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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
this year my gift giving rule is no gift cards.
i am finding it incredibly hard. but i feel like gift cards are becoming so impersonal.
would you rather get a giftcard?
Re: this year my gift giving rule is no gift cards.
I'm probably going to be the minority here but I love gift cards. I will admit that I'm kind of picky (and a bit bratty) and I'd much rather pick something out myself that I could use rather than someone spending their money on stuff I won't use. I realize this sounds horrible but if someone is going to spend their money, I'd rather it not go to waste.
I'm also not good at picking out gifts so I'd much rather give people $ (or a gc) and let them get what they want. I wish I were a better gift giver. I'm just not very creative in that department.
i think the important part is putting in ALOT of thought into what the giftee would want! My brother buys me Tiffany jewelry its pricey and nice but something I NEVER EVER USE. i'd rather he put more thought into gifts you know.
Yep. I just suck at that part for some reason. I think it's because I always have the, "will they like it? Will they use it? Is this crappy?" questions going through my head. I have too much second guessing going on for me to pull the trigger most times.
DS 3.12.08
DD 7.11.09
DD 8.01.13
I light up like a Christmas tree when someone gives me a gift card! Last year, I was in a cookie swap that also had a $25 gift. Someone gave me a $25 Amex gift card and actually apologized! Are you kidding???? I was never more happy then when I swiped that bad boy as part of my $200 holiday booze bill at total wine.
I also enjoy the gift of straight cash.
I actually prefer gift cards only because I have crappy gift givers in my family. I know it's bratty, but I can only take so much junk. I fill up a box each Christmas and donate to goodwill. Not to mention, I don't want to pretend to like the pajamas you picked out for me or any other of the useless crap you bought.
Plus, how do you really know the person will love what you are buying? I do my best to pick out good gifts, but at some point I usually throw in the towel and get GC for something special - B&B's, massage, etc. and then supplement with smaller, more thoughtful gifts.
lol at all the picky and crappy gift givers.
true story my FIL gives me a 100 giftcard to boscov's every year. i don't shop there. so without a doubt, pat and i go and buy weird kitchen utensils until our 100 bucks is spent.
You could always swap it at one of those gift card swap websites. Here's an article about it with some website recs: http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/28/pf/gift_cards/index.htm
#1 12.11.11
#2 10.23.13 EDD
I love gift cards, mostly because they force me to spend money on myself. MH isn't going to want clothes from Express but these work pants I have on right now are falling off and I'd love to replace them with something nice. But... it feels weird asking people for work pants for Christmas. At least with a GC they can believe I'll get something impractical.
I'm a lost cause on AMEX cards and cash because I find it hard to justify using that money for anything other than groceries and gas.
Also, I don't give gift cards because unless it's $10 to Starbucks I can't afford one in any reasonable amount. So, I put a ton of effort in to getting something small but meaningful for everyone on my list. If I could put $40+ towards each member of my family I'd definitely go the GC route and save myself the agonizing over swinging Christmas on a budget.
You can re-sell at PlasticJungle.com.
it's hard receiving gift cards because you know how much a person spent.
i am also okay receiving one gift for both p and i from someone (or just a gift to milo ) like my cousin she always buys us each a present which isn't needed. and makes me feel bad because she doesn't have a partner for me to gift to.
I am also all about couple gifts. It can be too expensive buying something for each person separately.
I am totally cool with people just giving a gift to Tommy and not us because I feel like it really is a gift for us anyway since we then don't have to buy more stuff for him. It's awkward though when my family says only buy for the kids because there are two childless couples and I feel bad not giving them something since they get Tommy something.
Shannon that's our problem, the 3 of us (siblings) all have kid(s) and my one brother and his wife do not. We are just getting gifts for the kids this year, but I plan to get a g/c to a restaurant to my brother that doens't have a kid, because I feel bad that he will be getting for A, but we won't be getting anything for them.
I like gc's a lot, and am also really picky... I am not opposed to getting gc's for people either because I know they will use it.
We do this too. DH and I buy gifts for our 12 nieces and nephews and expect nothing in return. We are the only couple that buys the kids gifts, but the kids participate in a book pollyanna (which their parents pay for). The past couple of years they have chipped in and got us a gift certificate to a restaurant. Eventually when we have kids, they will do the book exchange and we will quit buying them gifts.
I love getting GCs - I end up saving them and using them closer to summer/fall since my bday is January. I hate gifting them, unless they aren't for a dollar amount. Example - Last year, we got my dad 2 rounds of golf. I got DH 3 golf lessons. I liked that, because my dad would freak if we handed him X dollars.
Those are the best because then you don't have to go through the "oh this is too much" song and dance. Or worrying about whether or not your gift card is going to be enough for them to buy whatever it is they want from the store.
I will!
My mom gets us gas cards In our stockings
So if you belong to Costco (or I assume any other club store) you can buy discounted gift cards. For example, we recently bought the IL's $100 for Fleming's steakhouse but it only cost us $80. I've also seen spa finder, movie theater, and other restaurants there.
Obviously, Lachute this is not for you but all the other pp's who like gc's!
What the WHAT?! This is amazing. First finding out about booze on my doorstep and then discounted gift cards? Today is wonderful!
It seems like it is better to even buy gc's for yourself and use them on your own for the discount. Sweet. Good to know, thanks.
Dude, been doing it for years.
I'm surprised more people don't know about this!
We've been doing this for the past couple of years. For both gifts and ourselves.