Are Gift Vouchers A Festive Cop-Out?

Gift-card and voucher sales are worth £6 billion in the UK, but not everyone wants a piece of paper waiting under the tree

- Kara O’neill

No - ‘I’d rather someone treat themselves to something they want’

Michele Riley, 56, is the founder and director of Niche & Cult and A Beautiful World, and lives in Brighton.

Giving presents isn’t always easy, particularly when you have a huge list of people to buy for. And that’s why I love vouchers. Let’s face it, how many times have we all been given stuff we have to politely smile at, when in the back of our minds we’re thinking, ‘Does this person know me at all?’

And what about when they’re coming to visit and you have to dig out that tacky ornament or wear that hideous jumper (and you get cold sweats when you realise you probably sent it to the charity shop)?