Giving Cash as a Gift. Is it Vulgar?

I donā€™t generally give cash but I have given out gift cards. These cards are usually for Tim Hortons coffee. Then I usually buy a small box of chocolates and add the card to the birthday, Christmas, thank you, miss you card. It usually goes over very well. There are Tim Hortons everywhere in Canada.

Giving cash isnā€™t vulgar. Itā€™s just somewhat impersonal.
 
Last edited:
Mobilman44 said:
As someone else alluded to, I've never known a gift of cash to be spurned......
Click to expand...
I was brought up to act delighted by any gift and I do, cash included, but when I was young, married, and very poor I was sad to get cash gifts because they all went straight into my husband's pocket, never to be seen again. I needed so many things, that a thoughtful gift of something like a box of clothespins would have thrilled me much more than money.(No more having to wash things twice if it was windy.)

I've always heard that it's the thought that counts with a gift and cash requires almost no thought. I understand cash gifts in cases like grandchildren that you don't see often enough to have a clue what they might want, but with close friends and immediate families I think a gift that shows you've noticed what they like or need is so much better than cash.

As for wedding gifts. I was shocked when brides started registering their gift list at department stores. Aren't we supposed to pretend we don't expect gifts at all? Now some of them are specifically asking for cash! What next, asking for tickets at the door? They might just find that people don't care enough about watching them be the center of attention in their five thousand dollar dresses to even show up.
 
IMO, giving cash makes more sense than those gift cards which are too restrictive. Often the gift goes to the company that sold the card.

In this I will have to respectfully disagree with Ken.
 
PeppermintPatty said:
I donā€™t generally give cash but I have given out gift cards. These cards are usually for Tim Hortons coffee. Then I usually buy a small box of chocolates and add the card to the birthday, Christmas, thank you, miss you card. It usually goes over very well. There are Tim Hortons everywhere in Canada.

Giving cash isnā€™t vulgar. Itā€™s just somewhat impersonal.
Click to expand...
A bit off-topic but there used to be a couple of Tim Horton's in Rhode Island, near our daughter's home. Always enjoyed stopping there because they were unique to us. Sadly, they succumbed to the Dunkin' Donut onslaught, along with many other donut shops.
 
DaveA said:
A bit off-topic but there used to be a couple of Tim Horton's in Rhode Island, near our daughter's home. Always enjoyed stopping there because they were unique to us. Sadly, they succumbed to the Dunkin' Donut onslaught, along with many other donut shops.
Click to expand...
Theyā€™re branching out. Now they are going to be serving pizza too.
 
Apparently the newest "you must be kidding" cash request is inviting friends to dine out at a restaurant with you, and then once the bill comes, telling them how much they owe you. The notion of telling people in advance that the night out is "Dutch Treat", has apparently been dropped!
 
Pinky said:
I don't think that's going to fly, do you? Their pizzas are small, and expensive .. I'm sure not going to try one.

Back on topic - if giving money gifts is vulgar, please go ahead and be vulgar with me :devilish:
Click to expand...
I think they should stick with coffee and donuts. Branching out to try and be good at everything takes away from the main plan.
 
I don't find money vulgar as a gift at all even from my spouse. Why??? I have received so many gifts whereby I could not use the gift, did not like the gift, etc. And when I give a gift, it always a Mastercard gift card. Mind you, I could give cash as well.
 
Gift cards to eating places but the meat has become so tough and expensive / no prices on the Menu even. Gave Cash 4 times last year. We order Frog legs / Catfish when we go for playing Pool with the kids.
 
horseless carriage said:
My sentiment entirely, and it's what I told an impertinent relative who had chastised me about giving cash.
Thank you to everyone who has posted, the general consensus is cash is king. The one time that we have given a gift was for a wedding present, but then the bride & groom had a wish list. Lots of sensible things, I remember we bought them a canteen of cutlery. However, as the groom was my favourite Godson I put a couple of bank notes in the envelope of their wedding card. On the night of their wedding a text came through, it read; "We loved the cutlery and that money we found in our card has just paid for the champagne that we are enjoying." He ended with a thanks and love from both of them.
Click to expand...
You did the right thing, if you can believe my grandma. She was superstitious and ALWAYS give money along with any cutlery. Apparently, you must also give money (at least a coin) along with the cutlery or the recipient will cut themselves OR the friendship will be severed.
 
I'm reminded of a scene in that 1980's sitcom Family Ties where this nerdy kid Skippy has a upcoming date with a girl and he's asking Alex (Michael J. Fox) for advice. And one of the things he asks is "I have this $10 bill that I'm planning to give blank (I can't remember the girls name) as a gift" And of course Alex says "No Skippy, that's not a good idea."

So I would say if a guy is picking up a girl for a first date it would be better to show up with flowers that it would be to hand her some cash.

But for most other occasions I think it's great. I can remember when I was a liitle kid, if I got a Birthday or Christmas card from a relative the first thing I did was tear open that envelope and look to see if it had any cash, or a check inside. As for presents too often it's something you don't want. And as you get older it almost always is something you don't want.
 
Last edited:
A young teenage relative of our's has a birthday, some money was put into the envelope tucked inside her birthday card. Adding a link to this thread, I had an amusing text from her. For some reason I can't download it from my phone, but what she sent was a photo of the Ā£20 note:
001.JPG
Under which she wrote: "Thank you so much for the portrait of King Charles," then, tongue in cheek she says: "I haven't got one of Alan Turing. He's the famous scientist who features on the back of the Ā£50 note. Well that's reassuring.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top