5 Creative Ways to Give Gift Cards

The post has been sponsored by Giftcards.com.  All opinions are my own.

5 Creative Ways to Give Gift Cards - Giftcards.com Happy Cards 3

There are just a few weeks left to finish up our holiday shopping!  If you’re still on the fence about what to gift someone in your friends or family circle, one last-minute gift idea is to grab a gift card.  You can find them almost everywhere – drugstores, grocery stores, and even online – and what’s great is, they allow the person to pick up exactly what they want, whether that’s clothes, makeup, a new game, or sometimes even a visit to their favorite restaurant spots.

If you want to make it a bit more personalized, that’s when I find it fun to pair it up with something small and inexpensive, or homemade – think a cute scarf, wallet, or a DIY ornament or body scrub.  By adding a personal touch to a gift card, the focus shifts from the gift card amount to the total package.  Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

5 Creative Ways to Give Gift Cards - Giftcards.com Happy Cards

For the Coffee Lover

For the coffee lover, pick up a gift card at one of their favorite coffee shops and pair it with a bag of coffee from their favorite brand (or, surprise them with a blend from a local or indie brand – you can often find some pretty unique ones at health food stores!).  To add in a surprise element, tuck the card inside a cute mug, or a travel tumbler if they’re always on-the-go!

For the Foodie

If you know someone who loves all things food, they’re sure to appreciate a good bottle of wine and a gift card to their favorite dining out spot.  Or, if you want to get crafty, decorate a mason jar with some ribbon, yarn, and/or a cute name tag, fill it with some candies or snacks, and then slip the gift card right in the middle so they’ll see it as soon as they open it.

If you’re not sure where they like to eat, grab a Happy Dining gift card.  It offers a great selection of restaurants – from fast-casual to sit-down style – that they’ll get to choose from, including The Cheesecake Factor, McCormick & Schmick’s, Red Lobster, Bravo!, Texas de Brazil and Brio (they can even split the balance and use it across different restaurants for more than one evening out!).

For more variety, check out Happy Eats, Happy Local Eats, and Happy Bites gift cards!

5 Creative Ways to Give Gift Cards - Giftcards.com Happy Cards 3

For the Beauty Enthusiast

If you know where they love to shop beauty – whether that’s Sephora, Ulta, or CVS – grab a gift card and pair it up with a few product minis so they’ll have an assortment for goodies to try out when they open up their gift.  You can’t go wrong with travel-sized lotions, hand creams, facial sprays, and lip balms – they’re daily essentials that everyone will appreciate!  Place everything inside a travel cosmetic bag for some cute and unexpected packaging!

Not sure what beauty shop is their fave?  Pick up the Happy Beauty gift card!  It will give them access to some of the best beauty destinations, along with fitness and spa services too.  They’re redeemable at Lord & Taylor, Sephora, Spafinder, LA Fitness and Sally Beauty.  Plus, they can split up the balance of the card across any of these stores!

5 Creative Ways to Give Gift Cards - Giftcards.com Happy Cards

For the Fashionista

For someone who loves fashion, grab a gift card from one of their favorite retailers or department stores and pair it with a cozy sweater, scarf, or gloves (things a gal or guy can’t have enough of come winter!).  Or, if you’re feeling a little adventurous, try to find a wallet or purse that matches their style and slip in a gift card for that extra surprise element when they open it up!

For the Student

Picking out gifts for a high school or college student can be tricky.  While their style may be transitioning, they’re likely to need the basics –  cozy late-night loungewear for studying, dorm room essentials, and/or new outfits for school.  That’s where the Happy Student gift card comes in.  It covers all the bases and gives them the option to shop places like Dell, Aerie, JCPenney, Bed Bath & Beyond, American Eagle and Burger King.  Pair it with a couple of cute journals/notebooks and pens, or some cozy slippers, robe, and a sleeping mask to make a little ‘dorm life essentials’ kit!

5 Creative Ways to Give Gift Cards - Giftcards.com Happy Cards

For those in high school, they’ll love the Happy Teens gift card.  It gives them the option to shop at Sephora, Nike, Barnes & Noble, or American Eagle, grab a smoothie at Jamba Juice, or enjoy a Friday night out at the Regal Cinemas or Dave & Buster’s – whatever they choose!

Explore more Happy Cards here!

You can also find them at most grocery stores, Targets, and drugstores!

No time to pick up a gift card?  Choose from a range of e-gift cards here that you can customize and send in seconds!


Do you like to get creative when giving out gift cards during the holidays?  What are some of your favorite ways to present them?

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