I would hate both, cause I think in NYS it would be considered taxable income! Seriously, I would rather have the local all-expenses paid thing, because I don't like gifts where I have to use my own money. I think it would depend on how much money he makes and how much he and his wife like to travel.

I would go with an airline gift cert. Much more practical and easy to use. Although it's nice to have a weekend at a fancy hotel, would he really use it?

I like the in town vacation. A few years ago, I won a package that included a couple of hotel nights in town and it felt like a total luxury.

Not to say airfare isn't cool too, but I'm with Sophia on the "but then *I* have to pay for hotel and other stuff".

Would you guys find a weekend, including a fancy dinner, in the town where you live a better gift than a plain airline gift certificate?

Well, with the airline gift certificate I might feel obligated to use it for a flight I would have taken anyway so, while it would be nice to save the money, it wouldn't be much of a treat.

I'm with the people that aren't Vortex. I like recognition gifts that are totally gifty, and less practical.

I'd dig a night in a fancy local hotel with fancy dinner. We actually do that ourselves (well, in Cambridge and we live in Salem, about ~45 minutes away) and I'd be psyched to get it as a gift.

Well, with the airline gift certificate I might feel obligated to use it for a flight I would have taken anyway so, while it would be nice to save the money, it wouldn't be much of a treat.

This--I'd probably initially be more excited about the airline thing, but in the end it would be less luxurious. OTOH, if I were strapped for cash, that might not matter. :)

Of course, it took me almost a year to use the movie passes I got from my boss for CHRISTMAS, so...

I kind of want to cry you guys. My toe still hurts after ten days, it's still swollen, it's crooked and I have no idea what to do. I don't have a GP because I changed insurance earlier this year. I kind of just want to go to the hospital but this is obviously not urgent care. I feel stupid for not knowing how medical care works.

I would never use a hotel room in town. I don't see the point, unless you're escaping your children.

I kind of just want to go to the hospital but this is obviously not urgent care.

Go to urgent care! Which is not the ER! I know there's one in Rockville, and one in Crystal City. Not sure where others are. They're like less than the emergency room, but great if you don't have a doc (or yours is hard to make an appointment with).

I would never use a hotel room in town. I don't see the point, unless you're escaping your children.

Maybe a hotel gift cert for a chain? And tell him the idea is for him to use it in town, but then he has the option to use it out of town as well?