Extended Lunch Break

  I am lucky enough to work in an atmosphere where my clients tend to give gifts of appreciation for the holidays. A lot of times there are those certain families where you expect they are the kind of person who will give you a little something for months or years of working with them or their children, there are times when those people don’t give you anything, and then there are times when someone you don’t expect anything from at all or someone who you have little or new contact with will give you something and you will be like “whoa”. This year I have had some of each and have received the usual array of chocolates, Moose Munch, beer, cash, and gift cards. I have to admit my favorite thing to get is either the cash or the new trend seems to be the Visa gift cards where it can be used as a debit card for that amount.  Best Buy and Barnes & Nobles can also be good gift cards to give out because there are lots of options in these stores such as electronics, books, movies and music. This year the gift cards I dislike are the ones for Champs Sports or Foot Locker. Although a lot of my interests are in sports these people do not realize that these sport stores located mostly in malls are vastly overpriced compared to online sporting stores such as Fromuth, Holabird Sports, and Tennis Warehouse which can range from just about wholesale pricing to a little bit over that for most of my tennis needs and general sports needs. These gift cards of $25 almost make up for the amount the shoe or basketball jersey is overpriced in the store. Now I am not saying that I am unappreciative of these gifts. I am overjoyed they even had the idea to give me something at all. I am just saying that unless you really know the person you should give cash, a Visa debit card, or a gift card to a store that everyone can find something at such as Best Buy. Now I have to stuff several gift cards to Champs Sports into my wallet for several months after continually going into the store and coming out empty handed. Unless I suddenly decide that wearing basketball shoes is somehow cool again like it was when I was playing basketball in eighth grade I will probably have those damn cards stretching out my wallet seems for a long time.