CiCi Zhang believes that the best gift money can buy is, well, money itself. As a child, his father tried to buy him gifts, but he often missed the mark as he transitioned into giving him money as a teenager, Zhang, 30, said.
In the beginning of their relationship, her husband was not very well. Some of her biggest gift misses include a massage gun and a food scale. They couldn’t return the massage gun, Zhang said, so he kept it. As for the scale, the couple took it back and shopped for a replacement together.
Despite the flaws in her gift, Zhang’s husband refused to give money as a gift, she says. As a compromise, he maintains an extensive wish list from which he can select items that are sure to please.
Zhang grew up in China, where monetary gifts are given during holidays and special occasions traditional. “During Father’s Day, I’ll probably give my dad money,” said Zhang, who now lives outside Seattle. “With money, it’s sure you can use it. Maybe you want it, you can spend it, or you can save it.”
Who wants to keep a dollar amount about a priceless?
Although paying cash as a present is not only ideal but is not preferred in other countries Korea and JapanIn the United States and other Western cultures, exchange occurs Sometimes seen as gauche. Cash is easy, fast, and above all, practical because almost everyone could use a little more of it. But for the same reason that money can be seen as thoughtless, or worse, the gift recipient really needs it – more so than candle warmth or fancy socks in the panic on Christmas Eve. After all, who wants to put dollar amounts on a priceless relationship?
But if you ask recipients what they really want for the holidays, the answer is clear: cash is king. A December 2023 YouGov survey 38 percent of global respondents said they would prefer to receive cash for the holidays – the largest portion of potential gifts. Another 10 percent said they wanted gift cards. The 2022 MassMutual Consumer Spending & Saving Index found similar results: 31 percent of Americans say their ideal gift is cash; 16 percent said their dream gift is a gift card.
The gap between what people really want — money — and what givers feel comfortable giving — anything else — has driven gift givers. A waste of millions of dollars on Unwanted or inadequate gifts. But you shouldn’t feel awkward paying your nearest and dearest in cash, experts say. There are tricky ways to do it.
Americans don’t like giving cash gifts
Americans have long been reluctant to pay their loved ones for the holidays. In the 1993 book Modern Christmas in America: A Cultural History of Gift Giving, William Waits writes that although some journals have suggested Thinking about how to pay In the early 20th century, the public considered this practice “impersonal” and cold. “As a gift item,” Waits wrote, “[money] Mentioned a specific numerical value for the relationship but did not determine the quality of the relationship.” Gift certificates pose the same problem.
at that time, Rural Americans give gifts of food and small handmade wooden or sewn gifts to friends and family. Those in the city swap statues, wall hangings, and other crafts.
But throughout the 20th century, Consumption and consumerism took root in the American psyche. Businesses and department stores started Advertises their products extensively during the holiday seasonEncourage buyers to find The perfect gift behind their doors.
These days, the holiday shopping season is all about consumers spending more, often Real, unwanted items – a good part of which End up in the trash. About half of holiday shoppers start their purchases Early AugustAccording to a Bankrate survey. This year, Americans all plan to spend $900 in holiday giftsfrom approx $800 last yearAccording to NerdWallet’s annual holiday spending report.
Why is paying cash so uncomfortable?
Americans might, though Overspending on holiday giftsOr at least requested, they’re not necessarily choosing gifts that will delight the recipient.
When shopping, givers often choose an item that says more about themselves than the recipient, say Ernest Baskinis an associate professor of food, pharma and health care at St. Joseph’s University. Donors Busy with the “wow” factorAs research shows, a gift that says, “Look how well I know you chose this thoughtful, meaningful item.”
“Most of the time, we’re not right about this, to be honest,” Baskin says. “Most of the time, [recipients] They may very well tell you what they want, or they’d rather you pay them so they can choose what they want.”
Cash is practical — almost too practical — and trendsetters Underestimate how useful compliments are to recipientsCommon gifts, research suggests. In fact, handing someone a card with a check inside is less exciting than seeing their face light up at the sight of a puppy in a box. However, after the initial excitement fades, the pragmatic, boring gift makes the most of it.
Cash is also seen as carefree and low effort, says Julian GiveyAssociate Professor of Marketing at West Virginia University. Writing a check or hitting the ATM requires very little creative energy. “It’s not really personalized to you in any way,” says Gavi. “[Giving] 100 rupees to someone shows nothing about your knowledge of their hobbies, their interests, their passions etc.”
Handing someone a card with a check inside is less exciting than seeing their face light up at the sight of a puppy in a box.
The relationship between giver and receiver is also paramount in cash giving situations. A grandparent inserting a $5 bill into a card for a child is kosher, “but moving up the age ladder is a little awkward,” Givi says. Think about it: How would he feel if you gave him $25 in cash?
Giving cash gifts between friends is also difficult, says etiquette expert and vice president Lizzie Post Emily Post Institute. The $5 your aunt gives you every year is weird coming from a friend. This implies that the receiver is in serious trouble and probably needs more cash than a cashmere sweater. “We often don’t pay our friends,” says Post. “Instead, we go do something rich with them.”
Even if the recipient explicitly requests cash, Americans still find it taboo to comply. Instead, donors have found ways to creatively disguise the act of paying, particularly through registries. To make the exchange more thoughtful, wedding or baby shower guests often contribute to a honeymoon or diaper fund. Like the platform Honeyfund And Babylist This makes touchless cash gifts easier, eliminating the potential awkwardness of handing out a supposedly inconsiderate gift.
“At the end of the day, it’s still cash you’re giving,” says Baskin, “but now you can say I’m actually giving something that the couple needs.” Gift cards are also, cash in another name, restricted to certain stores only.
Giving cash doesn’t have to be awkward
Despite the popular convention that cash gifts are gauche, cheesy, or uninspired, Post says that the details of etiquette allow monetary gifts. (Although she does find it habit to Venmo money as a wedding gift.) The key is to make it thoughtful. Be sure to include a card, the post says, and write a brief note about how you hope they’ll spend the dough: “Use it to buy tickets to this Taylor Swift concert” or “Treat yourself a massage.” As for the amount, consider your relationship with the recipient, but only give what’s within your budget, Post says.
Remember how awkward it would be to give Grandma $25? Giving her a gift card to a grocery store would probably be better, Givey says, even if the dollar amount is the same. “You put some thought into selecting something that relates to him and who he is,” says Gavi. “Even then, you had to go out and buy this thing.”
Be sure to include a card, says Post, and write a brief note about how you hope they’ll spend the dough.
If you feel inclined to ask for cash, offer providers a few more options, Post says: “Someone asks you, ‘What do you want for Hanukkah?’ You can tell them, ‘I’m in these books. I’m into this game. Everything to do with them is great. And of course, I’m always a fan of cash. Whatever is easiest for you to do.’
If you’re still lacking gift-giving motivation, ask yourself what gift you’d like to receive, says St. Joseph’s researcher Baskin. Is it embroidered socks or is it cold hard cash?
When Baskin studied participants with the same question, “Ans [that] Often comes up,” he said, “money.”
