Found this gift card recycling idea on Pinterest and loved it. Though you need a binding system (don’t have one…can’t imagine how much binding you do in order to buy one), I do love the idea of it. But I would make this idea with a NEW gift card instead. (Just don’t bind through the magstripe).

Source: thegreenbeanscrafterole.blogspot.com via Jocelyn on Pinterest

Two Gifts in One

Not only does the recipient get a gift card, but they get a little notebook to use as well. It’s two gifts in one. Plus, the gift card will not easily get lost or be forgotten about in the wallet. They’ll probably be carrying it in their purse anyway.

Take It A Step Further

If you’re going to make this idea, then I would take it a step further with the following suggestions:

• Make it reloadable. Use a reloadable gift card so the recipient can use the gift card more than once.
• Make it a photobook instead. Bind the gift card with wallet-size photos of the kids. Perfect for Grandma.
• Add store coupons. Get new mom a gift card to Babies R Us and fill the booklet with every diaper coupon you can find.
• Add coupons of your own. Give a gift card to the movies and include a babysitting coupon inside.
• Multiple coupons. As long as you’re binding things, why not put dinner, movie, and dessert all in one handy date night notebook?
• Group Gift. Have everyone contribute a gift card to the “book.” Imagine leaving a baby or wedding shower with a prized book of gift cards!

Great for Teachers, Coaches, Graduates…Anybody

This would make a great gift card for teachers or coaches. Deliver a gift card to the office supply store (teacher) or sporting goods store (coach). Bind with a note of thanks from each of the kids.

Send graduate to school with a book he’ll for sure want to crack open. Help new moms and newlyweds by stuffing their wallet with gifts cards in this highly manageable system.

Now, where can I get a binding thingamajig?

I love the idea of giving an Ancestry.com Gift Membership this holiday season. I started doing genealogy about a year ago. And though I don’t have much time to devote to the activity, I feel compelled to nurture my family tree whenever I can.

Who would enjoy this gift?

Give an Ancestry.com Gift Membership to:

• An Individual. Great idea for someone interested in family, in need of a new hobby, or who likes to use the computer.
• A Teenager. Kids are better at computers than adults, and genealogy can be interesting and addictive. It’s better than video games! An activity like this could bring the whole family together.
• A Family. This would make a great family gift from you or from your entire family. (“From our extended family to yours”)
• Blended Family. All of our families are blended in one way or another. Start researching the family tree and see how alike we all are.
• Newlyweds. What a fun way for the new couple to merge tree branches and start a family tree of their own.
• New Parents. Researching our family tree took on new meaning when I put my children at the beginning. This would make a great baby shower gift.
• Someone in Mourning. Researching family lines might help him deal with the future by connecting to the past.

This gift would also be a wonderful sentiment on Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Grandparents Day.

Make the Gift Membership Fun

My ideas for making a genealogy gift membership more personal:

• Christmas Tree. Attach the gift membership to a mini-Christmas tree. Tie it on with a bow or make it into an ornament.
• Tree for the yard. Attach the gift membership to a tree that is ready to plant. They can grow both trees at the same time.
• Garden tools. They can use both tools for cultivating.
• Seed packet. Smaller than a tree, easier to mail. Deliver a gift membership for growing a family tree plus seeds to grow a real tree or plant.
• Family picture. Doing genealogy is about connecting families and finding out who you are. Deliver a gift membership with a picture of your family or their family. Or find a picture frame that says, “Family.” (I’ve seen several).
• Miracle Grow. Using Ancestry.com is like putting Miracle Grow in your garden. With the tools on this site, growing your family has never been faster, easier, or produced better results.
• Book on Genealogy. Deliver the membership with a book or a list of websites to help the recipient get started.
• Time. Volunteer to help with the effort. Doing genealogy together is like solving a mystery or putting together a puzzle. You’ll have fun as a team.

Through a series of events this past year, family has become increasingly important to me. And not just my own family. I’m compelled to bridge the gap with my in-laws, step relations, and distant relatives. We may not see each other daily. but we are all part of the same family tree. Ancestry.com is helping me see that–both literally and figuratively.

Michaels posted this video on their Facebook page and I wanted to share it with you. Several little gifts are tied together with a ribbon, all stuffed neatly into a shipping tube. As the recipient pulls the ribbon, the presents are revealed, leading up to a big gift at the end. Jo’s finale is a crafty Valentine t-shirt, but I suggest topping things off with a gift card instead.

My Version

I love what Jo has done, but for my taste (and time constraints), I’d probably get a smaller tube and tie just two or three items en route to the gift card. You’d get the same effect without the added expense and effort.

Fun Themes

You could adapt this idea to any occasion–a baby shower, bridal gift, teacher appreciation, or birthday. I see a theme tube as well–maybe a group gift of several gift cards tied to the ribbon. Or a movie gift card tube including snacks and movie tickets with theater wrapping paper on the tube itself. A baseball themed tube with sports page wrapping and baseball cards, sunflower seeds, cracker jacks, and an MLB gift card inside. Oh, a tennis ball canister would work great here as well. Uh-oh, I’m starting to trip over myself with gift card ideas! Seriously, who doesn’t want to open a string of goodies to get to a gift card??! So many possibilities.

Speaking of Michaels

Speaking of Michaels, don’t forget to answer the Valentine’s Day poll to be entered in the $25 Michaels Gift Card drawing. You just might win and then you can march yourself down to Michaels to make your own Valentine’s Day tube! Good stuff!

My girlfriend Shannon just turned 40 and she’s amazing. She’s one of those gals who has style–you know who they are. Her house is arranged just so, she’s always dressed nicely without being overdone, and everything she does looks artistic and polished. I love being around her.

So Shannon’s mom threw a surprise birthday brunch complete with fresh squeezed juice and a frittata fresh out of the oven. Everything just as delightful as the guest of honor. As much as I loved the atmosphere, though, a gift from Shannon’s sister captured my full attention! So simple, so personal, so gift-cardable!

This sweet sibling filled a jar called “40 Things I love About You” with sentiments about their relationship as friends, as sisters, as daughters of God, and mothers of little angels. We all oohed and ahhed as Shannon read a few of the notes through weepy eyes.

I love the idea and wanted to add a gift card spin–drop a $40 dollar gift card into the jar of 40 sentiments. And don’t be caught up on age. This idea can be tailored to any birthday – 23 things I love about you and a $23 gift card to the yogurt shop. 38 things I like about you and a 38 dollar gift card to the sandwich shop. Or change it from a birthday gift to Mother’s Day, a thank you gift, or a group gift where everybody adds a note to the recipient.

So clever. So stylish. So Shannon. I love it.

In Family Fun magazine, I saw another version of the teacher appreciation group gift we’ve talked about a few times. I liked what they did, but wanted to take the idea UP a notch in thoughtfulness and DOWN a notch in effort. (Original instructions here).

Here’s what I did differently:

1. First, I simplified the crafting by creating a downloadable set of colorful flower gift card holders. All you have to do is print, cut, and glue.
2. There are three downloads available:
   • Flower Front: The flowers you see here. Cut and glue to flower backs.
   • Flower Back: The back of the flowers, needed to make a pocket.
   • Blank Flowers: I made an extra set of blank flowers so you can use this teacher appreciation idea for other occasions.
3. Second, I taped each flower pocket to a bamboo skewer. It’s a little less artistic than the wire bending recommended by Family Fun, but a lot less work.
4. Lastly, I wanted each gift card to go with a particular thought. So for example, “Thanks for beings so sweet!” should go with a gift card to the candy store, a dessert restaurant, or a local shop with the word “sweet” in it–like Bittersweet Cafe in our area. In my example, I used a gift card to See’s Candy.
5. Several ideas for each gift card are listed on the flower front paper. More good stuff like…
   • “Thanks for all your hard work” – gift card to Home Depot, Staples, etc.
   • “You’re so much fun” – gift card to the movies or video store.
   • “You’re our favorite” – gift card to her favorite place, free choice card!
   • “Thanks for keeping your cool” – gift card to the ice cream store.

I think it turned out pretty cute! This doesn’t have to be just a teacher gift. The gift card plant would make a welcome housewarming gift or starter set of gift cards for newlyweds. Have fun with it!

I saw this teacher gift on Mom Logic and just had to share. While I agree it is a perfect gift for our fabulous teachers, I think it could be used for any group gift.

As Michele Ashamalla explains, the group organizer purchases a little tree or plant and invites participants to contribute gift cards to adorn the tree.  Givers can select gift cards for any store and in any denomination.  I love this idea for several reasons:

1. Often times a group organizer can’t make the group purchase until just before the event because sttragglers invariably turn in money late or people who committed to a certain amount opt out at the last minute.
2. People feel pressured to contribute a certain dollar amount. With gift cards, the contribution is anonymous and even a $5 gift card to the right store (Jamba Juice, Coldstone, Starbucks) is still a treat.
3. Presentation. I’m all about giving gift cards in a way that the recipient gets a moment of discovery–a chance to open something. Though in this case wrapping paper isn’t part of the equation, perusing all the gift cards certainly qualifies as a “moment.”
4. Variety and Creativity. This might not seem like a creative gift, but I imagine some parents got very creative in getting gift cards to a variety of fun places, everything from office supply to restaurants and salons. For a baby shower, I’d expect to see gift cards to baby stores, video rental, take-out food, the drug store, and so forth.

Consider a group gift card tree next time you have a baby shower, wedding shower, or graduation party to attend.  This would also make a terrific thank you gift from everyone at the office.