MICHELLE JUERGEN | editor-in-chief
I never remember people’s birthdays. Through some sort of backwards osmosis, dates of birth do not make their way into my brain’s database. It’s really not even just birthdays. Holidays, important meetings and events must be written down on my calendar or else they sit forgotten in a dusty corner.
Imagine my frustration when I am suddenly reminded of these easily-forgotten dates and—oops, I forgot to get a gift.
Normally, I quickly resort to grabbing a gift card from the nearest Starbucks, Bed Bath and Beyond or Macy’s. I always feel somewhat guilty, though, when I give a gift card. They know, I think to myself. They know I ran out of time.
But gift cards are practical, aren’t they? Jane likes coffee, so we get her a Starbucks or Coffee Bean card. Joe likes music, so we get him a Best Buy card. Is it a nice gesture, or does it say we don’t know the person well enough to get them something specific? Or worse—does it mean we’re too boring to think of a gift idea?
According to the California Department of Consumer Affairs, effective Jan. 1, 2008, any gift certificate/card with a cash value of less than 10 dollars is redeemable in cash, which includes currency or check, for its cash value.
Essentially, a gift card can be just like giving money if it’s fewer than 10 dollars. Otherwise, the person receiving your card is either blessed or stuck with the retailer you picked.
“I got a bunch of American Express gift cards for my high school graduation,” senior philosophy major Kyle Brooks said. “The bad thing about those is, if you don’t use them in a designated amount of time, money gets subtracted from the card each month. One card went from $100 to 30 bucks.”
American Express gift cards are a cash/gift card hybrid, available in a variety of prepaid amounts; denomination values range from $25-3000. According to their Web site, a monthly service fee of two dollars applies, but is waived for first 12 months after purchase.
California law dictates that there isn’t an expiration date on gift cards, but a gift card that can be used with multiple unaffiliated sellers of goods or services may contain an expiration date—it’s just usually in the fine print.
Then there’s cash. And, really, who’s going to complain, “Aw, man, you got me cash again?” Cash is even more impersonal than a gift card. It doesn’t even hint at what the people receiving it like.
They can, however, go and buy themselves whatever they’ve been most recently dying to have. Maybe what Maria really wanted was Paris Hilton’s CD, but she was too embarrassed to ask for it. Your cash has given her the most valuable gift of all—freedom of choice.
I write down people’s birthdays, wedding dates and major holidays that require obligatory gift-giving so that I have time to find the person a gift tailored personally to them. Shopping is my love language. I feel a great sense of satisfaction when I find that perfect gift and I know it’s going to trump everyone else’s. It’s like being able to say “See how well I know you? That’s right, look at how rad my gift is,” without saying it out loud.
The problem with giving actual gifts: Aunt Sally and Grandma Jean. Our sweet relatives sometimes don’t know the difference between Tom Jones and Norah Jones, so they end up sending us SpongeBob SquarePants calendars and socks.
“I definitely got a gargoyle hand puppet from my Auntie when I was fifteen,” senior English major Aleen Bradley said.
It’s the thought that counts, right? Sorry to sound shallow, but no, it’s not. If the thought is to count, shouldn’t it be, well, thoughtful?
I can grab a gift card easily. I can reach into my wallet and pull out a wad of cash. But it takes time and effort to pick out a gift that means something.
So what about the people you don’t know very well? Wouldn’t it be better to get them a gift card or give them cash instead of buying them flowers and finding out they’re allergic to pollen?
In these cases, I still prefer to somehow try and tailor a gift toward their tastes and preferences. There are ways to be creative with gift-giving even when you don’t know someone well.
Do they like to cook? Get them a Williams Sonoma card. Are they social justice advocates? Donate money to a cause they support or volunteer with them. Are they easily tangled inside blankets (“Blankets are okay, but they can slip and slide, and when you need to reach for something, your hands are trapped inside”)? Get them a Snuggie.
I have a few weddings coming up that I will be attending and getting gifts for, and I’m already trying to figure out if I should follow the registry and get them a gift or get them a gift card to a retailer on their registry or give them cash or…you get the idea. Sometimes it’s best to ask the person what he or she would prefer.
One girlfriend of mine may be moving right after she gets married, and she’d rather receive cash as a wedding present so she and her fiancée don’t have to lug all their gifts around to another state. Sometimes asking is fruitless, and the person says, “Oh I don’t know, get me whatever,” in which case you’re back to square one.
The point is—get as personal and creative as time allows. If you need a gift pronto, dig into your wallet and pockets or run to McDonald’s. Virtually every retailer now sells gift cards (except Fresh & Easy—be warned).
If you do have time, give it some thought. You’re bound to think of one thing your friend enjoys. And if they don’t like anything? Draw them a picture of a smiley face and give them a hug.
