How to Wrap Gift Cards: Sending Plastic and eGift Cards in Style

Gift cards sometimes get a bad reputation – didn’t you put any thought into the gift? What, so they have to choose their own gift? Aren’t gift cards boring?

But the fact of the matter is that gift cards are at the top of many people’s wishlist – in the number one spot. The National Retail Foundation (NRF) found that a majority 54% of American adults are in agreement that gift cards are the best gift they could receive.

Getting them a gift card isn’t the end of the matter, though. Creative wrapping can really make your gift card gift pop.

That’s why we’ve scoured the internet for how to wrap gift cards in the best and most creative ways so that you don’t have to stick with that boring cardboard sleeve it comes with. We’ll cover:

• How to customize digital gift cards for a personal touch
• Building a Visa gift card with your own design
• Fun display options for gift cards

So let's get started!

How to “Wrap” Digital Gift cards

Turns Out, You Don’t Have to Send a Boring Old Email

If you’ve ever received an egift card, you’ve probably found that most of them are delivered in underwhelming fashion, to say the least. A plain text black and white email? Maybe a link to a web page with the brand’s logo on it? We can do better!

Gift Cards You Can Text

First thing’s first – choosing a digital format for your gift card is supposed to make it more convenient to send and to use. With GiftYa, both sender and recipient have options! Choose from thousands of local and national brands, then choose your format: text or email.

Either way, the recipient can access their gift in the GiftYa app, choose to activate the balance to a credit card they carry with them every day anyway, or exchange their gift for a different merchant in just a few taps. But with hundreds of expert curated gift guides to help you find the perfect present for everyone on your list, we don’t think they’ll need to!

Gift Cards You Can Customize

Not only can you choose how to send your GiftYa, you can also choose what it looks like. When you choose a merchant, you will have plenty of options to choose from – preset or custom card values, a personal message, and what makes GiftYa extra unique: wrapping options.

Choose a pre-designed seasonal wrapping, or create on yourself with a photo or video you upload. When your recipient receives their GiftYa, they’ll peel back the wrapper to see what you got them. It’s as close to tearing the bow off a box you can get someone in a digital format!

Explore GifYa eGift cards >>

How to Customize a Physical Gift Card

Build a Physical Mastercard or Visa Gift Card in Just a Few Clicks

Did you know that you can customize a Visa or Mastercard gift card? Thanks to Gift Card Granny’s Build a Card feature, it just takes a few clicks to create a gift card just the way you want it.

You can add a photo and personal message for a loved one, or you can add your company’s logo to get a great gift for an employee, boss, or coworker. Gift Card Granny also has an affordable option to include a greeting card – or handwritten message – with your gift.

Most custom gift cards print out the same day and ship the next, so you should have your custom creation in your hands in no time.

Plus, Visa and Mastercard gift cards are accepted at many retailers around the country, anywhere that the credit cards are accepted as well. That means that your loved one can use their gift on anything they choose – from new electronics to new books to home decor. The choice is completely in their hands!

Build a custom gift card >>

How to Wrap Gift Cards

Stunning Displays for Physical Gift Cards

We’ve all seen TikToks, Reels, or Pins posts sporting fun gift card displays… but how do you create one yourself? We’re breaking down a couple of options that anyone can pull off. From simple DIY gift card boxes to more elaborate balloon creations, these creative gift card wrapping options can take your gift to the next level, and none of them should take more than an afternoon to put together.

DIY an Explosion Box

These handy little crafts had a moment a while back as a cute gift for a boyfriend or girlfriend – but they make a great gift for anyone on your list.

An explosion box has several layers, and none of the sides connect with one another. When the lid is lifted, all of the sides fall outwards. That reveals photos, messages, and small gifts tucked into envelope sides. Not a very dramatic explosion, but one that they’ll certainly remember!

This one makes for a good graduation gift or gift for anyone who’s special to you – whether they are a spouse, a child, or a friend.

Build a Custom Gift Card Holder

There are countless designs out there for custom gift card holders – from a certain notable mouse and his girlfriend to adorable monsters to holders wrapped in a paper bow. However, making a gift card accordion like this one is super easy and has countless possibilities!

• Accordion out like wallet photos
• Make the top and bottom pieces of a cookie… and the middle a crrrrack! when it’s pulled apart
• Turn it into a treasure map leading to the place the gift card goes

It should only require some card stock and decorative touches from the local craft store –  ribbons, stamps, decorative paper, washi tape.

Tuck Your Gift Cards Into a Wallet

Where better to put a gift card than in a wallet? If you know they need a new one, this could be the perfect way to deliver your gift card. For an added personal touch, tuck in a personal note or message card. The ones above from Etsy shop AllAboutImpressions are enraged aluminum, the size of a credit card, and available in a variety of colors and fonts.

Don’t have time to wait for a custom engraving? Not to worry. You can easily DIY a gift to the same effect. Just cut out a rectangle the size of a card in your wallet and write your message. “Laminating” it should be easy with a strip of packing tape for either side, considering the card is not nearly as wide as the tape.

Order Up a Gift Card Pizza

Perfect for pizza lovers, home chefs, and college kids – this gift card pizza is sure to be a surprise! Just pick up an extra box next time you pick up a pie, and you’re ready to start building. Small bills (about 20 of them) make a great crust. Rather than topping it with pepperoni coins like you see here, drop your gift cards instead.

Arrange a Cute Gift Card Mug

Creating a little cup of wonderful is a great way to wrap a gift card. Pick up a mug you think they’ll love from the local novelty store, and then start filling! Mugs won’t hold too many goods, so be choosy about what  you include. Chocolate, tea, candy, spoons, and gift cards make great additions.

This one is particularly great option if you’re giving a coffee or tea gift card!

…Or a Vibrant Gift Card Bouquet

Got a bundle of gift cards? Put them in a bouquet! All you’ll need is a small planter, some thin dowel rods, hot glue, paper, and paper grass. We love this one for a springtime gift – like mother’s day or Easter.

Surprise Them With a Hidden Gift Card

Don’t let them see what you got them just yet! Wrap your gift card in another gift instead. Cozy gloves and fuzzy socks make for great options, but you can also opt for something tastier. Consider hiding the gift card in a jar of candy or bucket of popcorn. Whether they get to it the day you give it to them or you get a surprised text a month down the line, they’re sure to be excited when they discover their real gift.

Put the Gift Card in a Balloon… or Several for a Fun Game

Stuffing gifts into a balloon is a little bit tricky at first – but there are some things you can do to make it easier! The biggest tip for making this work is to blow up and let the balloon deflate a few times before filling it with gifts. Once it’s been deflated again, work the gift card into the balloon. After it’s inside, you can blow it up again. Make the balloon your greeting card when you scrawl messages on it, or blow up a whole box so they’ll have to pop their way through to find their gift.

This method works good for small gifts – gift cards, beanie babies, a sleeve of golf balls. But for larger gift items, you may need to take a different approach.

Create a Gift Card Snow Globe

Once you’ve figured out how to get stuff inside of a balloon, the opportunities to create unique gifts are endless! To include larger items – toys or dolls, small balloons, lots of gift cards – you’ll need a purchased or DIY balloon stuffer. It holds the balloon mouth open a bit wider to make getting items into the balloon easier. You can even add a bottle of wine or champagne for an adult.

Consider adding some snow – small paper flakes, perhaps with some glitter mixed in – to make your balloon-wrapped gift into a snowglobe for the holidays, or a fairy princess bubble for a girl’s birthday.

That’s it for our guide to giving gift cards that are as unique as their recipient.

Figuring out how to wrap gift cards so they’re presented as the awesome gift they truly are can be a little bit tricky, but we hope that these ideas have given you some inspiration! What is your favorite way to wrap a gift card? Drop us a line to let us know, and maybe your idea will be featured in a future update of this article!

Happy gifting!