Discussions

Please don't give pets as gifts so many animals are abandoned after Christmas because they were gifts that were not wanted.

gift giver should probably make the decision if is a good idea or not.  
A woman I know was going to give a pet for xmas knowing that the gift receiver really wants a pet.

A good idea would be to take a picture of the pet to be and give that as a gift and then when things quieten down you would then have time to spend with the animal.

Pet rescues, humane societies, as well as pet behavior experts all agree that pets do not make good gifts. Even if the receiver 'really want's a pet, there should be a lot of discussion and planning. A pet should nver be a surprise - there should be a lot of research, planning, and consultation with the potential owner. A child, no matter how involved and how able they are to care for the pet, should never be the sole person responsible - the child's parent must be prepared to be responsible for the pet when the child is busy, when they leave home to work/ go to school, when the pet needs care that is beyond the child's level of ability or funding, etc. A child should learn that a pet is not the same as a gift like a toy - the pet should be a life-long committment, not a belonging. The holiday season is not the ideal time to introduce a new pet to most housholds - routines are not the same, there is stress, hustle and bustle, extra people, extra decorations, extra business - which can be stressful for the new pet.  
Giving a photo of the pet, or the supplies such as bowls and leashes is an excellent alternative. It is a fact that pets given as gifts, or pets that are gotten on a whim without appropriate planning and research, are much more likely to be given away/ sold/ rehomed/ turned into shelters. By raising awareness, hopefully this can be prevented.