Poll: Is giving Cash as a gift rude?

[Vern]

I don't think it's rude in the slightest. Yes for my Mother and Father and my Brother I'll get them something I know they'll like, because I know them. Hell, I'll even give my brother cash if I can't think of anything he can use, because everyone can use cash. I'm fine with getting cash as a gift, because then I can use it to buy what I want, I'd rather that than get something that I might not have a use for.

 

[Snotnarok]

I don't get that, I've heard of this before but seriously. A gift is a gift, my sister gave me a burnt CD filled with songs about peanuts (don't ask) and I gave her a bit of art she'd like. Both satisfied.

 

[archvile93]

Not to me. In fact, it's my favorite gift of all; better than family, but then just about everything is better than that.

 

[kouriichi]

I dont think so.
Why give them something they will rarely use, and is possibly an eyesore?

"AWWW GEE! You got me an ugly sweater im going to stick in the closet for 364 more days, and possibly give to goodwill!"

Money is, by all standards the best gift. They can spend it on anything they want, or anything they need. You can pay the bills with it, or use it to buy someone else a gift. Its value is equal to its real value, and its accepted EVERYWHERE.

There is nothing wrong with cash as a gift. Infact, for many, its the best thing possible.

 

[Yankeedoodles]

I WAS fine getting and giving cash since the receiver can then spend it on anything that they want. But then my mom explained that a gift is supposed to be something special for the individual and there are plenty of people who will simply never buy anything for themselves. If you give a practical or self-sacrificing person cash what do they do? They put it in the bank, pay off bills, give it to charity etc. It's nothing special to them. It goes in and out of their possession without leaving a mark on them. Those are the type of people you HAVE to buy presents for because they'll never buy themselves anything. Not every person is like that but even for those who don't cash doesn't really mean much. It's an unactualized present rather than a present itself.

 

[snowman6251]

I buy literally one thing. Video games. That is the sole place where I dump my money. I buy pretty much every game I want and almost always right as it comes out. By the time Christmas rolls around there's usually not a single game I want that I haven't bought. On the occasions when there is a game I don't have that I want and my family buys it, they usually get it wrong (wrong system, wrong game in franchise, etc). Therefore I just say "give me money please" and I'll buy games as they come out in the following months.

 

[spoospoo]

i think it really depends on who the gift is men't for. however, in general i think cash allows the receiver to choose their own present, and alleviates some of the pressure on you. Be careful though because some see it as a failure of creativity, or a sign that you don't really know what they like.

 

[Stormz]

I don't think it's rude, I for one LOVE me some money.

 

[My name is Fiction]

That's what I got this year! Nah, I don't think there's anything wrong with it if you can't think of anything else to buy.

See, 'cause it's like two presents in one... the gift of money and the gift of going out and buying whatever the hell you want!

/endless optimism

"I appreciate your endless optimism!"

 

[AmbushIntheDark]

No, its not rude. In fact I have been telling my family for years that I dont want presents and that they can just save the money they would have spend and just give that to me instead.

Christmas is just a perfect holiday for your family to show you just how little they know about who you are.

 

[effilctar]

I can spend money, I can save it or I can invest it. I feel rude accepting money, even money gifted to me, heck, I dislike getting refunds for dodgy items, but I'd sooner take money than have my parents/family feel disappointed in themselves when they get something I truly don't wand/need, my family have a habit of feeling like they've failed as a person if they buy the wrong thing.

 

[jackknife402]

I generally do not like receiving gifts, so I mostly receive money. However I enjoy giving items away, but when someone, mostly my sister, asks for only money...what am I to do?

 

[RatRace123]

No, giving cash is awesome, moreso recieving it.

 

[kickyourass]

No, some people are really hard to shop for, and others are really bad at shopping, so I see giving cash or a giftcard as a surefire way of the gift getter getting something they know they want.
Take me for example, I play alot of video games, but most of members of my family aren't very knowledgable about them, so if my grandmother sends me a giftcard to Amazon or something, We all win since I'll get the one I know I want, and she doesn't have to worry about telling the difference between the PS3 version and the 360 version.

 

[newuseforvintage]

I don't think it is rude but I do agree with a lot of people that it can seem lazy. But it depends on how it is done.
This year I got cash from my dad but he put it in my christmas card with a note saying 'you can use this to buy something silly and impetuous'. He also gave me a tool box full of tools. So that was his was of saying 'here's something useful I know you'll use and appreciate, but you can also go get yourself something stupid and silly that I wouldn't have thought of'.
I used the money to buy myself a new cigar case - something he definitely wouldn't have gotten me.

 

[Mr. Omega]

I REQUEST for cash. You can buy whatever you want then or something you might need later. And there's never the chance that it may be something you already have or just never need.

 

[badgersprite]

I think it only becomes rude if you get in a situation where you both give each other money, and especially when someone gives the other less. Then it could be kind of awkward.

 

[Vrach]

Depends on the relation and the person. I for example always prefer cash from family because my preferred gift is computer supplies and none of them know a damn thing about hardware. Exception being my brother, but he just buys me some clothes which is also cool.

That said, for friends/girlfriend? Absolutely rude (unless you have a deal going I suppose, but that's very situation-specific). Even if you're wanting to let them pick a specific gift they want (out of a type that you selected), just go down to the store, have them pick out something and then pay for it, giving money itself is just... meh.

To quote House:
"Gifts allow us to show exactly how much we know about a person and there's nothing people hate more than being shoved into the wrong pigeonhole."

And in the case of money, you're basically just saying "I have no fucking clue what you're like". That said, if you're shit (like me) at picking gifts, here's Eric Idle to comfort you:

 

[thirion1850]

It's not rude, merely unimaginative and has less of the cosy, warm and fuzzy feeling to it.