I rarely give gift cards. Only to people very close to me & I know they're saving up for a specific big ticket item. Me on the other hand, I'm ALWAYS saving up for a big ticket item so every birthday & Christmas list I send out is asking for Visa, Nordstroms, & Gucci gift cards. I just prefer to purchase expensive items with others people's money ;-)

I agree with the other people who have posted - I don't like giving gift cards because it feels impersonal. That being said, I love getting them because its what me and my boyfriend use for "date night" through the year (as far as we can stretch them). I like them better than receiving gifts I don't really have a use for either, I feel like it can be less wasteful because of that. My boyfriend's sister asked for gift cards last christmas and I helped him find a happy medium - he got her a cute but budget Fossil brand purse and put a few small gift cards into the slots. That way it showed more thought. I've done this before with gifting friends who are girls - a makeup bag or small purse, a few things I know they would love, then a gift card for something I can't pick out myself.