Let’s face it, folks. Almost everyone is well-intentioned around the holidays and special events, but there are those who know how to pick out good gifts, and, well, those who don’t. Many of us out there fall into the latter category. Either we don’t know the person well enough to guess what they’d really want, or we run out of time, or, we just don’t have a clue. That’s where the gift cards come in.
True enough, gift cards are always nice to have–hey, it’s free money to spend on you!–but the problem is, they are received as almost an impersonal gift, a stand-by. The gift-give knows it and so does the receiver. And then there’s that awkward moment before the delayed thank you and the gift card gets tossed into the pile, or the deep dark purse, or the jewelry box. People sometimes forget they even have them.
Try vouchers instead. Sign up for LivingSocial newsletters for free at livingsocial.com and get daily offers for gift vouchers at drastically reduced prices. As a great anniversary gift (for your significant other or friend celebrating), try purchasing one of the smaller local “escape kit” for them. A comparatively small price tag of $157 gets them a one-night stay in a king room at the historic Jekyll Island Club in GA along with food credits and drink tickets. (see http://escapes.livingsocial.com/deals/41313-historic-georgian-club). What’s more is that they can use it whenever they want to within a certain time period, say six months. That’s definitely enough time to plan, and won’t they thank you profusely for getting them there! Get the vouchers wrapped in a little bit of tissue paper, draw a heart on it, put a string on it, and attach to a nice bottle of chardonnay with a thoughtful yet mysterious card to go along, and you’ve got yourself the best-gift-of-the-year award. Those vouchers will be making memories instead of collecting dust–and that’s only one of the many escapes you could do!
And mind you, LivingSocial just doesn’t only have trip-vouchers, they also have half-price spa services for the glamour ladies (couple that with a pair of slippers and hide the vouchers in a terry robe pocket) and one day bed and breakfast stays, too!
Another wonderful website to turn to, if you really have no idea of what fun things they would even like to do, is www.smartbox.com . A $49 Fun For All (enter your region here) Box can take the two of you on a dolphin cruise, transport you to a ballroom dancing class, or get the whole family together for a two-hour photo shoot with free prints to boot! Tuck one of these little boxes alongside a small like-themed item (try some inexpensive binoculars, some fancy nail polish or a tango cd, or an empty photo album, respectively) and you’ve got yourself an inexpensive gift that gives your family, friend, or lover what they really want–a good time!
If you do, however, want to stay a little more on the traditional side and go with the I-can-buy-it-at-the-grocery-store-gift-card, you can still add a little pizazz. Instead of just putting a $25 gift card to Olive Garden inside a Happy Birthday card with a Hallmark sticker, have some fun and try some combinations. For instance, if you have a master-gardener in the making who also happens to love Italian food, mix an inexpensive craft-store decorative plant or topiary with a sturdy $5 shovel and some Lindsey olives in a bag with $20 to Lowe’s home store AND $20 to Olive Garden in the same bag–they’ll be delightfully confused and happy in the end to know that you put some thought into their gift, and that they can use everything in the bag!
Got a small budget and want to stick to a gift card–no problem–small, cute toys and pertinent, meaningful gift cards work every time for ladies and kids alike. Got a big fifth-grade graduation for a distant niece to attend? Take a Toys R Us gift card and tuck behind the bow of a Minnie Mouse. Nephew graduating from kindergarten? Try a $20 gift card tucked in the back car of Thomas the Train. Kids love it, and parents appreciate it. Or, for something more sophisticated that caters to the scholastic mind, give a high school graduate a Barnes and Noble bear sitting on top of a $20 leather-bound copy of Sherlock Holmes, and tuck a $50 AMEX gift card in the book with a little note. Trust me, this means more to them than just a card that says “Congrats, go buy something you like with the money, have fun.” Success is in the details–and details mostly aren’t even that expensive, it’s the thought you put behind it. Need something for sick friend who loves coffee and daisies? Tuck a $15 Starbucks gift card beneath a $5 solar-powered praise flower (see familychristian.com) and she’s got her garden in front of her when she’s ill and some coffee and pastries to look forward to when she’s better.
Everyone needs to feel special. Gift cards and short trip vouchers are easy ways to simplify gift giving, but take some time (and some helpful suggestions) to make your next special occasion a memorable one. Put thought to the details, and their smile will reward you for sure!
