Birmingham, Ala. (WIAT) - When it comes to Christmas gifts, gift cards continue to rise in popularity.

But they're also leaving a lot of recipients confused, especially when its a gift card to a store far away or doesn't fit what you want.

Retail watch dog groups estimate that billions dollars in gift cards go unused each year.

That's free money for retailers, and a bummer for you.

But in recent years web sites have popped up that give you options on how to get the most out of those unwanted cards.

A crop of sites will let you sell gift cards, trade them, or donate them to charity.

Plastic Jungle, Gift Card Rescue, and Swap A Gift are among those that will give you cash for unwanted gift cards, minus a fee.

You can also try Card Hub's free gift card exchange app on Facebook, which lets you create a list of cards you wish you received, and others you're looking to unload.