Is a gift still a "present" when they ask exactly what you want?

Well yes. They have to hunt for it.

It’s a gift, and the idea is that it’s something you wouldn’t have bought for yourself. The way I see it if they paid for it it’s a gift.

I prefer surprising friends and family with gifts I gleaned intuitively from my interactions with them. I rarely do gift cards.

I enjoy it when they ask me how did I know? Then they realize it’s because I cared enough to listen to get to really know them as a person.

Yes it is.

I usually try and get the person something that they would like without them having any clue, although sometimes it’s something pretty normal like a book because I know they really like to read. The sad thing is I find it harder to do this more and more with my family because we don’t get together much and it’s hard to know what they’re interested in.

^^Same here! About not being able to get together as often as we would like.

He doesn’t really believe in presents, but last week he said we can go to Hawaii for my birthday, and that was as good as a present to me. I made the reservations and plans.