The South Carolina State Park Service just announced that it’s now offering gift cards for rental of its cabins, campsites, picnic shelters and meeting facilities. I just love this idea. And had to do a little Googling to see if my great state of California offers gift cards as well. Of course, they do. I’m so happy!

I’m always on the lookout for gift ideas for families we exchange presents with over the holidays. Rather than buy individual items, I like to get something the entire family can enjoy, preferably an activity. I’ve given bowling tickets, DVD rentals, and movies passes. But a gift card to the state park would be new and different. I’d probably pair it with some bug spray and a first aid kit or rain ponchos for everybody. Maybe even throw in s’mores fixins that they can eat now in anticipation of a summer camping trip.

A state park gift card would also be a great Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift because it encourages family togetherness–just be sure to include a homemade gift card to do all the laundry when you get back!

Check the GCG web site for other family, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift card ideas.

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.

Teryn gave us a gift card to the movies plus free babysitting.

My 20-year-old step-daughter lived with us for about six months. Though we tried to insulate her from the constant chaos of kids, Teryn couldn’t escape the early morning wake-up calls, dinnertime negotiations, and a constant barrage of questions (“Where are you going?” “Who are you talking to?” “Why do you go to school at night?”).

It’s no surprise she knew exactly what Paul and I needed for Christmas–a babysitter!

Teryn gave us a movie gift card and a homemade ticket that reads, “Redeem for a night off. Admit 3. Ages 9, 7, and 5.” This gift is a treat for the whole family because I get to enjoy a date with my husband and the kids get to spend an evening with their big sister. The movie gift card is a wonderful bonus, but the babysitting alone is all she really needed to do. We can’t wait to redeem this very special gift card!

Click here for more Family Gift Card ideas.

Put yourself on the Nice list.

Still trying to figure out what to get your boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse for Christmas this year? Maybe you’re over thinking it. We only launched this web site a couple of weeks ago and already readers are telling us we’ve changed the course of their holiday shopping. Instead of stressing at the mall, they’re multi-tasking at the grocery store. Instead of fretting over sizes, likes, and dislikes, they’re gift carding with confidence—anxious for the recipient to open their gift. (When was the last time you gave someone a gift card and couldn’t wait for them to open it?)

Get inspired from suggestions sent in by some of our readers:

• Nice List.  With a note pad and a pen, attach a gift card to the department store. That’s what Carole did and then she wrote, “Make your OWN list.  Check it Twice.  Then with this gift card.  Get YOURSELF something nice.”

Restaurant gift card and Beano for the old farts!

• Seasons Greetings.  Attach a gift card to the cooking store, BBQ store, grocery store, or any old store to a bottle of seasoning or marinade. Write “Seasons Greetings” on the tag. Go one level deeper and select a seasoning appropriate for the gift card.  Chipotle seasoning with a Chipotle restaurant gift card, for example.
• Yule log.   Attach a family entertainment gift card (movies, video, bowling, etc.) to a Duraflame log.  Write, “Hoping YULE have a Merry Christmas” or “Warmest Wishes this Holiday Season.”
• Warm Wishes.  Warm greetings are also appropriate with a pair of gloves, a scarf, or some hand warmers.  Attach those to a gift card to a café or any place you can get a delicious mug of hot chocolate and be sure to add “Warmest Wishes” to the card.
• Old Fart.  Brooke took gift carding to a new (lower) level with this restaurant gift card attached to a bottle of Beano.  She wrote, “Happy date night you old farts!”
• Dreaming of.  Get a gift card to Dream Dinners or any place designed to help busy women (make and take dinners, spa, salon).  Tell her you’re “Dreaming of a White Christmas” and a day she doesn’t have to work so hard.
• Rock my world.  Get a gift card for downloadable music and write a note that says, “You Rock my World.” Add it to something romantic like a box of chocolates, a candle, or a fun pair of pj’s.

Check out the For Her and For Him sections for more gift carding ideas you can pull together in time for Christmas.

Congrats to Allison H

She wanted a gift card to Home Depot or Lowe’s, but Allison H is getting a gift card to Blockbuster and Regal Cinemas instead!  Congratulations Allison for winning the Gift Card Girlfriend Movie Bonanza! 

If you didn’t win, take “heart.” We’ll unveil a special Valentine’s Day Gift Card Giveaway shortly—one that is sure to make your heart skip a beat.

In the meantime, take a look at the most popular gift cards desired this holiday season:

1. Clothing and Department Stores.  J. Crew, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Ann Taylor and Banana Republic are top vote getters because you said it’s hard to spend that kind of money on yourself without feeling guilty.  A gift card gives you permission to indulge and buy clothing you crave without spending a fortune.  But many of you would be just as happy shopping for clothes at our second most desired gift card retailer…
2. Target.   A shopping spree at Target can be both a practical gift (diapers, household necessities, clothing for the kids) and a treat (makeup, clothing for me, electronics, household decorations).  You said, “Target is great because you can get almost anything you need there.”  I totally agree.
3. Movies.  Some want to take the family out, others want to sneak away for date night, and the rest of you are just anxious to see a good movie without having to take out a second mortgage.  If you’re gift carding a movie this holiday season but don’t know what movie theater is in the recipient’s home town, get a Fandango gift card and let the recipient decide.
4. Home stores.  Lowes, Home Depot, Home Goods, and other home improvement stores are next on the list.  While this may seem overly practical, we’re in practical times right now.  Defraying the cost of fixing up the old homestead would be a welcome gift.
5. Amazon.com.  While it used to be just for books, Amazon is now recognized by many of you as a place for everything.  Like Target, you can indulge yourself or buy practical items for the family.
6. Spa or Salon. You want the spa treatment or the much-needed pedicure, but the practical side of you warns not to be so self-indulgent.  The shoulder devil says, “I would really love a massage.”  But the shoulder angel says, “I should get a Target or AMEX gift card so I can buy diapers instead.”  The beauty of a gift card is that it allows you to flick that angel off your shoulder and indulge without feeling guilty.
7. Entertainment.  Beyond the movies, you’d like to go out to a nice restaurant (or ANY restaurant) and maybe grab a movie on the way home or curl up with a book afterwards.  Bookstores, Restaurants, Video stores, and iTunes gift cards round out the list of most desired gift cards.

Like you, many of the people you plan to shop for this holiday season would like to receive a gift card.  So get the gift card and deliver it with confidence knowing that you’re either giving someone permission to indulge in a way they don’t normally allow themselves, or you’re giving them the gift of reducing the cost of more practical items.  Either will be appreciated.

And I, for one, am saving money this holiday season doing so.  Mostly because I’m staying totally within my budget.  I’m buying gift cards in the amount planned and packaging them with simple extras that make the gift more meaningful.

DRAMA-FREE Christmas

After the post on turning a gift card into an ornament, my mom got into the spirit and created one of her own for an ornament exchange. It’s so cute, I had to share it with you…and will probably copy it myself this holiday season.

My mom got fancy with the details (no surprise), but all you need is a movie gift card and a little ribbon. Tie it up with a note that says, “Wishing you a DRAMA-FREE Christmas!” or “Hope this is the only drama you see this holiday season.” Cute!