In lieu of Christmas presents to real people, some are electing to send gift certificates to their friends' cyber alter-egos. They are called virtual gift certificates and basically people spend money (usually around a buck or two, but sometimes more) for icons that they can send to their friends' Facebook page or gifts for their Second Life avatars.
We swear we are not making this up. People actually are spending money for people who technically don't exist.
That's right -- you can send a virtual glass of champagne to celebrate the New Years on Facebook or buy a gift certificate so your BFF's Second Life avatar can have a shopping spree. And it's a growing market ~ three million digital objects were sold on Second Life during the first two weeks of November. Three MILLION. Over two weeks. Even at $1 an object, that's a pretty fair chunk of change. It boggles the mind what people spend money on.
The Ms. Manners in us wonders exactly how do you reciprocate when your avatar receives a new outfit. Must your avatars go shopping together? Does he/she send a "thank you" card? Or just send a virtual beer in return?
--Contributed by Deb
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