30 Most Requested Gift Cards for 2011

Gift cards have ruled the holidays for several years now, but public desire for these little plastic presents has recently expanded to encompass the entire year.

GiftCardGranny.com recently compiled data from over 70,000 gift card alerts by over 4,000 people with semi-surprising results. The survey found there was only a six-card difference between Walmart and Target, the top two merchants. Other favorites included Amazon, Macy's, Starbucks and Home Depot.

Even more surprising, four fuel and six restaurant companies landed in the top 30, indicating consumers have learned gift cards are good for more than just sweaters and groceries.

Naturally, we all have our favorite merchants and services and, hopefully, will receive one or two cards for them this holiday season. However, if you receive a gift card that wasn't in your top 10 list, you can trade it for cash on Gift Card Exchange Day. This annual, one-day event on Dec. 26 allows recipients to sell unwanted gift cards at the time of year when resellers are paying the highest rates for second-hand cards.