.

 

I feel the exact same way. I don't mind getting gift certificates from some people or giving them to some, but it really shows little initiative. My dad writes a check each year for the exact same amount, and it kinda takes the fun out of getting and giving presents.
Another thing that iritates me is when people get you stuff you made clear you don't want. My mom asked me what I wanted and I told her and she said that's weird thus she bought me a lot of stuff I will never use.
I try and get meaningful presents and I'm sucessful at doing so, even though it may take some creative time and energy. I enjoy people enjoying their gifts. Money and gc seem so nonpersonal.
I don't want or need any more junk, and I think most people feel the same. Money can be put to better use.

 

I love gift certificates. They pwn

 

Ah, well, clearly I'm the only one who find gift certificates a peeve.... oh well... I know a lot of folks enjoy them, which is great, just not for me.

Agreed. As my brother and I got older, what my family did was made a list during November with christmas gift ideas and stuck it to the fridge, so that way it illiminated the risk of buying the crappy gift. Although the surprise factor was limited, but again we didn't know of what from our list we were actually going to get....

 

Thats what we do here, everyone makes up a list of some ideas. It does kind of take a way some of the surprise, but at least you get things you want and will use.

and as for me, i really enjoyed getting gift certificates this year. I used to think that it was a lazy excuse for a gift, but since I am so broke this year, with the new baby coming and everything, it was really nice to get gift certificates to practical places like target and stuff. My mom also gave my bf and I gift certificates for dinner and a movie, which was very much appreciated bc we hardly ever get to go out anymore. So i guess I'd rather have someone admit they dont know what i need, and get me a usefull gift certificate than get me something completely random i will never use.

 

I like gift certificates - surely you think they're better than those 'frilly' presents you bitched about right afterwards? I mean, at least then you can pick out something you actually want/will use. I'm appreciative of them, certainly better than no present at all or something you'll get no use out of.

As for the filling of stockings with smaller, cheap things... some people cant' afford fabulous stocking stuffers... and some of the cheaper things may not appeal to you but they can appeal to other people. I got cheapo kitchen gadgets in my stocking and I really like them, even though I know they're from the A Buck Or Two store.

I do like xmas lists though, they're a great idea. My family's always used them. We get stuff for folks that aren't solely on the lists of course so there are surprises, and the lists are usually comprehensive enough that you won't get everything off of it anyways but that's ok, still leaves a great deal of surprise (well, this year I knew one present ahead of time but I -really- wanted it and my mom promised me I'd get a ps2 for xmas come hell or highwater heh)

 

Alright, clearly I'm alone about my opinion about gift certificates, but as I said, it's just me. It's not something that I like, and I hate to say it but I do take offense to them, partially. They're just not for me at all. They're great for others, I know many who like them, but they're just not for me.

To be honest, no.... at least with a frilly gift, at the VERY least, there's some effort in looking around the store and picking something out. With a gift certificate you go straight to the cash register and pick one up, as you would going to an ATM to withdraw cash. To me, there's a bit more thought put into buying a gift I dislike over a gift certificate.

I've said on many occasions that if people don't know what to get me, and think that a gift certifcate would be appropriate, the money would be better off going to some charity who needs it, and for me that'd be a better gift. I'd vouch for no present at all, and that money spent goes to someone who's more deserving.

Hey, I'm not knocking dollar stores at all, I've shopped in them. And trust me, I don't expect people to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on me whatsoever! I can appreciate the gift no matter the cost.

What I did write though, in my first thread regarding this, was "trying to fill up a package, gift bag, or gift box with (quite obviously) dollar store items that are either kinda ugly or meant for very little children is a waste of money and space." Buy dollar store items to your heart's galore and give them to me as a gift if you wish. But dollar stores carry items that one can use and are practical, and they also carry items that are obviously crap. Just trying to avoid the latter of the two.

 

people always give what interests them, the givers, not the receivers.
there are several reasons for this.
it is also just possibly not of total pertinence.
none of us are the center of the universe.
get used to it.

as for christermass itself, as opposed to anyones misplaced expectations, traditionaly or otherwise, well first off, i find christianity's claim on the 25th of december, what is NOW december, at best highly dubious.

there are scholarly reasons for this which are perhapse beyond the intrest span of many so i'll not dwell on them if you'd prefer.

capitolism's claim on the same date i can live without also.
and thus any appearant dispute between them over it is to me, little more then an amusing sideshow.

peace, good will, pretty colored lights and the smell of pine needles,
now THAT is what 'the season' means to me,
and these i think ARE things well worth celibrating.

though i think the actual solstice (arround the 21st/22nd) might be a slightly more logical moment of time during which to celibrate them.

=^^=
.../\...

 

themnax, I've no idea how to reply to any of that at all.

Well, looky here, I just did. But not well. oops.