Steven Landsburg in the "Armchair Economist: Economics and Everyday Experience."
"I am not sure why people give each other store-bought gifts instead of cash, which is never the wrong size or color. Some say that we give gifts because it shows that we took the time to shop. But we could accomplish the same thing by giving the cash value of our shopping time, showing that we took the time to earn the money."
In the Seinfeld episode above, Elaine takes the standard view and doesn't appreciate Jerry's gift of cash, even though he took the time to gift-wrap the cash.
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