Need Creative Way to Package Date Night as a Gift for a Friend

You could get a pinata, and place the gift cards in the pinata, along with microwave bags of popcorn just for kicks, and a box of chocolates or candy you'd find at the movies. You'd have to cut a larger hole in the pinata probably, but it would definitely be unigue! Or you could wrap it all up in a sombrero?? Just a couple of ideas.

Can you create a small basket with some mexican theme? Some Hot Sauce, Chips, Hot Tamales (candy)....hope you have a hot and saucy night ;) Or toss in some pralines and talk about how sweet they are.

Found some cute ideas on a website:

1. Zip it up: Hallmark's Funzip gift boxes feature cool pop-up characters in festive holiday designs and are super easy to assemble without scissors or tape. To open, the recipient simply "unzips" the package (starting at $3, available at Hallmark stores).

2. Keep it organized: Many of us have gift cards with unused balances lying around the house at any given time, and it can be hard to keep track of them. Wrap up your gift card in the GiftCard.log organizer from Buttoned Up. With spaces to write down balances and expiration dates, you can give your loved ones the gift of organization, too ($12.95).

3. Christmas tree ornaments: The best gift card wrapping can be used long after the gift card itself has been redeemed. Many popular gift-card holders come in the form of Christmas tree ornaments -- keepsakes to be appreciated year after year. Seastone manufactures several of these, and the products are only available through retail distributors, which include Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, Walgreens and Kroger stores. Victorian Trading's animated music box is a beautiful ornament and gift card holder in one ($7.99 plus shipping). Or you can make one yourself: Stick the gift card in a balloon, blow it up, draw some snowflakes on it, add an ornament hook. Voila! You've got a fun, pretty gift card wrapper, with an added noisemaker bonus: The recipient has to pop it to get it open. (See our "3 fun ways to wrap gift cards" video for more.)

4. Going to the animals: Kids of all ages will love receiving a plush stuffed animal, especially when that animal has a Toys R Us, Target or Walgreens gift card in its paws. Visit the Disney Store for a plush Mickey Mouse gift card holder ($6.50 plus shipping) or check out the holiday-themed plush holders at My Jewel Thief ($2.49 each plus shipping).

5. Let them eat candy: A gift card is grand, but a gift card wrapping in the form of candy is dandy. For $5 to $10 on top of the gift card price, you can sweeten the deal with a miniature box of Godiva chocolates. Yum!

6. Sock it to them: Wrap a gift card wrapped inside a fun pair of socks, gloves or slippers that will keep them guessing -- and laughing. Go crazy at the Joy of Sox -- choose from quirky mismatched socks, novelty socks, holiday socks and trendy toe socks for everyone you know. (Prices vary, with most ranging from $6-$12.)

7. Stick with a theme: It's always fun to match the gift card wrapping with the gift card itself -- hide a casino gift card in a deck of playing cards, a Starbucks gift card inside a pound of coffee beans, or a photo gift certificate inside a picture frame. Combine an Omaha Steaks gift card with a set of steak knives and a cutting board, or drop a Williams-Sonoma gift card inside the pocket of a personalized W-S apron ($29 plus shipping) or wrapped with a personalized W-S mini spatula set ($27.50 plus shipping). Look for in-store specials, too -- such as Sephora's dual-mirrored compact/gift card holder, which is free with any Sephora gift card purchase.

8. The bookmark: Gift cards make perfect bookmarks. Simply purchase a book related to the gift card -- say, a book about fashion and a gift card for Macy's or a travel journal with an airline gift card -- and you have a thoughtful present-within-a-present. For the book lover in your life, combine a Borders or Barnes and Noble gift card with a book for the perfect literary gift duo.

9. The gift card extravaganza: One great way to creatively wrap gift cards comes in the form of a wallet or purse with several gift cards enclosed. After all, who wouldn't enjoy a wallet that's already filled with spending money for their favorite stores? For kids and teens, fill the wallet with a variety of gift cards in small increments to favorite fast-food places -- McDonald's, Taco Bell and Papa John's -- and in larger increments for iTunes, Old Navy and the local mall.

10. Keep 'em from peekin': This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning Hallmark's Peek-Buster bags. Put your gift card (and gift card wrap) inside one of the three motion-detector bags, and if -- make that, when -- the recipient tries to peek, a siren and official announcement (either by the "police" or the Big Guy, Santa himself) alerts the household to your illicit spy games. (Find Peek-Busters at Hallmark Gold Crown stores for $4.99-$6.99 each.)

So Maybe wrap the movie card with a box of popcorn or a bag of popcorn and then nacho cheese with chips for the Mexican Restraunt....

Also here is a google link to many other idea: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=cu...=

HTH

E.

Just before my 10th Wedding Anniversary I received a box from my brother that said "Do Not Open Until Your Anniversary." I was pregnant with my first child and was having a very hard time and was miserable. So I thought it was very sweet of him to think of us. The day of our wedding anniversary, I received a "care package" from my brother with our "anniversary dinner" inside. There were several small plastic containers with lids on them, all wrapped in foil - making us think there was actually food in each one. There was a letter that told me which package to open first. The first container had a note that said, "Put this in warm, soothing water, insert body and just sit back and relax for 30 minutes while the body simmers." I thought, what in the world???? I opened it and it was bath oil beads. The second container had a note that said, "Open the box received earlier this week and arrange accordingly." He had bought me a beautiful maternity outfit. The third box had a wad of money in it that said, "Now you and your husband go out to dinner on me. You need the fun and he needs a break!" I cried and cried and cried! It was the best gift ever! and, no, that brother never married!

Put the cards inside small boxes and insert them into a small pinata! You could put microwave popcorn bags and typical movie candy in also.

You could probably make your own pinata - I'll bet the directions are online somewhere.

Or make a Mexican "combination plate" out of felt and layer the cards in the felt "food"

I would take a basket and put some chips and salsa with the gift card to the mexican restaurant on one side and then a bag of unpopped popcorn and a box of candy with the movie tickets.

get a little red velvet or satin material (scrap bin) and sew the envelope into it. Add a fancy bow and hang a little heart from the ribbon.

How about a bucket of popcorn like you'd get from Block Buster & tuck the card into the bucket? You could get a little sombrero hat & tuck it into the brim?

Thats very sweet of you.. Walmart carries pop corn tins with movie theater butter popcorn and some other stuff in it, that would be cute to just Tape the gift cards too.

Maybe put the cards in a set of margarita glasses filled with popcorn.

Hi Kimmie! When I give gift cards, I usually do a gift basket with theme in mind and have the cards on floral sticks holding them up. You could do a Mexican theme or a movie theme basket. The movie theme would be easier as you could go to the Dollar Tree and buy the popcorn boxes, popcorn, confetti and a container. (I did one like that last year) You could make "Take One" tickets oversized and attach the movie gift cards to it. You could also download the menu or go by and pick up a menu to the restaurant and attach the gift card to that as well. Don't forget to add in some movie size boxes of candy and other goodes to fill the basket. This has always made a nice presentation for me! I love doing gift baskets!

How about a popcorn box for "Movie Night". Add some shredded paper to fill the box and tuck the cards in on top. Just an idea.

Target has the classic red and white plastic popcorn containers right now for a dollar or two. This would go with the movie ticket part of the gift. Add in a package microwavable popcorn and some tissue paper and it makes for a really cute and thoughtful gift. For added fun if you want to spend a little more, add some movie theater sized candy boxes. (can be found at blockbuster)

Hi K.,

Just a couple of ideas that popped to mind... what about wrapping several boxes inside each other to finally arrive at the cards inside the final smallest box?

OR

Give her some card that has clues inside as to where she will find her gift... Like a mini-scavenger hunt I guess. Depends on how good of buddies you are...

I scrapbook and make cards, and I have found that a creative way is to use that to gift wrap the gift cards.

On a card I will scrap on top of the card in a festive way, and use a decorated library envelope (the kind you use to put library check out cards in) to adheare to the top or inside of the card, usually stuck with a cute pull out tab with ribbons on it.

Another way if I am including a physical gift with the card, is I make a mini scrapbook, and on the inside cover I will adheare the library envelope and use the same idea, only I will dedicate my work to the person on the library card with the pull out tag and attatched gift card.

Hope this helps.

Movie Theme: Place certificates/tickets in an old-style red and white striped popcorn box; assuming you give it to her in person, you could pop some non buttered/ air-popped popcorn as filler. At craft store you can get cellophane basket wraps (not the shrink wrap kind, but more like a big sandwich bag) and tie it off at the top with a bow.

Mexican Restaurant Theme: Buy plain white or brown/kraft box and glue mexican themed images on box (use modge-podge if you'd like).

OR, buy an Old El Paso Taco Kit at grocery store, open very carefully on one end, remove all food items, stuff with tissue paper and place certificates, etc. inside. Seal end of box with double sided tape. Put bow on it. She'll be a little surprised and question why you got her a taco kit for christmas.

Some stores have some cute Popcorn containers. Buy some movie candies and popcorn and put those as well as some salsa or something like that in the popcorn container and wrap it. It looks fun and I know I would appreciate the thought and time that you put into the gift. I hope this helps!