I do like to open gifts but I know that it gets hard to know what everyone really wants or needs. We like to say it’s the thought… but it can be hard to mask disappointment when opening something you aren’t thrilled about. And you are SO on the spot! I don’t know about you, but I feel guilty returning and exchanging gifts I don’t like. So, how do you make sure to gift what they really want? A lot of people feel that cash is impersonal, so gift cards offer a way to be more personal, yet allowing choice.
Gift cards can be quite personal if you get them for stores you KNOW someone likes. You still have to do your homework even if it’s a last minute gift. If you give me a gift card for a store I have no interest in, then I have to trade the card with someone! But how do you make giving the cards fun? It’s boring to just stick it in a card!
5 Fun Ways to Give Gift Cards
1 – Wrap it up with some fun accessories. For example, buy some popcorn or movie candy when giving gift cards for movie theaters or movie rental places. Unless you know for sure, buying someone a specific movie can be tricky!
2 – Use it as a gift bag tag. Punch a hole in it and use ribbon to tie it in place with a small gift of cookies and candy.
3 – Nesting gift boxes. Torture them by putting the gift card inside a small box that is wrapped inside a bigger one and so on.
4 – Wrap it in a CD or DVD case.
5 – Still stuck? Do a prepaid Visa card or go wild with Amazon. Either offers a lot of choices! With Amazon you can even do the gift card suggesting an item for them to buy (something you thought they’d like perhaps?) but they can spend it however they please.
I love gift cards. I prefer them over cash because I feel like I’m getting it for free. I feel like I have permission to splurge because “Gramma is buying this for us!” Last year, my husband and I pooled our Christmas gift cards so we could buy a Kinect… something we really wanted! Can’t wait to see what great presents we can get after Christmas again this year with our cards!
Don’t you think Gift Cards Rock?
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Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Gift Cards Rock blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.