Gift Cards vs Gifts

When did Christmas shopping become an inconvenience? I recently saw a commercial on TV for a local restaurant that said, a more convenient way to shop, in talking about their gift certificates. Now I am here to tell you that I have given gift cards or certificates in the past. Try and buy clothes for a teen age girl and you will know my pain. With that being said, I do feel that gift cards are very impersonal. I didn't know what to get you so, go out and buy something your self. Why hold them to one store. I didn't know what to get you so here's cash. A lot of Christmas spirit there. And how much do you spend? Does everyone have to have the same amount spent on them? Do you love one son more who needed new running shoes ($100) then the son who gets the Yankee hooded sweatshirt ($60)? [Sean and Mike this is not you] What if you went shopping and found the perfect gift for someone but it was on clearance and you spend under $10, do you need to find other gifts for that person to even out the totals?
What about home made gifts. A few dozen assorted cookies makes a nice gift. A scrapbook or photo album is nice or how about a collection of your favorite recipes. Everything doesn't have to break the bank each Christmas.
Before I get everyone upset about gift cards let me say this. A gift card is good for an out of town person who is not going to have time to return your gift if it's the wrong size ( or incredibly ugly) and my mother, who is 91, has been giving cash to us for the past few years. Honestly though, I have never used the money on something for me, it usually goes for groceries or a tank of gas because I spent everything on the gifts for everyone else.
So I am wondering if I am longing for a long ago, simpler time or if I just find myself broke this Christmas "DING" next batch of cookies is done. Just in case anyone on my Christmas list is reading this.....these cookies aren't for you (John, do your girls like peanut butter cookies?)
Happy Shopping.