"Cheri" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Julie Bove" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Cheri" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Julie Bove" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>
>>>> A couple of things that I personally would have liked to get were a
>>>> Crock-Pot (I did actually get one not long after we were married as a
>>>> Christmas present) and a fondue pot. But... I do like to cook!
>>>
>>> I always give money, it's never been returned. ;-)
>>
>> I'm to the point where I prefer that myself. Gift cards can be okay but
>> I have gotten some for stores where I never shop and when I have tried to
>> shop there, I saw nothing that I wanted. So money works the best. I
>> just hate it when the giver demands that I tell them what I spent the
>> money on. And then gets mad at me when I say something like... I bought
>> groceries! Heck, sometimes you are to the point where that is all that
>> you need. I guess people have in their minds that you will spend the
>> money on some extravagant thing that you otherwise wouldn't have bought
>> for yourself. That's just not me.
>
> I can't imagine asking anyone what they spent the money I gave them on. If
> they volunteer that would be one thing, but otherwise out of my hand to
> theirs, and their business what they spend it on.

They have even given it to me with the stipulation that I *have* to spend it
on myself. This after I was given a gift card and couldn't find a thing at
that store that I wanted or needed. But... Angela's birthday is about a
month after mine so I bought her something for her birthday. When the giver
asked me what I used the gift card on and I told her, she told me that I
shouldn't have done that.

When I was a kid and someone gave us money, my parents always made us go out
and spend it then write to the giver and tell them specifically what we
bought and that if we had to kick in some of our own money, we were to tell
them this as well. I always dreaded both tasks.