Giving money or a voucher as a gift: how to still make it special
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
Giving money often feels like an easy way out. With a piggy bank, a small box, or a treasure chest, you can still turn it into a gift that can be unwrapped.
Someone asks for money. Or you want to be sure that a voucher is the only thing that will actually be used. And then you're standing with a fifty-euro note in your hand and the feeling that you're skipping something. That feeling is only half right: money is often the most practical gift you can give. What's missing is not the value, but the moment of unwrapping.
You can rebuild that moment without it becoming a craft project. Below are four methods that work, with the items you need for them and the question of when to choose which.
Why an envelope falls short
An envelope isn't ugly; it's just done in two seconds. With a gift, half the fun is in the anticipation: holding something, shaking it, guessing. An envelope skips all that and also immediately shows the amount, which can be awkward for some recipients in a room full of people.
You don't have to go far to solve this. All you need is one layer in between: something to put the money in, and something to put that in.
1. In a piggy bank: the gift remains afterwards
The most practical option, especially for children, teenagers, and people saving for something. You give money AND something to keep it in, and the recipient is left with something tangible afterward.
Pay attention to one thing: a piggy bank from which you can't get the money out without breaking it is fun as a joke, but not if the amount is intended for something to be bought next week. Check if there is a stopper or opening at the bottom.
2. In a box that is a gift in itself
The quickest way to “this feels like a gift”: put the money in a box too small for anything else, so the recipient doesn't know what it is for a moment. Fold the banknote tightly and place it under a layer of filling.
Fill the space with 20 mini acrylic decorative hearts (€ 2.00), so it doesn't rattle and you don't immediately see the money when opening.
3. Visible but unattainable: the treasure chest
A variation that works well with children: the money is visible, but there's an action in between. A transparent gold plastic treasure chest of 90 x 63 mm (€ 7.95) shows the banknote or coins while closed. Rolled banknotes with a ribbon around them work better here than flattened notes.
If you want to make a game of it, hide the chest and give a clue every hour. It costs nothing extra and extends a ten-second gift into half an afternoon.
4. If it needs to be sent by post
Money and mail are not an obvious combination: cash in a regular envelope is palpable and visible against the light. Two practical adjustments:
If you send a box with contents, a metallic bubble wrap envelope of 33 x 23 cm (€ 0.80) is the safest choice: the box remains intact and the exterior says nothing about the contents.
If you have the choice, give a voucher or make a transfer for long-distance mail, and save cash for when you are there in person.
The presentation around it
Three small things that make a surprisingly big difference:
Write something with it. “For the trip” or “for that chair you've wanted for a year” turns money into a gift with a purpose. An empty card is a missed opportunity.
Don't give it first. Put the money gift at the back of the line. If the first gift is an amount, the rest will be measured against its value.
Create a moment. A few LED balloons, 5 pieces (€ 2.95) or a name candle (€ 1.00) on the table does more for the atmosphere than more expensive packaging.
How much is appropriate?
There's no table for that, but there's a useful rule of thumb: give roughly what you would spend on a purchased gift for that same person. For a colleague, that's often €10 to €20, for a good friend €25 to €50, and for milestones like an eighteenth birthday, a diploma, or a housewarming, it's higher. If you're giving as a group, agree on an amount per person beforehand and have one person collect it—then no one has to guess.
Get started
The boxes, chests, and envelopes from this article can be found at Gift Packaging & Gift Boxes, Piggy Banks, and Envelopes. For balloons, candles, and decorations, check out Party Supplies. Do you want to know if a specific box is large enough for a voucher or card, or are you looking for a larger quantity for a wedding or anniversary? Just email info@verpakkingdeals.nl, and we'll find the right size.
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