Me after buying another gift card
“Another flawless birthday”
Don’t know her size? Gift card.Don’t know what she likes anymore? Gift card.Forgot her birthday until the night before? GIFT CARD.
Genius. Nobody could have seen what happened next.
Meet the Smartest Gift-Giver Alive
“I can’t afford brunch”
Me with $244 in the kitchen drawer
That’s not just a joke. It’s the average.
43% of U.S. adults have an unused gift card, voucher or store credit, and the average stash is $244. That’s a lot of brunch to keep next to the takeout menus.
You, realizing the gift card
Expired in March
It went peacefully, in the drawer.
20% of U.S. adults have let a gift card expire. Another 17% lost one, and it’s probably somewhere safe. And 12% had the store go out of business first, so the card outlived the store.
Yes, these numbers are real. Source: Bankrate survey of 2,373 U.S. adults, 2024. The $27 billion is Bankrate’s estimate and includes vouchers and store credit.
And Then There’s the Emotional Damage
Your best friend finding gift card number three
“I’ve been saving all your presents!”
Three years. $150. Not a single one used.
Before you feel too bad, go check your own kitchen drawer. There’s a good chance your friends have been doing it to you, too.
Apparently, this is the economy now.
Her, finally spending the gift card
“Wait, who gave me this?”
Even when it gets spent, who remembers it was you?
Turns out the safest gift isn’t always the most memorable one.
If It’s Going in the Drawer Anyway, Make It Funny
Her, opening a gift with your worst photo on it
“You did NOT”
You don’t need her size. You already have the good stuff:
- Your ridiculous old photos.
- The inside joke nobody else gets.
- That thing she said once, which you will never let go.
Put that on something small, and you’ve got a personalized gift. She probably doesn’t need another thing in her house. But nobody else on earth can give her this one.
Why a Personalized Gift Beats a Gift Card
Me, spending less than a $50 gift card
And looking this thoughtful
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It can’t expire.
Inside jokes are forever.
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She’ll know it was you.
Your face is literally on it.
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It doesn’t give her a chore.
No store, no balance, no “I’ll use it later.” It’s already hers.
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You still don’t need her size.
It’s a jewelry dish. Everyone is the same size.
Yes, someone actually studied this. Carnegie Mellon researchers found people receive sentimental gifts less often than they’d like, because givers are scared of getting it wrong. Source: Givi & Galak, Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2017
Still Have Excuses? We Have Answers.
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What about my mom, my sister, my husband?
They all have a name and at least one embarrassing photo. It works on family too. -
What if it turns out weird?
You’ll see a preview first, and faulty items get a full refund. If it’s still weird, blame the photo. -
Forgot her birthday until the night before?
We can’t fix this one. It’s made to order, so you’ll have to plan ahead and look organized for once.
Finally, a Use for Your Ridiculous Old Photos
Five small gifts for rings, flowers and keeping your best friend humble. All under $40.
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For your best friend
Bestie Photo Jewelry Dish
Your photo becomes watercolor art, so even your worst haircut looks like it belongs in a museum.
$33.95
Personalize This Dish -
For the friend who gets it
Turn Photo Into Art Jewelry Dish
Your photo on a gold-trimmed dish, with a message like “No One Will Ever Be As Entertained By Us As Us.”
$32.95
Personalize This Dish -
For your unpaid therapist
Bestie Photo Trinket Tray
Your photo on a ceramic tray, with a message like “Thank You For Being My Unpaid Therapist.”
$29.95
Personalize This Tray -
For the friend who deserves a headline
Friendship Newspaper Photo Vase
Your friendship makes the front page of a ceramic book vase, with your photo on it.
$39.95
Personalize This Vase -
For the two of you
Friendship Puzzle Hearts Necklaces
One heart, split into matching necklaces with your names on them. Try leaving that in a drawer.
$29.95 for 2
Personalize These Necklaces
For scale: that $150 in the drawer is about four of these.
This Year, Give Them Something Worth Finding in a Drawer
Best friends, sisters, moms, dads, the whole group chat. Everyone you love has a ridiculous photo out there somewhere. Put it to work.
Make It Personal - 50% OFF NOWOr start with who you’re shopping for:
The gift card watching you leave
“I’ll be in the drawer”