Sephora Gift Card Winner Announced!

My view of Valentine’s Day has forever changed thanks to the comments in this contest. Once thought only to be an opportunity for special someone’s to tell each other how they feel, I’ve widened my view. I’m especially touched by the dads who give their daughter a Valentine each year so no matter whom she pines for, there will always be at least one guy who loves her for who she is. I’m going to suggest (insist) my husband start doing this for our daughter.

Also noted is that amidst all the grand gestures this holiday often evokes, most of you said your favorite Valentine gifts have been homemade, inexpensive, and simply heartfelt. I love that.

My thoughts are now turning to spring, Teacher Appreciation, and birthdays. Did you know that birthdays are the number one gift card occassion? It’s true.

Pop over to Gift Card Girlfriend to get some birthday ideas and go to our blog to find out who won the Sephora Valentine’s Day Gift Card Giveaway!

Treat a family to a trip around the rink.

Tired of nagging my kids to pick up their shoes, stop fighting, talk nice, get ready for school, clear the dishes, flush the toilet, and so forth, I plunked a jelly jar on the counter one day and blurted out, “Fill this jar with beans before holiday break and I’ll take you ice skating.”

I laid out a fairly simple reward structure–do what I say without negotiating, earn a bean. Do me a favor (e.g. let your brother go first), earn a bonus bean. Tell me something nice a sibling did instead of a tattle-tale, earn five beans. Having never been ice skating, the kids snapped to attention and filled the jar before school got out and just before their interest in the whole gimmick ended. (Rumor has it Dad abused the system and awarded a fistful of beans in exchange for a Saturday afternoon nap at some point.) Nonetheless, the kids filled the jar so we took them ice skating this week for the very first time. 

Family Fun for Everyone!

We had so much fun, I couldn’t help but add ice skating to the list of family gift card ideas. To give the gift of ice skating, I would get a gift card to a nearby rink and download the public skating schedule. Then I’d get either an inexpensive set of gloves or a pair of warm, tall socks for everyone in the family. You could also add a travel bottle of hand sanitizer, hot chocolate mix, or matching beanies as well.  Love that.

Extreme Birthday Basket

My girlfriends are the best.  They recently showered me with all sorts of treats for my birthday.  I threw everything in this basket so you could see how wonderful these gals are and how well they know me. The assortment might look random, but this basket tells a story. 

Of course, you know those gift cards poking out of the back are a particular favorite.  Movie tickets are always a treat and the Extreme Pizza certificates didn’t last 24-hours in my house.  As I trudged through stacks of work today, I kept thinking, ”Thank goodness I don’t have to cook dinner tonight!”  As a bonus, I found an Extreme Pizza coupon in the mail, allowing us to stretch the value even further.

Birthday gifts appreciated. Girlfriends adored. Dinner I didn’t have to make or buy…EXTREMELY great.

Extremely good deal: Gift card, coupon, and handsome delivery boy.

Extreme is a great name for clever gift carding. Purchase an Extreme Pizza gift card, tie it to a pack of Extreme Sour candy and add an “Extreme” comment:

• “Hope you have an EXTREMELY good birthday”
• “You’re an EXTREMELY awesome teacher.” 
• Thanks for going to the EXTREME to help us this year.

I love these ideas.  I’m going to use it to kick off the Teacher Appreciation section I’ve been thinking about.

(P.S. That was my first Extreme Pizza.  It won’t be my last. Yum!)