Is it tacky to give gift certificates out to relatives?

[Deja Q]

(I ought to know better, but I don't. :blush: )

Thx!

[Turbineguy]

1. Hmmm

I have some fairly tacky relatives, so in my case it would obviously be OK.

[skygazer]

2. I don't really think so

Some people are hard to buy for - you don't know what they might need or want or already have. Gift certificates allow them to get something they'll actually like.

I give them to some of my harder-to-shop-for relatives and no one has ever seemed to mind. :hi:

[no name no slogan]

3. No way

I ask for gift certs from the grocery store or Target for Christmas from my family. I'm at a stage in my life where the last thing I need is more stuff. A weeks' worth of groceries would do me a lot more good than a trinket.

[Darth_Kitten]

4. No........

just wrap them up creatively.......everybody likes something to open on Xmas.

[SeattleGirl]

5. Not at all.

I love getting them myself, and the people I've given them to are quite happy with them.

[I Have A Dream]

6. My family prefers gift certificates.

They really like gift certificates to restaurants.

[DarkTirade]

7. Only if everyone in the family knows that they're hard to shop for.

[Blue Diadem]

8. They've become quite common in my family

We give and receive them. Some family members will give us a list of ideas usually for the grandkids, or they'll make a list of things they might like for themselves, while others appreciate gift certificates to their favorite restaurants, stores etc.

[Gormy Cuss]

9. It's tacky if you know that they wouldn't want them or make use of them.

Other than that, no.

[Oeditpus Rex]

10. Mmmm... not if they're kinda specialized

"Here, go find yourself something nice at Wal-Mart" would be pretty tacky. But if I were into modeling, say — and, by sheer coincidence, I am — I'd LOVE a gift certificate for the hobby shop.

Especially if it covered that 1/24-scale P-38. :D

[SPKrazy]

11. hellz no

its great

:woohoo:
i'd rather have a gift cert

most of the time

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. You mean, "as opposed to fruitcake", or something?

Let's see, which would I rather get?

Gift certificate?
Socks?
Fruitcake?
Sweater?
Gift certificate?

Go with the gift certificates.


Unless it's someone real close. I try to find out what my wife wants, and get one of those. Except for the Jag, that's a little out of my range. Then, I figure out what I want, and get her one of those too.
:rofl:

[China_cat]

13. I'd much rather have a gift certificate

than some of the stuff my family has bought me.

[FloridaJudy]

14. Of course not!

I just bought my son a gift certificate from the Fair Trade gift shop. He helped me change a flat tire - which is not an easy thing when the stupid temporary tire is flat as well. We had to take the flat off and drive it to the tire place. There are wonderful things at Alternatives, but I thought I'd let him pick out what he wants for a change.

He just bought a new/used car himself, so he's getting a Northern Sun gift certificate for the holidays. That way he can start getting bumper-stickers to annoy the Republicans.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

15. nope

[pitohui]

16. yes

editing now that i've actually read the answers, and i'm sorry to say that most members of DU have terrible manners

it is definitely tacky, if your relative needs money, give them cash, not a gift card that forces them to shop in a certain store, cash may be tacky also but it has the advantage of they can actually use it to meet their needs for groceries etc. not just for "bed, bath, and beyond" or "barnes and noble"

[Mrs.Matcom]

17. Not at all!

I buy them for my parents all the time, they ask for them. As a matter of fact, my sis and I got one for our mom for the cruise she is taking. Fun ship dollars, she was thrilled beyond belief! :hi: