Consumer Reports will take a full-page ad in the NY Times to warn consumers about the pitfalls of giving and using gift cards. They found that 27% of all cards go unused, and retailers took in an extra $8 billion because of unused, lost, and expired gift cards. Their tips:
Register it Some cards must be registered with the issuer, especially if used online or by phone.
Spend it quickly Use the card as soon as possible, especially if it expires or has a maintenance fee.
Spend it to the last penny If the card balance gets so low that there's nothing to buy, ask a merchant to do a split-tender transaction. That uses the remaining card balance for part of the transaction and another form of payment for the rest.
Hold on to it Don't throw out the card when the balance is zero. Some merchants require it for returns.

All this according to The Consumerist. My own suggestion - make your money work for you and not the retailers: Just don't buy any.

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