Merry Christmas. I am working for a few more hours and didn't want to leave the building without a few thoughts on what I hope is a wonderful time for you.
I know many people hate this time of year. I am not one of them. I love the holidays. Any holidays. But, I especially like Christmas because now that I am an adult, I can celebrate it as I choose, and don't need to worry that Jews don't have trees. This one does.
Anyway, if you get gift cards tomorrow, please try to use them by Wednesday. I am not kidding. There are so many reasons I don't know where to start, so I will simply remind you:
A gift card is like cash: lose it and it is gone forever.
Some gift cards, like from Simon Property Malls and gas companies, lose their value if unused over time (something still unresolved despite a years-long federal court battle by our Attorney General's office) so, you don't want to lose out that way.
And, finally, who knows where the store will be Monday. Seriously, with so much bad financial news lately, you don't want to find out the retailer to which you hold a $100.00 gift card filed for bankruptcy while you were sleeping, deeming your card worthless. In such cases, it doesn't matter that state law says a gift card has to be good at full value for 7 years .. you are cooked.
As you may have guessed, I am not a gift card fan. What ever happened to cash?
Merry Christmas and, because I will be away from a computer for the next several days .. Happy New Year!