Musing Mondays: Gift Certificates
(Musing Mondays are hosted by Rebecca!)
This week’s question asks:
Do you give gift certificates to book stores as presents? If so, do you give for actual stores or online stores? Do you like to receive them yourself?
I do actually give bookstore gift cards to people as gifts. I really enjoy getting them, too! 
I’m lucky in that several people in my family (both sides — my side, and hubby’s side) are readers. I have given bookstore gift cards as gifts to my sisters, my niece, my stepdad, my stepmom and my dad. They’re all readers, and I think they’ve appreciated these (or, we hope so, anyway! LOL).
When I give them gift cards, it’s usually to the actual store — Chapters is the one we have around here. Mind you, these gift cards can be used either online, or in the store, so they have the option of doing whichever they please (whichever is most convenient). 
My Dad & stepmom used to give me $100 in Chapters gift cards as my Christmas gift every year — they’d find creative ways to wrap the cards, so that I never knew whether/not that was what was coming. I absolutely LOVED getting these, as $100 in a bookstore is HEAVEN to me! LOL. 
Mind you, I don’t know that hubby liked me getting this type of gift, ’cause then I’d have this itch to go book shopping, and I just wouldn’t shut up about it until he took me (or let me go) to the bookstore! LOL. I couldn’t wait!
Nowadays, I still get bookstore (Chapters) gift cards for Christmas from my Dad & stepmom, and sometimes my sisters (usually $25), and I love them just as much. It’s the highlight of my Christmases! See, I have this HUGELY long book wishlist, and an even longer TBR list (mountain?), so any money that’s designated “book money” right up front, is always appreciated.
What I always liked about book tokens is that they couldn’t be spent on anything else – my grandmother used to send a cheque for Christmas and it always ended up being spent on practical things. But buying a book is always a pleasure.
I love getting good books – no matter how. My grown son often gives us gift certificates, because he is not certain which books we already own, and I am sure all you fellow bloggers can understand him.
I absolutely love recieving my Barnes and Nobles gift cards in the mail. Several years ago I gave one to my daughter because I could not get to a toy store and knew she would not want clothes. I put it inside a box and gave it to her after she had opened all of her other gifts. To my surprise she sqirrmed with delight. The next morning she woke me up bright and early to go and choose her books.
Now, I give her one every year.
I wish I was as surrounded by book lovers as you are! My husband’s parents are pretty big readers, but they live so far away it’s a little different. They’re the only ones I can count on to buy books or give me book-related gifts (like gift cards!) on a consistent basis. Thankfully, my husband inherited that trait, so I’m not as alone as I used to be!