Five ways to give a gift card without it feeling like you forgot
Gift cards used to mean "I ran out of time." Here's how to make one feel like the actual gift.
A gift card has gotten a bad reputation, and we think that’s because most of them are sold in plastic, in a checkout aisle, in florescent light. None of those things are the gift card’s fault.
Here’s how we like to give them:
Wrap it in a real envelope. Paper, sealed, addressed. The envelope is half the gift.
Pair it with a tiny in-person object. A bar of chocolate, a pencil, a single flower. The card pays for the future, the object holds the present.
Write the recommendation on the back. “Get the chai.” “Try the navy notebook.” Now they have a quest, not a credit balance.
Date it. A line at the top that says “Tuesday, February 14th.” A gift card with a date stops being a default and starts being a moment.
Choose a brand that fits them, not you. Obvious, but easily forgotten in the rush.
