Gifts Vs Gift Cards Which Is Better

Epic rivalries have been around for as long as mankind can remember. Michigan vs Ohio State, Bill Gates vs Steve Jobs, Coke vs Pepsi and one of the ugliest rivalries on the planet...Butter vs Margarine. All conjure up famous battles across the world in business and sports alike.

One epic rivalry you might not be aware of exist right under your nose every holiday season. The battle between giving someone a real gift or a gift card. Both have advantages and disadvantages when deciding which way to go in your gift giving endeavor this holiday season but only one can win. Today, we must decide.

Lets break it down by advantages and disadvantages and come up with a winner.

Real Gift Advantages:

The thought and time into getting someone a real gift is suppose to be the gauge in which to measure your love and how much you care for that person.

Shows how much you really know and understand the person you're getting the gift for.

Has sentimental value and every time its viewed or used will bring about positive thoughts about that gift giver.

Real Gift Disadvantages:

You risk disappointment in that after all the time and effort put into finding the gift, it could be met with less than expected joy.

Others may feel slighted if their gift wasn't perfectly matched with their expectation.

Could be taken back and exchanged without you knowing.

Gift Card Advantages: 

You're sure to please with a generalized category of gift giving, meaning if you give a gift card from a poplar restaurant to a person who loves to go out to eat, they would appreciate having the card to ease some eating out expenditures.

The ease and time saving of getting the gift cards can't be beat.

An assurance the gift card will not be returned and you can be about 100% sure the card will be used.

Gift Card Disadvantages:

Could be seen as a thoughtless gift.

Depending on the amount of the gift card could also be thought of as cheap.

Gift card could be pocketed and forgotten leaving you out the value of the card purchased.

Clearly there must be one method of gift giving that is better. I say we give it to the gift card. I think with as much variety as gift cards come in now and with many people who would desire the financial flexibility whether its a break in entertainment costs or simple cash to to go get what they really desire or need...to me that wins this holiday season!