Gift Cards: Handmade Ideas for Last-Minute Gifts

PLEASANTON, Calif., Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Michele Beschen, host of PBS and Create TV's B. Organic and HGTV's B. Original, encourages consumers to get creative this season with do-it-yourself ideas to personalize gift card giving.

As a last-minute gift idea for family, friends and colleagues, gift cards are a great way to make everybody happy. They are the top gift of choice this season with shoppers preferring to receive gift cards over clothing, electronics or jewelry, according to the National Retail Federation. Gift cards never have to be returned, and hundreds of top retailers offer them right in your grocery store to provide convenient one-stop shopping.

"The holidays provide a great opportunity to get creative and express yourself," said Beschen. "By packaging gift cards in original, one-of-a-kind ways, you can give the gift that people really want and feel great about it."

Beschen offers a few simple ways to add a personal touch to gift cards that consumers can create by themselves or as part of a family project. Many of these ideas can be made from materials available right in your backyard or in your local grocery store.

Give a Spa Day

Help someone relax with a beautiful homemade tea kit made from a repurposed box and cardboard dividers. Decorate the outside of the box and add a SpaFinder Gift Card to the inside lid. A SpaFinder Gift Card can be used for spa treatments and fitness/wellness services in over 7,000 spas, salons, yoga or Pilates studios and fitness centers. Your lucky gift card recipients will definitely find a spa or wellness experience in their area or travel destinations.

Give Adventure

Inspire someone to get outdoors with a Bass Pro Shops gift card. Create a homemade fishing pole using a long branch that incorporates handmade tackle accessories and bobbers and hang the gift card off a hook at the end. Bass Pro shops carries gear for people of all ages and for a number of outdoor activities such as: hiking, fishing, hunting, camping and kayaking.

Give a Night Out

Make spending quality time a priority by grabbing a magnetic dry/erase board and making a handmade calendar out of hand cut and hand painted wood pieces. Present it with an Applebee's gift card and mark your next "night out." Applebee's has a healthy indulgence menu for the ladies and is a great place for guys to catch a game.

Give the Gift of Entertainment

Jazz up an iTunes gift card by cutting up old band t-shirts and sew them together to make a one-of-a-kind scarf. Make a pocket at the end to hold an iTunes gift card, which is perfect for anyone providing one-stop entertainment as they can be used to purchase music, movies, TV shows, apps, games, books and more. 

Gifts for Anyone

Organize holiday gifts and purchases by creating a wall rack organizer out of an old dresser drawer. Add beautiful vintage door knobs and hooks to hang a jcpenney card from. jcpenney offers a large selection of unique and affordable gifts for everyone. It's a great place to find style at compelling prices that make sense in this economic climate.

For step by step instructions on how to create these ideas and to share your ideas, visit www.facebook.com/GiftCardsRock.

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