Gift Certificates Are A Fantastic Last Minute Gift Idea

When you are looking for the perfect last minute gift you should consider gift certificates. By using a gift certificate you can give the recipient a choice of what they would like to purchase. You can, however, still make it a thoughtful gift and not make it look like it was an afterthought or something you purchased because you actually forgot about it until the last minute. Here are a few tips on how to do that.

Keep Decorative Bags On Hand

One way to make your present look like you had planned for it is by wrapping it in a decorative bag. You should always keep several on hand for any occasion that might arise. For example you can have a few bags that have happy birthday on them and of those you may having some for younger kids and a few that could be used for anyone, male or female. Keep a few miscellaneous bags on hand, like ones that say congratulations or even bags that are just decorative in nature as these will also work when you are in a bind.

With the decorative bags you should also keep on hand several different colors of tissue paper. Then you can create a present that looks like you spent some time planning for it. One of the best ways to stock up on bags and tissue paper is buying them when you see them on sale or perhaps going to a Dollar Store. Just grab a few when you think about it and you will be ready to go when a birthday or special occasion sneaks up on you.

You Can Customize Your Gift Certificate

Even though you may have forgotten or waited to the last minute you can still customize your gift certificates. Almost every store offers gift cards. So no matter what the recipient likes you can find a card that they will be thrilled with. For example if someone is moving into a new home you may want to get a card for a home improvement store so they can purchase anything they want for their home. Customizing the card as such makes you look even more thoughtful.

One great advantage to these gift cards is that retailers tend to carry other retail stores cards. For example if you went into a Walgreens you can find 15 to 20 other store's cards available. They carry cards like MasterCard, Visa, many national restaurant chains, and bookstores. You can also find cards for things such as I-tunes or even prepaid video game minutes. So finding a gift card that fits what the recipient will enjoy can be quite easy.

With our lives being very hectic we sometimes forget special occasion that we need to purchase gifts for. However if you keep some decorative bags on hand, along with some different colored tissue paper you can make a last minute idea look like you have been planning for a long time for it. One of the best last minute gifts are gift certificates, you can find them for anyone and can make it personal by choosing one that meets their interest.