It happens to everyone. An invitation to a coworker's birthday or wedding, the annual secret Santa, or a retirement party for someone who works in the cubicle across from you. Everyone will, of course, be bringing gifts. But what happens when you hardly even know the person you're supposed to be purchasing gifts for? Maybe you're the new employee and can't even remember your coworker’s name, never mind get a thoughtful gift for them! Not getting anything is no option. You want to make a good impression with your colleagues. Before desperately resorting to stuffing some cash in an envelope and calling it a day, why not consider gift cards?
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Easy Choice, Doesn't Require Gift Wrapping
A step away from cash, gift cards are a good option that shows you put some thought into your gift giving effort. At the same time, the person getting the gift will have flexibility to select something they'll love. They're easy to get, don't have to be wrapped, and you've got many choices of different cards to buy.
Flexibility of eBay Gift Certificates
If you know absolutely nothing at all about the person you've got to buy for, why not consider an eBay gift certificate? You can buy them online, so there's no last minute rushing out to the store. You can print them out and include them inside a card, or just have them delivered by email. Best of all, eBay gift certificates can be spent on almost any of the millions of items listed on eBay every day. The recipient gets almost all the flexibility of cash, as well as the fun of bidding at an auction. You get to avoid all the embarrassment sometimes associated with giving cash.
Convenience of Visa Gift Cards
If you're not sure your recipient would enjoy an online store, or want an eBay account, Visa also offers gift cards. While they're a little too close to cash for some, they're the perfect option when you have absolutely no idea what someone might like. Visa gift cards are accepted anywhere Visa is, and that's almost everywhere. You can get them online, or pick them up in person at hundreds of locations, and they can be spent on anything from coffee to shoes.
Popular iTunes Gift Cards
But perhaps you know your recipient slightly better, and the last two options seem a little bit impersonal. Have you ever seen them wearing the trademark Apple earphones? Do they take out their iPhone to make a call? Do you often see them grooving to music from an iPod? If so, an iTunes gift card could be the perfect option! You can buy iTunes gift cards online, or pick one
up at a wide variety of stores. The recipient of the gift card can use it on anything in the iTunes store. This includes applications for their brand new iPad or iPhone, to music, movies, TV shows, or audio books. However, international gift givers should beware. If you buy a United States iTunes gift card, and give it to a Canadian recipient, they won't be able to get any use out of it. Just make sure the recipient of your gift card lives in the same country you do, and everything will be fine.
Music Lovers Gift Cards
If you're not sure if the intended recipient of your gift card has an iPhone or iPod, but you know they have some kind of mp3 player or smart phone, Spotify is a smart choice. A Spotify gift subscription is the gift of music that keeps on giving. As well, Spotify gift cards are a thoughtful choice for international recipients, as they can be used anywhere Spotify is available. You can purchase Spotify gift subscriptions online, and have them emailed to the recipient. This is perfect for those who work from home.
Gift Cards for Bibliophiles
Does the person you're getting a gift for enjoy reading? Do they have a Kindle? Even if you're not sure, an Amazon gift card is likely to be appreciated. Amazon sells millions of items, including books, CDs, and electronics. The recipient of an Amazon gift card is sure to find the perfect item. And they are so easy to purchase. All you have to do is buy the Amazon gift cards online and print them out yourself. Afterwards, you can have them emailed to the recipient, or even have Amazon mail the gift to them. If you're worried about forgetting the occasion, Amazon will let you schedule the card to be sent up to a year in advance.
No matter how well you know someone, a gift card is sure to make an excellent option for any occasion. Don't worry about selecting the perfect item, and don't suffer the social embarrassment of making a cash gift. Just select one of the numerous gift card options available from hundreds of online and offline merchants, or let the suggestions above guide you to gift giving success!
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