Homemade gift certificates

by Jaclyn

The inside of the foil wrapper of a Dove chocolate once told me that, “A promise is worth more than a dozen roses.” Not only is this food for thought (pun unintentional but unavoidable), but it makes for pretty good inspiration for a gift, as well. Sometimes you just can’t find the right gift for someone. Sometimes you can’t afford the right gift for someone. Sometimes neither party could argue with the idea that the best gift would be that of time, or effort, or….you get the idea. At those times, homemade gift certificates can make the perfect present.

Consider a booklet of homemade gift certificates as a Wedding Shower gift. I made one for my soon-to-be Sister in Law which had coupons in it that said things like, “Good for one night of watching a chick flick that my little brother is giving you a hard time about,” “Good for one confidential complaint session about our in-laws,” “Good for help cooking one family holiday meal even if you’re the one hosting,” “Good for one embarrassing girlie stuff shopping trip,” and, “Good for one promise to not ask when you’re going to get pregnant.”

Consider a booklet of homemade gift certificates as a Baby Shower gift. It could include things like, “Good for one evening of babysitting,” “Good for one afternoon of housework,” “Good for one dinner when you’re too tired to cook,” “Good for one emergency diaper run,” “Good for one paranoid parent research project,” “Good for one session of looking at every single baby photo you’ve taken so far,” “Good for one trick your mother was just waiting for you to have to ask her advice to learn,” etc.

Consider a booklet of homemade gift certificates as a Valentine’s Day gift. This kind has the most possibilities when it comes to the kinds of things that could be in it, variable by the genders, personalities, and interests (and ok, let’s just say age, finances and relationship status, while we’re at it) of the people in the relationship. A coupon might be for dinner and a movie out, or a romantic home-cooked meal AND a promise to do the dishes afterwards. A coupon might be for one “PDA” even if a friend is pointing a camera at you (if the one making the gift certificates is normally opposed and their partner tends to be disappointed by this), or for a long massage. A coupon might be for an activity you know you both enjoy doing together but rarely get a chance to, or for tolerant accompaniment for an activity you normally try to get out of participating in.