Personalize your GiftYa with a Meaningful Message

Birthdays were big. Christmases were bigger. And then there were a whole lot of other in-between occasions that always gave my family a good excuse to gift each other and celebrate. While the material value always played a role, it was really second fiddle to the thought that went into it. But one thing always became a bit of a tradition to us - the personalization in the messaging. 

My family would often spend more time at the Hallmark or American Greetings rack at the local stationery or grocery store than at the gift shop. The greeting card, for us, played a huge role in making the message, and the intent, resonate with the recipient and others around them. But we never picked one of those pre-packaged poem cards. We’d always go the extra mile for the creative ones and certainly the humorous ones.

My middle sister had taken the greeting card to artistic levels. She was the go-to person for selecting the funniest, most sarcastic, or most meaningful greeting card that would make the recipient burst into tears of laughter, joy or emotion. So it was that when gift giving time came, the opening of the greeting card had more anticipation than the opening of the gift.

Fast forward many years later, I find myself working at GiftCards.com. I was never a huge gift card fan, as they felt somewhat impersonal to me. But what converted me was the ability to put a personal photo on the plastic card. Throughout my years there, I sent many a friend and relative a Visa gift card with a photo of their pet, their kids, grandchildren, a fun college memory or a live concert we had recently shared. They never failed to be a conversation piece. From the “awwwws…” to the “LOLs” they always did the trick. Eventually, I enhanced the practice by carefully selecting photos of my friends’ social media profiles, where there was plenty of material and a lot of potential for laughs and even healthy embarrassing.

Fast forward a few years later, and I find myself working at GiftYa, where we have now raised the bar on this practice of the personal messaging. With a GiftYa, you can send a photo from a beautiful memory, take a selfie of two best friends on the spot, pull a video of your kid taking their first steps or shoot a video on the spot to send a funny or meaningful message. In today’s selfie-obsessed, Instagram-focused and YouTube-addicted consumers, this is a feature that not only resonates with the times, but changes the experience. 

Recently I was at a bar with a close friend having a pint at our favorite microbrewery in town and we couldn’t help but remember a close friend who used to join us but had recently moved to the west coast. As we reminisced about not having him around any more, we decided to send him a GiftYa for a pint at his favorite pub in LA. Surely, we shot a video raising the mugs and poking fun at him for being so far away in surf land. The message was one third sappy and two thirds hysterical. The gift was just a ten-dollar beer. But the personalization and the context, where the medium became part of the message, is what made the gift so special. All the way from Pittsburgh, we were able to send our buddy a GiftYa to his favorite pub across the country with a message that we knew would resonate with him, far more than the beer he would have on us. And resonate it did. Five minutes later, we both got a text back: “You two idiots made my day LOL.”

Written by Carlos Tribino, CMO

Trae Bodge

Trae Bodge is the shopping expert here at GiftYa. Trae helps people find the best deals and ideas on popular new items to purchase.

Latest Posts

No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.

Latest Posts

Top 7 Best Places to Get Ramen in NYC 🍜

From tonkotsu to shoyu, ramen shops across New York City serve up steaming bowls of comforting noodles that bring authentic Japanese flavors to the Big Apple!

Visa Gift Cards 101: Your Complete Guide to Buying, Using, and Maximizing Value

Sending and receiving gift cards has never been easier than with the convenience of text message through your favorite retailers!

Can I Send a Chipotle Gift Card Via Text?

Sending and receiving gift cards has never been easier than with the convenience of text message through your favorite retailers!

How to Text a Dunkin Gift Card

Say Goodbye to the Physical Gift Card With the Convenience of an eGift from GiftYa

How to Send Visa Gift Cards by Text

Your ultimate guide to the perfect last-minute gifts

How to Send an Apple Gift Card Via Text Message: Your Easy Way to Gift Giving

Apple gift cards can make a great gift for anyone with an iPhone, iPad, Macbook, or any other Apple device!

How to Send a DoorDash Gift Card Via Text

Easily Send a eGift Through Text & GiftYa’s Simple Process

Amazon Gift Cards 101: Answering Your Questions About Using, Buying, and Cashing Out Your Balance

Check Out This Beginner’s Guide to Amazon Gift Cards and Enjoy all the Great Benefits That Await!

How to Send an Amazon Gift Card by Text: All Your Questions Answered

Breaking down the in’s and out’s of Amazon gift cards and how you can send them via text!

Gift Card FAQs
Top 7 Best Places to Get Ramen in NYC 🍜

From tonkotsu to shoyu, ramen shops across New York City serve up steaming bowls of comforting noodles that bring authentic Japanese flavors to the Big Apple!

Gift Card FAQs
Visa Gift Cards 101: Your Complete Guide to Buying, Using, and Maximizing Value

Sending and receiving gift cards has never been easier than with the convenience of text message through your favorite retailers!