Saw this darling little gift card holder in Wal-Mart. Nice, huh?

Never mind that many of us buy our Christmas gifts at the last minute. What about those of us who procrastinate in actually wrapping the present for the relative you haven’t seen in a year? Well, we waited until the very last minute this year so we threw all the gift wrapping supplies into the car and hit the road. Don’t, I mean, do, try this at home as opposed to the car

Very simply, gift cards are like gift certificates and they can be purchased at most stores in a variety of amounts. They are the perfect gift to give for people of any age and with any taste. Think about the person you need to  purchase a gift for. Of course you know the basic details like their age and gender, but it might help to know if this person has any special hobbies or skills. If they love to snowboard perhaps you can get them a gift card from a  local snowboard shop. If you know a woman who loves to read there are countless bookstores that sell gift cards. So do a little bit of detective work to determine what kind of store your intended would enjoy gift cards from.

If you aren’t sure of any specific things that the person you are buying for enjoys, take heart, there are plenty of stores that sell gift cards to meet your shopping needs. Consider buying gift cards to department stores or other general stores that sell a variety of items. You can never go wrong purchasing gift cards at stores that offer many options.

Another great thing about purchasing gift cards for any occasion is that most people love receiving gift cards. Who doesn’t love being able to go into a store and spend their money on the thing they like most? Most everyone would prefer receiving gift cards over having people guess on items they will like, especially for important events like weddings. So, even if you feel like giving gift cards seems impersonal, think about how much your friend or loved one will appreciate your desire to have them pick out the gift they love the most.

Gift cards are great because they are quick and easy to buy. Simply place the gift card in a handwritten card and you have your gift taken care of. The person receiving the gift cards will also love how easy it is to save and then use their gift cards. They will not have to fake a smile or a thank you and they will not have to hassle with returning items that they will never use.

Everyone is better off when gift cards are given as gifts, so make a list of all the gift cards you need and then head off to purchase them. You will have your list complete in no time and your gift cards will be loved and appreciated by all who receive them.

About The Author: When he isn’t busy giving gift cards, Matthias Reightman loves to write articles that encourage others to become good gift givers. Find out more at http://www.aboutgiftcards.info (editors note: link no longer appears active)

The new year is just around the corner, and I’m thinking that it is already time to get ahead of the gift game. That sounds like a great idea, especially with all of the after-Christmas sales that stores will be running. But how do you make the good thought a reality? It all starts with a detailed list.

Start with a piece of lined notebook paper. Divide the page into two columns. On one side write Holidays, on the other Birthdays. Then get out a calendar and, starting in January, write down the Holidays that you will be buying gifts for. I start with Valentine’s Day. I know I will be buying each of my children a little gift. I write February 14, my children’s names, and beside each name I write the amount of money I want to spend. I do this for each Holiday thru Christmas. By that time, the list is pretty long, but look at how much information I have!

Then I start over with the Birthday list. Again, starting in January, I start listing the people whose Birthdays I will be buying for. My first Birthday is my mother-in-law. So I write January 31, Mom G., $10. Go thru the entire calendar making these notes.

Once you have your lists finished, start making notes on your calendar, preferably marking occasions about two weeks ahead to give yourself plenty of time. If you need to mail the gift, I suggest marking it down three weeks ahead so that you can mail it a week ahead of time. If the calendar you are using is a purse-sized calendar, just carry it with you and you can shop for any number of people at a time. This will help you take advantage of sales and save time by not making a special trip at the last minute to buy a gift. If you have some idea of what you want to buy or where you want to buy it, make those notes on your calendar as well. By doing this, you are already more than half done with your gift giving for the year!

If you do not carry a calendar with you, use an index card that will fit easily into your purse. Write down the information from your first list for 3 months or so. Carry it with you and you have accomplished the same as carrying the calendar with you.

Another tip to make this easier year after year is to use your computer. Make your list using your word-processor or data base software, save it with a name and in a place that you will be able to find it again next year. This way, you don’t have to redo the whole list every year. Make changes as necessary and you are done! You may also be able to print out as much information as you would like to carry with you. Then you don’t have to transfer the information to a calendar or a card. Do whatever works for you to achieve your goal of getting ahead of the gift game.

Once you have made some purchases, you may want to designate a box to put these in until you need them. Why not go ahead and wrap the gifts when you get home and even attach the card as well? This way, the gift is ready to deliver and you have it marked so you know who you bought it for. If you choose to put several gifts in a box (which is what I do), then you may want to mark the gifts. Sticky notes may work for this, or perhaps you can attach a piece of paper with scotch tape or safety pin, depending on what you have purchased. It is also a good idea to keep your receipts, just in case. Mark your receipt with the name of the person(s), then keep in an envelope in your box of gifts.

Another method I use is to write down each person’s name on an index card. This works particularly well for the people, like my family, that I will be buying multiple gifts for throughout the year. On the index card I write down what I bought, what occasion I bought it for, and how much I spent.

Along with marking gifts that you have bought in advance and not wrapped, why not buy the wrapping paper, a pen, an extra pair of scissors and scotch tape and put it in the box with the gifts? This makes the wrapping so much easier when you do it. Otherwise, if you’re like me, you have to drag out the box of wrapping paper, find the scissors and the tape just to wrap some gifts. That makes the task that much more daunting. I am more likely to do it if everything is in one place.

You can apply most of these principles to shopping on the internet.as well. Many online stores will mail your gift directly to the recipient enclosing a gift card on your behalf. If you are looking at a handcrafted item, give yourself plenty of time, maybe more than I have noted here. Many very special gifts are made one at a time as you order them, so you must give the artist time to make your item.

Remember, no matter where you do your shopping, how much you spend, or when you wrap the gifts, it all starts with a detailed list and a calendar.

Author Debbie Garrett is a Mom of 3 and owner of “The Bear Family Gift Corner” http://www.bearfamilygifts.com Specializing in personalized gifts for new babies and weddings, as well as many other occasions.