Cash: An acceptable gift or major faux pas?

[sherryinutah]

We're approaching Christmas time when people eagerly give gifts to one another.   

Do you feel it's acceptable to give cash as a gift for birthdays and holidays?

Personally...I love giving cash because the person I give it to will not have to stand in line for a refund because I accidentally gave them the wrong size. Also...the gift seems to be cash but really...the gift I'm giving is the freedom to spend money as they wish.

What do you think?

Please feel free to share your thoughts about giving and receiving gifts in this thread.

[MessiahMews]

I    CASH!

I would rather be given cash than anything else.  Cash, Checks, Money Orders or PayPal works just fine for me.   

I would rather give cash too.  That way, someone can go buy what they want instead of what you think they should have.

It's a WIN WIN all around as far as I'm concerned.

[mawhite63]

I love getting cash or gift certificates as a present. I always give Amazon GC's at Christmas. My family is spread all around, I don't have to worry about checks getting lost in the mail, they don't need to wait to deposit a check, and because Amazon sells practically everything I know there will be something there that they want to buy.

[jkhanson]

I like giving cash as gifts to the ones on my list who I have no idea what they want/need.
Or if everything on their list is above the amount I choose to give as a gift.  They can use the cash toward their high priced item.

[animikokala]

Cash/gift cards/certificates etc are all acceptable gifts, especially if that's all the person says they want.  That's all my teenage brother wants for Christmas so he has "Date Money", as he's not yet old enough to get a job.

Personally, I love receiving cash as a gift; I usually never pull cash out of my account to carry, so the cash gifts I receive at Christmas end up lasting me the whole year (usually longer) as "pocket money" whenever I run across the few stores that don't take cards.

[lvstephanie]

I don't mind getting / giving cash, esp. if it's from / for a person that I'm a friend with, but not necessarily one of my close friends. But I'd rather get a GC than actual cash. At least with the GC, you are telling the person that you have an idea of what they like but not necessarily the exact item they are looking for. For example, if you know the person is an avid reader, a GC to Barnes and Nobels or Amazon says "I know you like books, but I don't know what you've already read, so get yourself whatever book you're looking forward to reading". Same with Best Buy GCs for your techno geek friends (ahem), Bath and Body Works for your girly female friends, etc.

[dreamyxo]

I think most people would prefer cash that they can spend however they want.  Most of us have way too much junk anyway and another useless trinket that will probably not get used is probably a waste of money on both sides.

[gaylasue]

I'll take cash any day!

[mimimarlene]

My children who are adults love getting cash for a gift, in this economy they do not want useless gifts-with money they may be able to pay a bill that is due, or buy something that they really want and need.  Both live in different states for I am not sure what they need or want and cash is a lot easier to send

[kords21]

I much prefer giving and recieving cash instead of gifts. I can buy what I want and other people can get what they want. It also cuts out the hussle and bussle of going to a mall/store and fighting all the crowds. To each thier own though, some people are more appreciative of a gift that took some effort to get, some people don't.

[jzmom]

I love cash!  I love to give cash as a gift to my kids for gifts and they love getting it. I also give them gift cards and DVD's.  There are some relatives I would never give cash to or that would never accept that as a gift. They would say that wasn't a thoughtful gift so they get pictures of the
kids.  Let them tell me that isn't an acceptable gift. 

[premar16]

I think when ur young gifts are the way to go but as a person gets older cash is acceptable

[jaymz462]

I love getting cold hard cash.  I can use it for anything I please, unlike gift certificates.