Creative Ways to Give Money as a Gift (and Make a Gift Card Personal)

Is cash a good gift? Etiquette by relationship

Yes, in the right situations. Gift cards lead the wish list in NRF's October 2026 holiday survey, at 47%, ahead of clothing at 44%. Whether it suits your situation depends mostly on the person.

These are our suggestions, not rules. If a family or culture has its own customs, such as giving money at weddings or holidays, follow those. When you are not sure, ask a relative who knows the person well.

12 creative ways to present cash

1. Fold bills into origami shapes, such as a heart or a shirt, and tuck them in a card.
2. Roll bills into a lei or ribbon for a graduate.
3. Hide bills inside a hollowed-out or small box, like a puzzle box with a note.
4. Tape bills to a balloon inside a box, so they pop out when it is opened.
5. Wrap bills around a candy bar or a favorite snack with a tag that says "Sweet deal."
6. Tuck cash inside a book at a chapter that matters to the person.
7. Create a money tree by attaching folded bills to a small branch in a pot.
8. Put a few bills in a clear ornament for the tree.
9. Hide cash in a paper-chain or scavenger hunt, with the last clue leading to the envelope.
10. Put coins and bills in a jar labeled with the goal, like "Trip fund."
11. Write a short letter and tuck the money inside the folded paper.
12. Wrap the money inside a series of nested boxes, each smaller than the last.

How to make a gift card feel personal

A gift card feels generic when it arrives with no context. Three small steps fix that. First, pick a place the person actually uses. Second, write a note that says why you chose it, such as "For your coffee run on a long shift." Third, add a small item that goes with it.

• A coffee card with a travel mug or a small bag of beans.
• A restaurant card with a handwritten note suggesting a date night.
• A bookstore card with a bookmark, tied to a favorite author.
• A streaming or game card tucked into a small box with snacks.
• A garden or hardware store card with a plant or a pair of work gloves.

For ideas on what to pair with it, see our gifts under $25, which are easy to tuck in beside a card.

Digital money gifts: apps and etiquette

Sending money by app is fast and works for long-distance gifts, last-minute presents and relatives who live far away. The downside is that it can feel like a payment instead of a present, so the message matters even more.

• Add a note with the transfer that says what the gift is for and why you chose it.
• Send a printed or emailed card at the same time so there is something to open.
• Use the recipient's usual payment app and double-check their handle before sending.
• Skip digital gifts for older relatives who are not comfortable with the app, and send a check or a card instead.

Gifts for kids and teens: savings bonds

A savings bond is a lasting present for a child, though it is not for every family. According to TreasuryDirect, both you and the recipient need a TreasuryDirect account to give an electronic bond, and you must hold the bond in your account for at least five business days before delivering it.

A child under 18 can have a TreasuryDirect account if a parent or another adult custodian with an account sets up a linked account for them. TreasuryDirect says the only way to get a paper savings bond is to use your IRS tax refund, and paper Series I bonds come in $50 to $1,000 denominations. Check TreasuryDirect for the current rules before you plan the gift.

For teens, cash or a card often makes more sense, and our gifts for teens guide shows what else is on their wish lists.

Gift tax basics for larger gifts

For most holiday and birthday amounts, gift tax is rarely a concern. The IRS lists the 2026 annual gift tax exclusion as $19,000 per recipient. Gifts above that amount can involve special reporting, so it is worth knowing the number before you give a large sum.