I didn't really get that into Christmas gift giving this year, since I didn't have the time to invest in thoughtful present purchases. I ended up going to Borders on the weekend before Christmas and buying almost $400 in gift cards. A cop-out, I realize, but I rationalize it on libertarian grounds: I believe in giving people the freedom to choose what they really want, as opposed to what I think they want (or should want).
Of course, taking the libertarian argument for gift cards to its logical extreme might suggest we should all just give cash to each other. But that's not as socially acceptable, at least for gifts exchanged by social peers, like gifts from me to my cousins (as opposed to gifts from elders to young people, or gifts made in a professional context -- e.g., holiday gifts from lawyers to secretaries, or from apartment residents to doormen -- where cash is just fine).
Also, a gift certificate as opposed to cash has a desirable aspect of forced consumption. The giver is effectively telling the recipient, "Go out and treat yourself to something nice -- you deserve it." A cash gift, in contrast, can be saved or invested (and the recipient might feel guilty for blowing the cash on a day at the spa, instead of saving it for a rainy one).
So back to this year. I don't feel as guilty about my resort to gift cards, since I received several myself -- and was delighted to get them. In fact, I was very pleased by my Christmas gifts this year, which were uncommonly useful. Here are selected highlights:
-- an external hard drive (which I had been meaning to buy myself, but was experiencing indecision paralysis on, thinking I needed to do my consumer research first; so I'm glad my aunt just went out and got me one);
-- a flash drive (which I'm already using, to shuttle files back and forth between my three computers);
-- an iPod touch (the 16GB version -- sweet);
-- a digital tire pressure gauge (which is great, since I hate checking my tire pressure, and as a result don't do it enough);
-- a GPS system for my car (also great, since I'm constantly getting lost -- I hate D.C. and northern Virginia's poor road signage); and
-- gift cards to Whole Foods and Barnes & Noble, two stores that I regularly visit.
Christmas is a religious holiday, an occasion to reflect upon and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
But the spiritual origins of Christmas shouldn't preclude us from taking pleasure in nifty gifts.
So I hope that you had a very merry Christmas -- and that you're as pleased with your gifts as I am with mine.
