• Come up with a unique way to wrap gift cards.Gift Card image by chas53 from Fotolia.com
  
  Gift certificates and gift cards are popular gift items that allow recipients to purchase whatever they want, usually from a certain store. Generally, gift certificates look like paper checks, and gift cards look like credit cards. Most people simply slip gift certificates or cards into a card or envelope when they give them. Get creative and think of fun ways to wrap them.
  
  

Christmas Mug

• Buy a festive, holiday mug. Put the gift certificate or card inside along with a packet of cocoa, a small bag of mini marshmallows and a peppermint stick. Wrap cellophane around the mug, and tie a bow at the top.
  
  

Sweets

• Gift certificates and cards can feel a bit impersonal, so add a personal touch. Bake a batch of brownies, cookies, lemon bars or some other goodies. Put the sweets in a tin, wrap it up with pretty paper and attach the gift certificate or card with ribbon.
  
  

Balloon

• This idea is especially fun for children. Fold up a gift certificate and insert it into a latex balloon before you blow it up or fill it with helium. Secure the balloon, tie a ribbon to it and give it to your recipient. He'll have to pop the balloon to get his gift.
  
  

Unusual Containers

• Consider placing a gift certificate or card into a box that looks like a Chinese food take-out container, an empty mint tin or a tiny tin pail.