@gailcalled Other subcultures in America probably do it to, but yes, Jews give money. We give it for Chanukah and birthdays and weddings. Some people think money is lazy or not fun like opening a gift, or innappropriate. The whole gift card thing helps to make it more acceptable to give money. Wouldn’t you rather get a check/cash than a gift card you have to worry about spending in a particular place? The Greeks give money at weddings too, not sure about other events, and I know some of the Catholics do, like some Italians. But, most Christians (non Catholics) I don’t observe, unless they are in the higher classes.
When I was a kid I never spent any of the money I received as gifts, I put it right in the bank, and that was part of the savings I used when I first graduated college. Other people I know usually talk about spending part, saving part, and giving away part like it is an exercise on how to handle money. I learned how to spend and the value of money and helping others through every day interactions with money and watching my parents, but my gift money was saved for the future, unless it was specififcally given to me to buy a particular item that maybe was not easy for a relative of mine to purchase (my youth was before the internet obviously).
I’m going to ask a Q about it, to see what type of answers we get from different people. Now I am curious what the collective says.