Do you prefer getting money or a gift on any occasion?

Either ways it is a gift. People who are close to us can know our likings and the gift according to that. But if people who are not so close but want to present a gift, the best thing is to give cash. When i was a kid, i used to feel happy if some gifts were given insted of cash.

same here.I prefer money.But i like your idea of findign out what they are planning to buy.But what if they buy that thing before you gift it to him on his b'day.The idea of giving a gift card is the best.

If it is from my daughter in law ( a present ) as she has brilliant taste and always gets me something lovely , My Mum can't get out unless I take her, so I usually comment on something and she will get it for me when the time comes , My hubby usually gives me the cash to get something I would really like , But my youngest son has gt such Rubbish taste . "bless him lol " that he suggested year ago , "to buy from a shop you can return to " , a wee bit of a mixture there lol , xx

I prefer to get a gift from hubby. He really did a good job this Christmas. He got me a top and skirt, very nice! Others who don't know me well, I agree with you, money or gift card will do. I must admit though, when people gift you, it means they have put some thought behind it, whereas money or gift cards are fairly effortless.

For me personally it is nice to receive money as a gift sometimes. But for me a large majority of the time I would much rather prefer receiving a gift. Especially a gift that had some thought put in to it. I find when you receive a gift from someone it's so much more personable than receiving money. I know that I personally love receiving gifts because it is something I am able to look back upon in later years & know that the gift the person had bought me.. Was from the heart, but also something that is much like a keepsake. I love receiving gifts that represent something about who I am as a person. Money to me a lot of the time is impersonal. I find purchasing a gift for someone is more memorable because when you purchase gifts for a person.. You can always personalize them for the person just so they will remember it years from now. Especially as they grow older over the years because you then always have something to look back upon that brings a warmth to your heart. Though do not get me wrong sometimes if you don't know what the person likes or what to get them.. Purchasing a gift card or even giving them money allows them to buy the things they have always wanted. I know I have done this & have had this done for me as well. I feel though if a person is only giving you money or gift cards all t6he time that sometimes you wish they would purchase something that has much more thought behind it, but that is also personable. I know I've had people purchase me gift cards or give me money & sometimes I wish they'd give a gift instead. As I love looking back on the gifts someone had bought me & seeing the meaning behind the gift. Looking back at gifts that have been given to me years ago touches my heart ever so deeply as I grow older compared to just receiving money. I love the thought behind these gifts, but also the love that goes in to them as well at the same time. I know my other half in the past has purchased me personalized gifts that have a meaningful message behind them. Or an engraving of some sort & still to this very day looking at these gifts.. Brings a warmth to my heart & seems to bring tears to my eyes.. Just knowing that he had took some time out to just think about me is so very touching. It makes me feel like he truly knows who I am as a person. I think there is no better feeling knowing that someone had put some love & thought behind a gift that they had given you. At least this is how I see things in my eyes. When I end up purchasing a gift for someone or want to get a person a gift. I try to spend as much time with them to get to know there likes or dislikes. I use what I know about the person to purchase a gift that has some meaning behind it. Something that will touch them ever so deeply & that they can look back upon years later & the gift still brings a smile to there face. If I do purchase a gift card I tend to purchase them a gift as well that is much more personable. I don't just purchase them a gift card on it's own unless it is asked by them to purchase them something such as this. Even when someone asks for a gift card though I still will try to purchase a gift that relates to who they are as a person. As I find just giving them a gift card or money doesn't show that I had put some thought behind the gift.. It just shows that I was willing to pull a few dollar bills out & not think about what I was getting them before hand. I know that when I've gotten a gift that was more thought out.. It means a lot more to me when I receive gifts like this.. So I know I try to do the same for others because I know what it's like to receive a gift from the heart.. But also one that had thought put in to it at the same time. In conclusion.. I know that like I had stated above.. That I prefer receiving a gift that had thought put in to it compared to getting money.. Money is nice occasionally but I don't like receiving gifts that involve money on a regular basis as.. It leads me to believe that the person doesn't know me at all.. Or isn't willing to put some thought behind there gift to show how much they care! . . Thanks for allowing me to share! xx

When I was a kid, of course, what I always wanted was a physical gift. But since I have reached college until now, I noticed that monetary gift is what mostly I'm needing. From my freshman year in college, my parents were already used to giving me money on my birhtday becuase I was living in another province for my University years. BUt, somehow, I would still be happy also if I received a gift from someone because I can keep these gifts. You see, it's still something different if you have something at hand, something you can look at every now and then, right? :)

Oh! I missed your birthday, seeing that this was posted 2 months ago--so belated Happy Birthday, greengal =)! Yup, I'd prefer money as well (especially when I'm in practical mode!). Hehe, I think that dropping hints here & there can actually help somewhat (maybe when the special occasion is near, they'd remember to give me what I've been hinting at before) But probably having a wish list would be cool as well--especially during Christmas...this way, you'd more or less get what you want. But how to solve getting duplicate gifts? Maybe having items listed & drawing it from a hat would work (I haven't actually tried this out with my family but am planning to do so!) This way, at least they'd have an idea of what to give & the spirit of giving is still there... I do think that gift cards are great as well, especially if you're not sure of what the receiver wants...As for my case, more often than not, something I personally made (like chocolates or jam) or baked (cookies or cake) works well (I guess one can never go wrong with food!) =)

I teasure gifts. Even from teh smallest item that I receive I put that in my scrap book for remembrance. If I will receive money, I might use it into different purpose. I prefer to receive gifts rather than money.

I think a pesonal gift is better. However my ex husband once bought me an exhaust for my car and was most surprised when i did not jump up and down for joy at his so thoughtful gift. In that case I would rather have had the money. However as you may have noticed I did say EX Husband.

hi, i prefer money too! when i have a birthday i always ask what they want! for my daughter when she became two years i made invitations and asked everybody to give money for her playhouse( a gardenhouse for kids) so she didn't get stupid and much small presents, but one big one! (this barbie cassle was 254 euro) and me and my husband don't give eachother presents anymore because i don't know what to ask and he also don't know

If its from someone special, a gift will always remind me of that person. If its just another friend, then money is more preferable. it depends on whom u are expecting ur B'day present from.

i prefer money to a gift.. this is becuase if the gift is not something i like then it may go a waste so.. to be at a safe-side money is better as i can buy something from that which would please me more.. also, just to tell you.. its a bit rude the way you've written that one word answers would not be tolerated!!

Wow, this is tough. I have been poor most of my life, so I usually prefer money - so I can then buy groceries or pay bills, etc. But then again, a gift is nice because then it shows the person cares and put some effort and thought into getting me something. And, of course, if it is a gift, I get to have something for me. If it is money, I rarely get something for me. Even if I'm not broke at the time, I usually spend the money on my family. I may get something small for me, but will also get something for my family. But, that is a gift to me in a sense as it makes me happy to give to others.

money is good but sometimes id like to open a gift specially if its from my family even it sucks sometimes. :) i still treasure them

The topic you chose is relevant to the time and season. I perfectly agree with you about presenting a gift consisting of money rather than a gift of the kind. In fact, presenting a gift of any kind is also cumbersome. In India, I have watched people hastening to parties with bulk items to be persented for a birth day or a marrige party. To me it looks odd and of course people have the belief that only if you present a rich gift will they be paid back when an occasion arises at their own place. If one were to view such mode of exchanging gift items as cumbersome the only way out to please all is to hand over an envelope containing cash. Although I have attended very few parties, in most cases I have found that a person related to the bride/bridegroom (that is in the case of a marraige party), a person is seated in the corner of the banquet hall where he receives the envelopes and notes down the names. I see in it a very disciplined mode of accepting gifts. I have also attended to parties where the mother-in-law accepts the gift envelopes, which to my mind looks odd. It will even cause a great deal of embarassment to the lady standing there and receiving envelopes. For birthday parties too, I feel, attendance with a small envelope containing cash would be the best way of greeting a youngster or even an adult. Of course, it is true children appreciaet gifts of the kind rather than cash as it will make them happy. But, the need of every family is different. If a person cannot afford a big gift to be presented, an envelope containing cash will put every person at par with every invitee. Otherwise too, when people attend parties with gifts, the centre of attraction too changes from the bride or the person celebrating the birthday to the gifts displayed at the front. After all, one naturally looks forward to be greeted by relatives and friends for the occasion more than judging as to who gave what.

I too prefer to get money and purchase a gift of my own choice. But most of the time I get gifts instead of money :-( Can you suggest me some way in which we can say to the persons dont spend the money on gifts, just gift the oney itself :-)

well i would prefer a gift.coz when somebody gifts u something it will be remembered till u live in this beautifull world.But if u give money it will be remembered ,but it will wont make u happy when u think about it.so i would prefer getting gift and not money. Regarding giving gift to someone whom know, i would prefer to gift something .And regarding giving gift to someone i wont know i would like to give Flower Bouquet.thats it....

I think it all depends on the person giving the gift or money. How close that person is to you, how able they are to go out to buy a present, etc. Now if my husband gave me money for our anniversary, birthday, or christmas I would be upset and look at him like he is nuts. I would be hurt. I would rather have a kleenex that he wrote "I love you" on than money from him. Now, if my grandmother wanted to get me something, and wasn't able to get around easily, I would say money. Then there are people who you are not super close with, or a wedding gift....I would MUCH rather have money. Just my opinion, have agreat day!

Well according to me the answer lies in your question itself.....People like giving gifts rather than money cz they wanna find out how much they know u. They wannna give u something that u have been longing to get. If they give money thn very next moment u will go to market and buy that thing. So let people find out how much they know u.

i prefer it to be a gift in any occassion, even though its simple,what matters mots is the effort and its content,i rily prefer those personalized gifts because you rily feel the effort and creativeness the make just to show the importance of the occassion, for me its an insult to receive money,although we all need money, i appreciate more those little thing stuff, its more meaningful and you can keep it so everytime you miss the person who give you can look at that thing and reminisce all your memories with that buddy, unlike with money you will just spend it for food, movie, fun and etc...and aftr it nothing,,,