Wrapping Ideas for Gift Cards

[Amara]

Well, my three siblings have asked for gift cards. I don't like giving them any more than I do money because I enjoy--and I know they enjoy--the anticipation and the actual unwrapping of gifts. Still, I will give them what they want. So ... does anyone have some ideas for wrapping them up in special or magical ways? I have thought about boxes inside boxes inside boxes, each smaller and I may do that. But I wonder what else the creative minds here can think of. I'd love to make it pretty, fun, unusual but am open to almost anything.

One gift card is to K-Mart since my sister has her eye on a bicycle there and this is a contribution. The second is to my brother and will be for Target. He may look at tools but it will certainly be something he can use around the house. The last is to a sister and is for CVS; she'll use it to buy her monthly supply of make-up.

Thank you for your help!

[NyaChan]

You can buy mazes that you have to solve to unlock the gift cards, but that's kind of a know your audience thing.  I've buried gift cards in a box of candy before which went over well. 

[Deetee]

*Cackle*

I have hidden cash in

1) a box of (set) concrete
2) a puzzle box
3) an epoxied stainless steel martini shaker
4) a 2 foot by 2 foot solid mass of nails and 2 by 4's
5) an old comfy chair

[Jones]

For the sister getting a bike-put it into one of those bike baskets with a bunch of tissue paper. Whether she uses the basket or not, there are some cute and inexpensive ones out there that can be reused for other things too.

[otterwoman]

I bought inexpensive shirts and hid the gift cards in the pockets.

[jpcher]

For the sister getting a bike-put it into one of those bike baskets with a bunch of tissue paper. Whether she uses the basket or not, there are some cute and inexpensive ones out there that can be reused for other things too.

^I think that this is a great idea! It's a little bit of something that shows the thought of what you would like your gift card to be used for.

You could expound on this with your sister . . . buy a glamor magazine. Hide the gift card within the pages.

The brother and tools? Maybe go to your local (ACE?) hardware store and pick up a few screws/nails/washers type of things (you can get the single items for cheap, like 10-50 cents each.) Put the gift card in the bottom of a small box with the hardware on top.

[Jelaza]

I once gave a concert ticket inserted into a nice but inexpensive picture frame; the same could be done with a gift card.

[Giantkillersmom]

Got this one from Pinterest and I'm using it.

Get a canned fruit with a pull tab. Use a can opener to take off the bottom ( the kind that breaks the seal with no rough edges is best). Wash out the can fill with candy and gift card, then hot glue the bottom back on. You can get a laugh out of their confusion about receiving a can of fruit or remove the label and re- wrap it with pretty paper.

[Thipu1]

Little stockings are a nice way to present a gift card. 

Another nice way is to buy a fancy holiday ornament andut the gift card in the box. 

BTW, how do you get a gift card out of a box of concrete? 

[Outdoor Girl]

You could do a treasure hunt.  Hide their gift cards somewhere in the house then give them an envelope with the first clue, then lead them to several more clues before the final clue reveals the location of the gift card.

I gave my nephews cold hard cash a couple of years ago.  I froze twonies in layers in peanut butter jars.  You could do that with a gift card, too.  Put some water in the bottom, freeze it, put the gift card in, add more water and freeze again.

[magicdomino]

Little stockings are a nice way to present a gift card. 

Another nice way is to buy a fancy holiday ornament and put the gift card in the box. 

BTW, how do you get a gift card out of a box of concrete? 

Sledgehammer?

I've given gift cards for Home Depot and Lowe's by putting them in empty paint cans.  The home improvement stores sell clean, empty ones for mixing and storing your own paint.

Diversion safes might be fun:  http://www.bewild.com/dicansa.html  Some could be easily homemade, like Giantkillersmom's canned fruit.

[Lynn2000]

I think it's a know-your-audience thing... Some people would be really charmed to have to work to obtain their gift (concrete, ice, maze, etc.), some really wouldn't. If you feel they've "resorted" to gift cards and don't really enjoy the gifting process that much, they may just rather the gift card be handed to them inside something simple, like an envelope, tiny stocking, or tin (if inside anything at all). Actually I've noticed that a lot of places would like to sell you things specifically to hold gift cards, like a stuffed animal holding a wallet-like pocket you could slip the card into.

I do like the idea of bundling the gift card with something small related to the store/potential use--I think the standard idea is a Starbucks card inside a Starbucks mug, perhaps along with a couple of packaged Starbucks treats like biscotti sticks. Or a keychain with a bicycle on it, coupled with the Kmart card in a small box.

I think small, flat boxes and tins; fun drawstring bags; folding Chinese food-type containers; etc. are generally readily available at, say, a large craft store. You could always fill them with candy, confetti, etc. around the gift card.

My grandfather used to give us cash tucked inside various pages of a crossword puzzle book (kind of like the gift card in the fashion mag idea). I would recommend mentioning that the card is in there, so watch out for it, rather than leaving it as a surprise, because it may fall out accidentally or get thrown away with all those cards that seem to fall out of magazines. (experience)

[Seven Ate Nine]

For the sister getting a bike-put it into one of those bike baskets with a bunch of tissue paper. Whether she uses the basket or not, there are some cute and inexpensive ones out there that can be reused for other things too.

^I think that this is a great idea! It's a little bit of something that shows the thought of what you would like your gift card to be used for.

You could expound on this with your sister . . . buy a glamor magazine. Hide the gift card within the pages.

The brother and tools? Maybe go to your local (ACE?) hardware store and pick up a few screws/nails/washers type of things (you can get the single items for cheap, like 10-50 cents each.) Put the gift card in the bottom of a small box with the hardware on top.

I got my BIL a GC to Home Depot.  I am going to wrap it up with a can of WD-40 and a roll of duct tape 

[JenJay]

I think small, flat boxes and tins; fun drawstring bags; folding Chinese food-type containers; etc. are generally readily available at, say, a large craft store. You could always fill them with candy, confetti, etc. around the gift card.

I just did this for my 8yo nephew. I got him a gift card of Xbox points (so he can download Minecraft) but I wanted a fun way to wrap it. WalMart had what they called "carry out" containers that were Christmas themed with clear "windows" in the front, really cute. I filled it with candy and tucked the card down inside and then wrapped it so it could go under the tree. There's quite a bit of candy in it so he'll be thrilled and I'm sure my Bro and SIL will appreciate it, too. 

[Amara]

What fantastic ideas from everyone! Thank you so much.

I especially liked these: a box of (set) concrete; a 2 foot by 2 foot solid mass of nails and 2 by 4's; bike baskets with a bunch of tissue paper; a glamor magazine [with] the gift card within the pages; a few screws/nails/washers type of things [with] the gift card in the bottom of a small box with the hardware on top; a treasure hunt, water in the bottom, freeze it, put the gift card in, add more water and freeze again; putting them in empty paint cans; wrap it up with a can of WD-40 and a roll of duct tape.

These are brilliant, simply brilliant. I will use the bike basket for Ann, the magazine for Katy, and I am still deciding on the "box" for Kirby. Again, thank you.