Holiday shopping can be a major source of stress this time of the year. All of your recipients have such different interests and it can be so tough to pinpoint what everyone may want or need each year. It’s easy to rule gift cards out since they are usually considered impersonal and the “easy way out,” but there’s really nothing wrong with gifting them if you find a unique way of making them feel special! If you’re thinking it’s impossible to personalize gift card giving, we’ve rounded up the coolest customization tools to prove it’s not!
Gift Card Lab is a nifty website that allows you to customize your cards by embossing the recipient’s name and a message into the card. You can even go a step further by uploading a photo to be printed on the card! This would be the perfect opportunity to use that adorable photo of you and your bestie—she’ll be so surprised by the small, but meaningful card!
2. Giftbar
After you try Giftbar, you’ll realize there’s really no reason to write the gift card off as a thoughtless present. The ingenious service offers multiple levels of personalization that cater to any recipient’s interests. The site has partnered with only the coolest boutiques in neighborhoods based in cities like Chicago and New York City, and you can even shop by neighborhood—so if you have a friend who lives in Soho, you can curate a gift card bundle that takes her on a tour through the hottest stores in her area. To top it all off, you can package your gift with the cutest array of virtual wrapping paper!
3. Choxcard
If you know one of your recipients has a weakness for chocolate, you definitely need to try out Choxcard. This sweet (literally!) gift combines a greeting card, certificate holder and of course, a chocolate bar! So whether you want to send a friend a cheeky message or write something thoughtful to a relative, you can do it with Choxcard, all while satisfying their sweet tooth!
4. Giftly
If you remember one of your loved ones mentioning they've been dying to try out that new brunch spot downtown, you can use Giftly to surprise them. And it doesn’t even have to be just brunch! Between lift tickets for a ski trip and lunch for a week at nearby food trucks, the options are endless! This is the best way to shower a recipient with something you know they need or want that goes a step beyond your average Amex gift card.
Now that you know about some of awesome ways to give gift cards more meaning, don't be afraid to give out a few! It'll make life your life easier without taking away from your goal of being thoughtful this season.
