The definitive proof that gift cards are a perfectly acceptable present.

There’s always one. Your presents are wrapped under the tree – there’s gifts of all shapes and sizes – including a small rectangular one that can only be one thing.

A gift card.

It’s long been seen as the lazy gift for when you want to put in minimal thought or effort, or the gift you buy when it’s 5pm on December 24 and you have no idea what your uncle Tom wants but the retail staff are tapping their feet and wanting you to just hurry the hell up. Oh the pressure.

But I’m here to tell you that it’s okay. You shouldn’t feel guilty about giving someone a gift card.

In fact, according to research from finder.com.au, more than three quarters of Aussies like them as a present.

It’s definitely an acceptable Christmas pressy, but you do need to put a little bit more than two seconds of thought into it. Sorry.

25-year-old school teacher Grace told Mamamia she loves a gift card because it allows her to get what she wants, instead of someone who’s not sure taking a bit of a stab in the dark.

“For example, if my dad got me a voucher for Rebel Sport I’d be stoked because otherwise he doesn’t have a clue what to buy me,” she said.

She said she’d rather receive a gift card for a specific shop she likes than a card that can be used in an entire shopping centre, but anything is better than yet another body wash set.

“It just shows a bit more thought and that the person actually knows you. I got a Lululemon voucher and was like yes! But a mall one will probably sit in my wallet for a while because I’d have to think harder about what to buy and where to use it.”

In the finder research, which asked “Would you like a gift card this Christmas?”, 59% of respondents said yes. A further 18% said maybe, but it depends on the store.

So hey, if you buy a gift card from a good retailer you know they’ll use, you have more than a 3/4 chance the person will be stoked.

If you know your uncle Tom likes fishing… Maybe there’s something in that, and if your cousin is a bit yoga fan then yep, Lululemon might be a go.

Nine percent of finder‘s respondents said they’d prefer cash instead, and only four per cent said they considered gift cards a thoughtless present.

But uh, if for some odd reason you don’t know anything about the person you’re gifting to and don’t know where they’d like to shop – maybe avoid a gift card and give something else… like… a candle?