When I was much younger, I hated getting gift tokens at Christmas, they didn't satisfy my greed for huge tinselly wrapped presents, and in an age where the town I grew up in only had an Etam, a record shop and WH Smiths, the prospect of spending them wasn't alluring.
Now, of course, as a fully fledged grown up, I've become very very fond of them... Booka book tokens? yep!. Sissy Blu - ooh yes please!, hair and makeover? Book me in Danna! The beauty is that I can spend them when I want to and buy something that I know I truly want. And how wonderful that you could give gift vouchers or tokens towards art courses, or cookery workshops, flowers and pamper days.
With elderly relatives, gift cards are a wonderfully useful way to help out with grocery finances without coming across all pushy.
I suspect that my willowy, lovely and savvy goddaughter and her brother will not turn up their rather charming noses at a nice clutch of tokens or gift cards, to stash up and sumptuously spend on their next trip to 'the City' with their best friends.
So show your love this Christmas and slip a gift card in their Chrismas Stocking.
