Posted by Stefanie Marty

By Sandra Block, USA TODAY

Robyn Davis Sekula of New Albany, Ind., gives gift cards to friends, family and clients every year, and this year will be no different. Many people on her gift list live far away, and gift cards are easy to ship. But the main reason she gives gift cards is that she loves receiving them and believes others – especially her "mom friends" – do, too.
"For me, a gift card is a license to shop with somebody else's money," says Sekula, a 38-year-old marketing consultant. "It's a wonderful excuse for me as a mom of three little kids to go into a store and shop and do all the things I don't do when my kids are with me."

With the holidays approaching, retailers hope gift cards will provide one of the few sparks in a shopping season that's otherwise likely to be lackluster. Gift cards remain the most-requested item on consumers' gift lists, according to the National Retail Federation, making them attractive to value-conscious shoppers who don't want to waste money on unwanted presents.

GIFT CARD TIPS: Before you buy one, check the rules

Click here to read more.