Dear Eric: I recently received a “Christmas wish list” from one of my husband’s adult children. This adult child is in their late 40′s, married and living in a two-income household, both of whom are well paid. They have three children, one of whom is a grown adult college graduate with a thriving career of their own.

"I feel like this is a reaction to last year’s gifts and they are trying to steer us back to the more expensive gift cards."