Donation Gifts

[TromboneAl]

What do you think of donation gifts? That is, a gift that's a card that says "A generous donation has been made in your name to ..."

 

[Martha]

I think it is presumptuous.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

What do you think of donation gifts? That is, a gift that's a card that says "A generous donation has been made in your name to ..."

I like the idea, as long as the selected cause is chosen to reflect the values of the gift's recipient rather than solely those of the giver. You do have to know someone pretty well to do that safely, I guess.

 

[maddythebeagle]

what? to like the "human fund"

 

[TromboneAl]

I'm thinking that partly, someone is using it as a way to let you know that they are donating money. Like "Aren't I a good person for donating?"

OTOH, I think it's great that they are donating instead of buying some gift from the mall that I may never use.

One that I got this year was for a fine charity, but not one I would have chosen, and I think the giver knows that.

But it is weird concept.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

as some sitcom character on a tv xmas show said about donation gifts: "this is no good; i can't return it."

in similar fashion, i received lots of donation cards to the alzheimer's association after mom died, some even two months after the funeral. i got to the point that i didn't even open them, just threw them out upon receipt. one of my friends got offended, but i thought it was incredibly insensitive that these well-meaning people would drag out my mourning. i can see someone enjoying receiving these donation cards but for me this is the type of sharing best done privately.

as to donation gift giving on happy occasions, i suppose i would rank it a rung above a gift card. but nothing says "i love you" like cash.

 

[Zathras]

I find them very touching IF they made the donation to a cause I believe in. Especially if it is a cause/organization that I was unaware of.

However, I think you should know the recipient well enough to know what organization/cause they would appreciate donating too.

After all, I don't need another tie nearly as much as 'type cause here' needs help with their cause.

 

[F-One]

DW and I asked for donations to local food banks or women's shelters for gifts from our family last year. Most gave us a card indicating the group they donated in our name. My sister actually sent a donation receipt with our name / address on it from the shelter they gave donation to so we could claim on our taxes - now that was an extra benefit we had not thought of

For us it seemed much better than the years of gift cards or "dust collectors" we received in the past.

This year - instead of gifts - our family (my side of family) put together show and tells with food and pictures of past Christmas memories to share with each other at our annual Christmas celebration - it was great

 

[brewer12345]

Since DW and I are having a harder and harder time coming up with material gifts we'd actually like to receive, we are generally happy to get "donations", especally when they are to causes we support.

 

[riskadverse]

I got one this year from a notoriously cheap relative. I did a little research and found that the charity allows her to send six e-cards to six different people refering to the same donation (while the card makes it look like it was only sent to you). Now that's efficient way to get donations from cheap people.

 

[mathjak107]

personally i think its a poor choice for a gift unless you truely know this is what the person wants and even then i dont think id do it. to me thats no gift....

theres enough stuff you can order on-line in gourmet foods and novelty stuff that i think one can never run out of nice gifts to give.

leave donations to the doners i say themselves.....

even giving a visa gift card is a better idea, if the recipiant wants they can use the gift card for their own donations

 

[TromboneAl]

However, it would be fun to choose a really conservative friend and give him this donation card:

A donation has been made in your name to the Hillary Clinton Election Committee.

 

[mathjak107]

yeah like a donation to the NRA for my anti-gun friends

 

[Goonie]

......a gift that's a card that says "A generous donation has been made in your name to ..."

It's OK if what follows the "TO" is my bank account number!

Otherwise, just spend that cash on a nice gourmet gift basket, a gift certificate at one of my favorite eating joints fine-dining restaurants or my local butchershop, a really cool gag gift, or even a frozen pizza! But, please don't donate to some charity in my name...I'm picky who I support!!! 8)

 

[Meadbh]

After my mom died, my employers made a donation in her name to a charity that supports research in the area I work in. This charity is one that my mom would never have contributed to. The donation was indirectly self serving. I felt it was a really cheap thing to do and I would have appreciated a big bouquet of fresh flowers much more.

 

[haha]

Everybody eats and drinks. I favor really good hooch, a box of steaks, a country ham.

This is maybe kind of old fashioned, but I always like getting (or giving) nice food.



Ha

 

[mathjak107]

this year we gave the kids gift certificates for allen steaks, corky's ribs and taste of chicago. they thought it was a great gift......

last year we did giftt certificates for broadway.com and got to pick any broadway shows they wanted being we live in nyc

 

[Dawg52]

Everybody eats and drinks. I favor really good hooch, a box of steaks, a country ham.

This is maybe kind of old fashioned, but I always like getting (or giving) nice food.



Ha

Hard to go wrong with what you recommended unless they are an alcoholic and a vegetarian.

 

[Goonie]

Hard to go wrong with what you recommended unless they are an alcoholic and a vegetarian.

Yeah, but it's great if your just a regular old 'run-of-the-mill' drunk and are carnivorous!

 

[FinanceDude]

I think it is presumptuous.

I disagree..........many people have made donations to my sister's memorial fund, and the cards read that way. BTW, we are close to $30K in the fund. It will give out scholarships in the 4-4.5% range infinum.........

My goal is to get it to $50K in two years, and $100K in 7 years..........

 

[CCdaCE]

What do you think of donation gifts? That is, a gift that's a card that says "A generous donation has been made in your name to ..."

We received one once when our child was an infant. The gift was from someone that always gives unique, yet generally excellent gifts -- as if she puts an immense amount of time into thinking about and shopping for an appropriate gift. So, with that in the back of my mind, I open the card and it's to some fund/organization that shows "people in third world countries" how to raise their own food/grow crops, etc. So, at first I thought "whatta ripoff". As in, I set myself up for this wonderful gift, and was let down.

But, after some time I got to thinking how little I'd care about another article of clothing (or whatever) for the child, and how much more this donation gift would mean to someone else. After a year, I remember the donation, not any other gift that anyone gave for that particular occasion.

Then the usual "I wonder how much went to that organization for salaries and 'fundraising'" questions started popping into my head, but anyway.

Edit: Bóthar - Helping People to Help Themselves was the charity.

-CC

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

Edit: Bóthar - Helping People to Help Themselves was the charity.

don't know about bothar but i found a self-help charity that impressed me. it is www.heifer.org

they also have volunteer opportunities & study tours which i might find check out in the future.

 

[CCdaCE]

Yeah, that might've been it too.

I think they are actually the same organization since '99 or something.

No idea.

-CC

 

[justin]

I think it is a great idea if you really know the person. I almost asked DW to make a donation on my behalf as my christmas gift this year. It is something that I don't normally spend money on myself (maybe when I'm rolling in dough), but it is a nice thing that I'd rather have money spent on instead of another t-shirt/sweater/tie sort of thing that I can stick in the back of the closet and never wear.

 

[Outtahere]

If someone took the time to find out what charity I give to and then send a donation in my name that's fine with me. I like the idea of sending the reciept so I could use the tax deduction. If it's a donation made to something I wouldn't donate to then it's a waste of money, like buying me that gift I'll never use.