Giving money is a gift. Throughout all of my years, I've never given anyone a physical gift. I just do money because how am I suppose to know what someone else wants?
You have the whole year to learn what they would like by talking to them.
Fair enough if you can't find an item they would like, but if you don't even have a clue what they are into, and just resort to money, then you have a poor relationship with that person and are choosing a lazy gift.
