I’ve heard a great many people assert that they’d rather receive no gift at all than something so “thoughtless” as a gift card. Gift cards, though, are neither.

They still take time and money to obtain, just like any other gift, and can actually be a very profound expression of appreciation and love for the person who receives the gift card.

One of the greatest benefits of a gift card is that they grant the person who receives them the opportunity to pick out something that they select at a time that works best for them.

Barnes and Noble, for example, sells gift cards. A person with $25 dollars to spend there could purchase a book they’d been wanting, or perhaps a candle or notebook, and there’s absolutely not risk that they won’t want what they get.

The beauty of gift cards doesn’t only apply to purchasing material things. Gift cards can also be purchased that buy people experiences and consumables. It will absolutely make somebody’s day if they’re given a gift card to eat out at their favorite restaurant, or a card to fund their ridiculously expensive morning coffees. Interactive attractions, like escape rooms and gift cards, also offer gift cards. The recipient can, at the time most convenient for them, go spend quality time with their loved ones and make memories together. No material gift can provide that, but a gift card can!

It is, of course, important to remember that not any gift card for any person is fitting. People still ought to consider who they’re gifting for when selecting the gift card they intend to give. For example, if I were a vegetarian, I wouldn’t be jazzed to get an Arby’s gift card. Chances are, though, that if you’re close enough to someone to get them a material present, you’ll know an establishment they’d appreciate having some money to spend at, whether it be on their own material gift, consumable, or experience.

At the end of the day, if someone you know and care about gives you a means of getting something that makes your life brighter, what is there to complain about? Gift cards are still gifts, and it’s the thought that counts.