Why is asking for cash as a gift bad?

[JEDI]

MSN

"I stumbled across a posting by a woman who proudly included the horrifying words "monetary gifts would be much appreciated" on her 3 year-old child's invitations. She went on to explain that "I wanted money as gifts for my daughter's savings and for us to buy bigger toys, like a big kitchen and a Barbie Jeep that she wanted, instead of guests giving her small toys."

It's official. Shame is dead."

So why is asking for cash bad, especially explaining that it'll be used for a down payment on a house (wedding), or used to buy a bigger toy instead of getting smaller toys (child's bday)?

 

[thehstrybean]

Everyone always told me that it was bad because people could never see what you spent it on, and people don't seem to like that...I can understand that, but still...

 

[suicidalpigeon]

To me a gift is something to be appreciated regardless of what it is. Asking specifically for something is just as good as not calling it a gift at all.