Due to the expected winter storm, FMH Imaging, Lab, Immediate Care and ALL Monocacy Health Partners locations, including the Parkview offices, will delay opening until 9 a.m. on Saturday. If you have any questions or concerns, you can call the location you plan to visit first to confirm hours and availability.
During the holidays everyone is always looking for the perfect gift to give. One with meaning that shows you really care. But more and more–people are giving gift cards as presents. Is it a good idea?
Some say gift cards are the best present for almost everyone on your list. Others like Scott H. Young with Lifehack.org say gift cards make horrible gifts and explains why:
1) Gift certificates are like money, except less useful.
Money can be used everywhere. Gift certificates can only be used with specific stores. If the gift certificate offers some kind of special service or discount, this tradeoff might be reasonable. However most gift certificates can’t be redeemed for cash, nor do they offer special treatment so buying one is essentially buying less useful money.
2) Gift certificates are a mark of defeat.
When I’ve given gift certificates in the past, the unstated words are, “I give up.” A gift certificate is basically a sign that you couldn’t think of an actual gift to give the person, so you will just let them pick it out for themselves. If you want a gift that says, “I don’t know you well enough to pick out a gift, but I thought cash was tacky,” get a gift certificate.
3) Gift certificates have expiry dates.
Not only are gift certificates a more restricted form of money, now some companies have the nerve to put an expiry date on them. As if trading your money for less valuable money wasn’t enough, now you get the bonus of having money that only lasts for a year or two. Most stores won’t tell you about the expiry dates, but if you check the back most tell you that your less-valuable money will become completely useless after several months.
4) Gift certificates can backfire.
The main argument for a gift certificate over cash, is that it shows at least some thought into preparation. However, this can backfire if you get someone a certificate for a store they never shop at. I’m sure we’ve all had the joy of running over to a store to use a gift certificate to buy an item we don’t need, just to feel like we aren’t wasting it.
5) Gift certificates can cost your friends and family money.
When you give a gift certificate, often you are forcing them to pay some of their own money to use it. A twenty-five dollar gift certificate isn’t a whole lot at some fancy outlets and technology stores. You may be forcing your recipient to spend another ten or twenty dollars in order to use your wonderful gift. How thoughtful!
6) Gift certificates get lost.
Many stores have started using gift cards instead of certificates. These little devices magnetically store info about the dollar value they hold. Despite the tracking of the gift certificate money electronically, you still need to have the card in order to use it. That means that if your certificate gets lost, the money is gone forever. At least you can deposit cash in the bank.
7) Gift certificates have leftovers.
What actually costs exactly twenty-five or fifty dollars? Usually your lucky gift-card recipient will be left with a couple dollars on their card after buying a gift they probably didn’t really want for themselves. This means your tradeoff for less valuable, expiring money loses an additional dollar or two.
8 ) Gift certificates mean a trip to the store.
Buying a real gift for someone says: “I know you don’t like to treat yourself, but I went to the trouble of getting something I know you’ll like at a store to save you the visit.” A gift certificate is the do-it-yourself version of a gift, forcing the receiver to make a trip to whatever store you happened upon and spend hours driving, browsing and fumbling with the card.
9) Gift certificates don’t earn interest.
Okay, so twenty dollars in cash isn’t going to appreciate much in your 1-2% annual interest savings account, but it’s still more than your certificate. Slowly losing the battle against inflation you can be happy knowing your gift becomes less and less valuable each day before it eventually gets lost or expires.
10) Gift certificates… aren’t all that bad.
I’ve been giving gift certificates a hard time. Despite their many flaws, sending cash is still a faux pas by many peoples standards. And despite the lack of logic in preferring one to money, many people still do. Many people actually prefer the colorful little cards to gifts if it means they don’t have a choice at all.
Kip Moore recently wrapped up his “Me and My Kind” tour and says now he is going to do something he has not done in a long time…he’s going to take a break. In an interview with Rare Country, Kip announced his plan to take some time away from the stage. Kip says he has essentially worked non stop for the last 12 years and that he needs to “breathe a bit.” Kip also says this is a “real” break with no guitar, no microphone and no songwriting.
Be sure to join me Sunday morning for the Free Country Rewind Christmas Special. Grab your eggnog and roasted chestnuts and enjoy four hours of your Christmas favorites from the biggest country hit makers of all time. We will also be taking the Rewind on the road as we will be at Wal-Mart on Route 26 for the finale of this year’s Toys For Toys campaign with the US Marine Corps Reserve from 9 until 3. We want to make it a Merry Christmas for every child in Frederick County and we need your help. If you have a favorite song you would like to hear, send me an email. Don’t forget about our special Free Country Rewind holiday concert with Diamond Rio on Wednesday night at the Weinberg Center. Get your tickets today.
During this time of year, many people go out and buy cute and festive costumes for their dogs and cats. Companies that make pet costumes are racking in the bucks! Americans spend over $330 million dollars a year to dress up our beloved four-legged friends. But do our pets like playing dress-up? Maybe not.
Oh no–the flu is here! According to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, influenza has arrived for the season.
The good news is, the cases of flu reported in the state is minimal. But does that make you feel any better? No!
Doctors say if you have the flu you may experience pain in your muscles, cough, fever, loss of appetite, headache, and chest congestion. If you experience difficulty breathing, chest or stomach pain, dizziness, or severe vomiting-go to the emergency room or your doctor right away.
As horrible as the flu can be, the good news is that most people feel much better within one to two weeks. Most people are contagious the day before symptoms develop. They remain infectious for up to five to seven days after symptoms appear. So try and avoid people with flu like symptoms.
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