According to the website Canadian POS “Gift cards are a popular choice of gift for every occasion….and are most heavily purchased at Christmas.” Do I think a gift card is a good choice? Yes…absolutely. In fact I was at my Mom’s nursing home this morning and one of the ladies mentioned that she really appreciated receiving a gift card for coffee over more chocolate or cookies. Not that she doesn’t appreciate those…but free coffee before heading into work is always a good thing.

Most retailers these days offer some form of gift card, so it’s relatively easy to pick a card that will be useful and appreciated by the recipient. When giving a gift card, try to think about what the person you’re giving it to would actually like to receive. Do you know they stop at Tim Horton’s every morning on the way to work…then don’t buy Starbucks. When I was out buying gift cards yesterday, I noticed some new offerings. Uber for example now has a gift card for both the ride share and Uber Eats. This is a great choice for University/College students living away from home. A VISA gift card is also great for a student. Air Canada now offers gift cards. This is a great option if you would like to contribute to an upcoming trip a friend or family member is taking.

So while you might think a gift card is a cop out gift…it’s actually a gift many people really appreciate receiving.