Showdown Gifts: Gift Cards and Real Gifts
If you think it is too early to celebrate the start of Christmas, think again. Of course, it’s not even the first week of October, but September is mostly November and November is practically Christmas, so you should probably consider what you will get your friends and family. If you are thinking of giving a gift to a friend, loved one, or colleague, you may find that choosing the “perfect gift” is fraught with hesitation.
You could surely nail the landing, but if you’re worried about giving the wrong impression or choosing something that ends up in the box, you can go the gift card route and leave the final choice to them, everyone still showing your gratitude. In any case, your decision depends on factors both inside and outside of your control, so don’t get hung up on the details.
Applicants:
Gift cards
Gift cards give the recipient the freedom to buy whatever he wants, up to a certain price. They eliminate guesswork about the gift, but can also indicate a certain lack of enthusiasm on the part of the giver.
Actual gifts
Diamond necklace, new replica of Dragon Ball FighterZ , surprise trip to the Bahamas. What makes a traditional gift “good” depends on many factors, including the gift itself, its value in the recipient’s perception, and its usefulness. Successful gifts also take into account what the recipient wants and shouldn’t be just the gift you would like to receive or what you think will cause the most excitement when opening. No one needs the Dippity Dog Collectible Glasses Set. No one. No one.
Gift Cards: Ideal for impersonal gifts
If you think gift cards are a way to give gifts to the lazy … you are right. Gift cards are the best gift for a variety of reasons, especially if information about the recipient is scarce. Situations in which gift cards are acceptable or preferred include corporate holiday celebrations, teen birthdays, or as a donation to a larger cause (such as a gift to the newlywed registry). No one really (other than kids) expects you to know exactly what gift they want to receive, so don’t be discouraged if you decide that a gift card is the best option. Just make sure you get the right one (and please keep your $ 10 Starbucks card for Bill in accounting).
Quite frankly, there is no reason why someone should receive a gift card that will not be used. With open gift cards from companies like American Express, you can, with little to no knowledge, give someone a gift that they can use anywhere.
This part is for all gift card recipients for … let’s call them “small shops”. That Outdoor World gift card Aunt Carol sent you? He probably won’t get much fun if you spend the weekend competing in Overwatch. Luckily, if you’re not going to use the Chipotle Gift Card you received during the Secret Santa Party, you can always get rid of it . Sites like Gift Card Granny and Cardpool allow you to mail a gift card for cash or exchange it for another gift card. Even though you will lose 2 to 25 percent of the value converting this card to cash, you will still have more money in your pocket than when you started out. It looks like a victory to me.
Actual Gifts: Estimated Risk
While gift cards suggest that someone has thought enough of you to spend some money, real gifts take the excitement of gifts to the next level. There is no greater feeling than opening a gift and seeing exactly what you wanted or something that you were so desperately unaware of. As for me, one of the most touching gifts I have ever received was an unknown figurine from my partner after I briefly mentioned it during my discussion of Japan.
One danger inherent in giving real gifts is social illness, which I will call “I thought you were in love” syndrome. Signs include that your old uncle Jim has given you DVD box sets of obscure and gruesome anime repeatedly, based on your head-spinning reaction to receiving the Outlaw Star DVD box set from him when you were 13 years old. As a general rule, unless you can reliably state otherwise, you should avoid buying gifts of the same type for someone in order not to get sick with this terrible disease. I received some pretty bad gifts based on my supposed love of the concept of “video games”, gifts that I could not return, leaving one or both parties unsatisfied.
Research examining the mistakes associated with gift shows, givers focus more on initial excitement about a given gift, while recipients focus on the practicality of the gift throughout its holding period. While givers value aspects such as desirability and the element of surprise, recipients are more concerned with the versatility of the gift and whether the gift was desired at all. That Jack Skellington poster you got on Halloween is cool, of course, but don’t expect the recipient to hang it in their living room when it’s mid-July.
Verdict: gift cards for your fake friends, the best gift cards for real friends
After all, getting a gift card for someone allows them to get what they want, and it’s a gift that anyone can appreciate. If you really want to impress, just spend some money on it, my friend. Real gifts, while emotionally touching and great for strengthening personal relationships, are an exercise in risk-reward analysis, an exercise that should be avoided when it comes to human emotion.