Americans are tired of dorky sweaters and soap-on-a-rope they have to return in after-Christmas stampedes.
What they want most on Christmas morning - and on just about every other momentous occasion - is cash.According to a new survey on gift giving by the Discovery Research Group in Salt Lake City, men and women of all ages chose money as their favorite gift, followed by travel, clothes, audio and video accessories and books.
"They're tired of getting stuff that doesn't fit their taste," said Sherri Athay, a Provo present consultant who commissioned the study. "They're getting more demanding and they have more choices. And givers have less and less time to shop."
The results surprised Athay, someone who spends her time advising people on how to select the perfect gift. And she takes a dim view of gift giver as automatic teller machine.
"It's in poor taste," she said. "It lacks intimacy and creativity. I think it's a cop-out in a lot of cases."
Athay thinks it's acceptable for relatives, particularly ones who are far away or elderly, to send money or checks. "Or if you know the recipient is saving for something special like a trip or downpayment for something large, that's OK," she said. "You have to look at the thought behind the gift."
She added that the popularity of cold hard cash cannot be attributed to the troubled economy of 1993. A similar study done about 10 years ago showed 60 to 70 percent of people cited money as their favorite gift.
The random survey of 800 homes across the country also shows that, money aside, women want clothing and money. Men want tools and electronics.