I think gift giving divides into what I call order takers and dream fillers. Order takers want to provide something that the recipient specifically wants or needs, and that completes the 'transaction'. A subset of order takers just need to check off a gift from the list, and as long as it is an object or GC, check it done. For an order taker, gift cards are a godsend. No more running hither and yon trying to find X or Y, just pick up the card, load it and boom, mission accomplished. Dream fillers want to provide a gift that, as the saying goes, the recipient didn't know s/he wanted until it appeared. For dream fillers, the downside is trying to get into the minds of people to suss out just the perfect item. Not an easy task! For a dream filler, gift cards or cash completely negate the goal, and to boot they kill the dream by making it crystal clear just how much was spent on fulfilling the 'dream'. I used to be a dream filler--it was my perpetual goal to get the PERFECT gift for those on my list. However, as I've gotten older I have come to realize that as with much else in life you can't control or force anyone to feel, do or enjoy gifts no matter how carefully you try to pick something special. And of course gift cards as a product have exploded; you can literally give them for every and any product or service. What I do now is try to combine order taking and dream filling. So, for Christmas I paired a package of sugar free chocolate bars I special ordered for my diabetic dad with a GC for a movie theater. He and my stepmother will be facing an extended period of medical treatment out of town and my 'dream' is that they can have a night out at the movies as a respite, where he can snack on treats that aren't bad for him. I gave my sisters, all of whom like me are avid readers, each a pair of book-themed novelty socks packaged with an Amazon GC. Dream: they can order something they enjoy reading and peruse it wearing snazzy socks. Okay, that one is pretty light hearted dream filling but still, it's at least a start! And that's how I try to combine the practicality of gift cards with at least some attempt at creativity and personalization. Ann

I don't do gift cards. I don't see how they are more personal than cash or a check. Especially the Visa ones. What's the point? When I receive them I have to remind myself to use them up right away or I forget. I use cash for almost everything so pulling out plastic isn't routine for me. I really really hate the Walmart commercial that has the mommy talking about how her kid loves Walmart gift cards. I'd rather pick out a gift for a child that might expose him or her to something fun they might not even be aware of. I even saw gift cards requested on giving trees this year.

Yah, I have given wallets that i filled with gift cards too-- not sure what i would use for a housewarming gift. I did find some inexpensive new home journals/maintenance record books.. most of the info I'd expect them to keep online/on the cloud.. but really, I am only looking for a vehicle for gift cars so it could work for the purpose. Same with a photo album-- they're all fully online/cloud. Will keep looking for popup cards and for books/photo albums. (along with baby gifts-- we'll soon have a virtual baby shower for nephew and his wife!) Thanks all!

Hopefully for the last time, a Power of Attorney is a piece of paper. It's not a person, a legal capacity, or a status. . I've been away from home but I have a copy of some forms in my digital possession with the following effect. The first, a durable and mostly limitless General Power of Attorney, says: "I, XXX, a resident of YYY County, State, appoint as my attorney in fact: My name". It's a 19 page document. As a result of which, I am that person's "attorney in fact". The document is a Power of Attorney Another document for that same person is a durable power of attorney for health care that names me as "agent". My title under that document is "agent". The document is a healthcare power of attorney. I also have that person's will that names me as Executor. As a result, when acting under that document, I am "Executor". The document is a will. This is an area I worked in, in my professional career, for which I had a state license and plenty enough training. Not much, it isn't that complicated, irrespective of what people think they know based only on what they've heard used or misused.