As promised in my last blog post, I am back to share some fun ways you can present gift cards as the thoughtful gifts that they are! If you are on the fence at all about giving gift cards because you're concerned that it could be perceived as impersonal, I hope you find some words of encouragement in that post.
Even though I believe that gift cards are able to stand on their own as great gifts, I also think it can be fun as the giver to package them in a creative way. If you don’t find joy in wrapping a gift card by itself or you don't think the recipient will see the intentionality behind it, I hope these ideas for presenting gift cards get you excited to give them this Holiday Season!
You probably are not surprised to hear that it took me a while to narrow down this list, because there are a plethora of great ways to give a gift card. All of the ideas in this guide are ways that I have either received gifts, given them or ideas that I'm planning on using in the future. Without further ado, these are my ideas on how to present gift cards for Christmas with intention.
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Insert the Gift Card in a Thoughtful Greeting Card
Cards are a really wonderful way to share how you feel with someone; I think they are really thoughtful whether they are paired with a gift or given on their own. Some of the cards I feature here have beautiful handmade details, well-worded sentimental messages and/or are purposefully written with specific people in mind. All of them do a really good job of showing that you gave a lot of thought to the recipient, which is one of the many reasons they are a great way to give a gift card.
If you are shipping your gift to a loved one, then a greeting card is hands down the easiest way to physically send a gift.
1. Papyrus Dogs (By My Side) Christmas Card
2. Hallmark Kindness and Joy Christmas Card
3. Papyrus Disney Mickey Mouse Tree Christmas Card
4. American Greetings Christmas Card for Daughter and Family
5. American Greetings Christmas Card for Son and Family
6. Papyrus Christmas Card for Mom
7. Hallmark Snowflakes (Thinking of You) Christmas Card
8. Papyrus Christmas Card for Dad
I truly appreciate and consider the cards I receive as keepsakes, but I can think of a few people I know who don't appreciate cards in the same way. Just like finding the right gift, finding the right card for someone can also be difficult. If I know the recipient is not a card person or if I am having trouble finding the right card for them, then I will forgo this route and go with another way of presenting a gift card like the ones listed below.
Use a Physical Gift as the Container for the Gift Card
This section has the most examples, because I think that putting a gift card inside or attached to a physical gift is the most universally appealing way to give a gift card. At the end of the day, it's all about packaging the gift card in a unique way so that it shows your intent to give them something personal. There's not as much pressure on finding the perfect gift because the focus is still on the gift card, and these containers are just practical, fun and thoughtful ways to package them. Now, if the container does turn out to be the perfect gift then that's just icing on the cake!
Some of the items on this list even have personalization options, which really highlights the thought you put into the gift. The thing that all of these items have in common is that there is some sort of compartment, slot or attachment to house the gift card itself. So all of the physical gifts in this section make good containers for gift cards. Even though I tried to keep all of them inexpensive, I believe that all of these physical items could also make great gifts on their own.
1-5. These cute and stylish pouches look high end, but they actually are as affordable as they are useful.
1. You can customize them with these Iron-On Sparkly Chenille Patches
3. Seersucker and Ruffles Zip Pouch
5. Clear Holographic Makeup Pouch. I think this pouch is fabulous on it's own, but if you choose to customize this pouch with patches then you will want to use a non-heat adhesive such as fabric glue.
6-8. Food containers and drinkware are super useful and are the hidden gems of gift card containers. Hear me out. I started using clear storage containers as gift boxes (for gift cards and smaller physical gifts) last year and it went over so well that I am doing it again this year. Clear containers are not only aesthetically pleasing but everyone can benefit from having them. A good way to use them with gift cards is to fill them up with candy or Christmas cookies and put the gift card in the middle.
I think mugs always make great gifts, and in my unprofessional opinion one can never have enough of them. Put the gift card in one of these mugs with some Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark or some Festive Holiday Tissue Paper and you've got a good looking thoughtful gift.
6. Airtight Food Storage Container Set
7. Smiles + Co by Jill Personalized Cup of Christmas Cheer Mug
8. Smiles + Co by Jill Personalized Family Name Clear Glass Mug
9-12. Business Card Holders and badge reels/ID holders are practical items that come in handy in the work place. From personal experience, these are the kind of items that people don't want to buy for themselves but are very happy to receive. They also have a window or pocket that can hold a gift card.
9. Leather Business Card Holder with Bow Magnetic Closure
10. Slim Metal Business Card Case
11. Blue, Purple, Blush and Gold Marble Retractable Badge Reel
12. Kate Spade New York Glitter ID Badge Clip Keychain
13-16. Wallets and Credit Card Holders are things we use every single day, and provide several slots for gift card holding which allows you to give multiple small gift cards at once if you like. You can also tuck a note or stickers in the extra slots, or just leave them empty because let's be honest, we're already doing the most by putting a gift card in a gift.
14. Glitter Pink Keychain Card Wallet
15. Loungefly Disney Peter Pan Flap Wallet
16. Harry Potter Hogwarts Acceptance Letter Card Holder
17-18. These puzzles are a really fun way to give a gift card or money as a gift. Just make sure that the person who gets them has a sense of humor and enjoys a challenge!
17. Maze Puzzle Gift Card Holder
18. Wooden Puzzle Money Gift Holder
19. Flower arrangements always make a lovely gift, as do plants for the many self-proclaimed plant people. I am not very knowledgable about plants, but I do know about the money tree and that they are considered to be a symbol of prosperity.
Pairing a cash gift with a Money Tree makes a really thoughtful gift and seems like the perfect way to inspire abundance! You can use Metal Wire Card Holder Picks to insert money or a gift card into a plant or floral arrangement.
20-24. Photo holders are a really great way to present gift cards. They have a built-in space to put a gift card, and they are really thoughtful gifts on their own. The recipient can remove the gift card to use it, and then replace it with pictures of their choosing. If you want to add another sentimental touch and you have pictures on hand that you think they would like, you can have them printed and include it with the gift.
21. Our Adventure Book Scrapbook Photo Album
22. Light Up Tree Display with Clips
23. Flower Picture Holder Photo Clip Stands
24. Snowflake Picture Holder Photo Clips Stand
Wrap the Gift Card in an Intentional Way That Highlights the Gift Card and Can Be Used For Bulk Gifting
This roundup of ways to present a gift card are simple and affordable packaging options that are specific to gift cards and/or cash. Since these items are mostly sold in multiples, they are also really helpful when you are giving gift cards to multiple individuals such as coworkers, friend groups and members of large families.
When you wrap gift cards in an intentional way, you can feel confident putting them under the tree; because if you took the time to find purposeful packaging then it shows that you also took the time to thoughtfully curate the gift itself.
1. Holographic Resealable Packaging Bags
You can fill these fabulous bags with confetti and/or stickers for a fun look that also hides the gift card!
2. Vintage Style Winter Holiday Stickers
4. Christmas Cottage Kraft Gift Boxes
5. Gingerbread Gift Card Sleeves
6. Holy Nativity Religious Christmas Gift Card Sleeves
Side Note: If you are using the same packaging for multiple gifts, you will want to have Gift Tags on hand to address them individually.
9. Christmas Gift Card Holder Present Boxes
10. Buffalo Plaid Small Drawstring Fabric Gift Bags
12. Pre-Wrapped Holiday Gift Card Holder Gift Boxes
15. Hallmark Peanuts Christmas Money/Gift Card Holder Card Set
16. Small Holiday Plaid Gift Boxes
I hope you found some good ideas for gift card giving in this guide. Most importantly, I hope we all find ways to stress less about gift giving this year so we can focus on the true meaning of Christmas!