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Category: Birthdays

Choose the gift you really want with a gift card from Gift Card Registry

Posted on by Hamish McCracken

Do you smile and gasp with delight when you are given a gift? If you are the giver do you hope to hear squeals of delight and a positive reaction?

Of course, whether we are givers or receivers we want to see the recipient experience a happy response to our gift!  Research shows that our anticipated reactions are a critical factor in what we choose for gift giving.^

Looking for a smile

Givers have a ‘smile-seeking’ motive for their choice of gift while receivers are hoping for something they want. The two experiences don’t always match!

Researchers found gift-givers choose gifts they expect to produce smiles or gasps of joy, but people receiving them prefer gifts which will make them happy over the long-term.

Books and money are most preferred

When 80 people were asked for their favourite gifts, they nominated books and money as first preference. Long-term gifts like money or a gift card are always well-received as they give the recipients the opportunity to choose their own gift – something they really want.

Findings from Blackhawk Network’s Online and Mobile Gifting survey of more than 1,100 U.S. consumers revealed that physical gift cards are the most popular choice for gift card giving.^^

Gift Card Registry makes gifting easy

To ensure your gift recipient can choose whatever they want for a big occasion gift, set up a Gift Card Registry for friends and family to contribute their gifts.

Once the gifting period is over, the recipient will receive a prepaid Mastercard loaded with the gifted funds, ready to use online or at any merchant that accepts Mastercard.

Gift cards make it easy to choose a gift

Give them the choice to use the funds for their own special gift or project which may be a wedding, travel, a house deposit, further education, honeymoon, baby equipment, home furnishings or appliances – the list is unlimited.

Gift Card Registry is easy to set up and makes gift giving easy and secure. You can use a registry for any occasion:

With the popular choice for gifting being the gift you choose yourself, promote a ‘smile-seeking’ reaction and choose a Gift Card registry for the special occasion.

To find out more and see a sample registry, go to giftcardregistry.com.au or phone 1300 354 632.

 

References:

^The Smile-Seeking Hypothesis: How Immediate Affective Reactions Motivate and Reward Gift Giving. Adelle X. Yang, Oleg Urminsky, 2018. Published in Psychological Science. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797618761373

^^Blackhawk Network 2018 Consumer Gift Card Preferences report. Available from: https://blackhawknetwork.com/consumer-gift-card-preferences/

Busy Finding the Best 21st Birthday Gifts? Read These Helpful Tips

Posted on by Hamish McCracken

Birthdays are special milestones in life, and in Australia, we put special emphasis on the 18th birthday and, in particular, the 21st birthday. While the significance of turning 21 has its roots in medieval times when young men were preparing for knighthood. Today, one’s 21st birthday is important regardless of your gender. Given this, you’re probably putting additional effort and thought into arranging a 21st birthday gift and celebration for your loved one or friend. With this in mind, explore these 21st birthday party ideas and gift ideas to inspire your celebration.

21st birthday party ideas

An intimate at-home birthday party with a simple barbeque might be exactly what your loved one or friend wants for their 21st birthday, but what about doing something different, like a themed party? Consider these 21st birthday party ideas:

  • Fun themes – Fun themes for a 21st could be a slumber party, Stranger Things, spa party at home, the 1980s, disco, a wig party, Game of Thrones, or The Great Gatsby. You could have a dress-up party based on a favourite show, movie, or cultural figure. Make sure the guests’ outfits as well as the food and decorations match the theme.
  • Decorations – Some great 21st birthday decoration ideas include a guest book wall for writing messages, personalised napkins and cups, or a carnival in a tent.
  • Food – A taco bar, a chocolate station, nacho bar, or ice cream bar are some creative ways to serve your snacks. For drinks, use ice-filled wheelbarrows or buckets. Fill up glass drink dispensers decorated with floral rings to let guests serve themselves, or use individual mason jars for single, ready-to-go servings.

If you’re organising your own birthday party, consider arranging a 21st birthday registry, especially if you don’t want unwanted gifts and prefer the flexibility of a gift card. This makes it easier for your guests as well!

 

21st birthday gift ideas

Have you been invited to a 21st birthday party? Check whether your friend or loved one has set up a birthday registry. If not, you’ll be bringing a gift. These 21st present ideas can inspire you to give a great gift your friend or family member will love.

 

  1. Experiential gifts

    Whether it’s a day trip voucher or a whole weekend getaway, your gift of experience gives the birthday person a chance to create amazing memories:

  • Wildlife and nature – Give an experiential voucher for a day swimming with the dolphins, whale watching, or snorkeling in the ocean. Alternatively, you could give them a boat ride on the water or the chance to take a scenic flight in a hired plane or helicopter
  • Gaming – A session of gaming with mini-golf, escape room, virtual reality gaming, clay shooting, or paintball could be a fun gift for someone celebrating their 21st.
  • Outdoors and action – Indoor skydiving, rock climbing, quad bike adventuring, drag racing, skiing, or even white water rafting are some fun gift ideas for those who love the outdoors.

  1. House and home

    For the homebodies, gifts for the house and home. For example, for a keen cook, you could buy a premium kitchen appliance. Alternatively, a stylish throw, a monogrammed plush blanket, a glass terrarium, or a piece of artwork for the wall could be amazing 21st birthday gift ideas.

  2. Beauty and fashion

    Your loved one or friend might love receiving a piece of jewellery, a fashion item, or luxurious face cream.

  • Fashion – Have you ever come across an outfit and thought it would be perfect for someone you know? Sizing and fit can be hard to get right with a fashion gift, but an easy way to get around this is to give them a gift card from their favourite label and let them choose.
  • Jewellery and accessories – A weekend bag, a new purse or wallet, and a necklace could be excellent 21st birthday present ideas for someone who loves jewellery and accessories.
  • Beauty and makeup – Makeup brushes, premium face masks, and men’s skincare sets could all be wonderful 21st birthday gift ideas for your loved one or friend.

  1. Gadgets and technology

    If your friend is a tech enthusiast, give them a gadget they’ll love and use. For students, a lightweight ultrabook or tablet can make their uni life easier. A tablet could also be an excellent 21st present idea if the recipient enjoys consuming media like streaming movies or shows. Your loved one might appreciate a new phone, Bluetooth speakers, or smart home device. If they’re into fitness, a wearable fitness tracker could make the perfect gift.

  2. Learning and courses

    Learning a new skill can be a rewarding experience. Think about their hobbies and interests, and give your friend a voucher for a short course or seminar on a subject they love. For example, in arts and crafts, there are ceramic, jewellery-making, embroidery, and life-drawing courses. Cooking courses encompass everything from vegan cooking and baking bread to pasta making and brewing your own kombucha. Other ideas could be personal-development seminars, an appointment with a financial advisor, writing courses, and bee-keeping classes.

  1. Gaming and recreation

    PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo are the best-selling gaming consoles. While these gaming systems are excellent non-toy gifts for teens and younger kids, they’re also designed for adults who love gaming. You’ll be able to find a huge variety of popular games for adults to go with the console. Other recreation-related gift ideas to consider include drones, professional cameras, a book in their favourite subject area, and painting and water-colouring sets.

Tips for presenting your gift

Once you’ve settled on a gift, you can get the gift ready. Pick a card and consider the birthday message you’d like to write. A message that reflects your relationship, friendship, and history together helps you express your 21st birthday wishes to your friend.

Choosing a suitable card is important. Opting for a minimalist card design gives your gift a modern, sleek presentation, while a card with a comical, funny message might better reflect your friendship. You can choose a card with landscape photos, famous paintings, or themes that reflect the recipient’s interests. Choose festive, colourful, or minimalist wrapping to match your card. Depending on your relationship, a bouquet of flowers might complement your gift presentation.

Conclusion

For making 21st birthday wishes, consider your friend or loved one’s interests and hobbies, and narrow down your gift ideas from there. From the practical to the experiential, you can find something wonderful to delight the recipient on their special day. Ultimately, as always, it’s the thought that counts, but putting careful thought into a birthday gift allows you to express appreciation and express your gratitude for their presence in your life.

Gift Card Registry, a division of Zenith Payments, offers a convenient way for anyone celebrating a birthday to make things easier for their friends and loved ones when it comes to gift shopping. Instead of receiving unwanted gifts, you can have them contribute to your special day. As the leading prepaid card provider in Australia, Zenith Payments have been in operation since 1984 and were the first to launch prepaid cards Australia in 2006. 300 of the top 500 companies use our services. Experience our best-in-class service standards for yourself by creating a gift card registry now. Alternatively, contact us with any questions you may have about our service, and we’d be pleased to assist you.

Your own Gift Card Registry makes a 21st easy

Posted on by Hamish McCracken

If you’re organising a 21st celebration, you can encourage others to contribute to a prepaid Mastercard at Gift Card Registry (giftcardregistry.com.au). Set up a registry for the birthday and guests can contribute as they wish, so the recipient receives the combined amount on a gift card. They’ll be delighted to choose what they really want.

Who are Gen Z?

These young people show they are concerned about social issues and the environment. Gen Z want to make their views count.

Unpredictable to others, they may play up, play down, or challenge what is expected of them, both in their personal and public lives.

What do Gen Z’s really care about?

Here’s a list of their priorities from a recent survey:

  •  The human causes of climate change, with their main concerns being pollution (65 percent), deforestation (53 percent) and greenhouse gas emissions (46 percent).
  •  96 percent said they are willing to speak out and take action, both personally and professionally, to combat climate change.
  •  57 percent would purchase products from companies doing the right thing to address the potential impact of climate change.
  • 51 percent would tell others to purchase the company’s products
  • 39 percent would not support competitors who did not do the right thing.

Gen Z prefers cool products

The US survey of the attitudes, behaviours and values of the Gen Z post-millennial generation showed that Gen Z’s actually prefer cool products over cool experiences and are likely to purchase gifts that fit with their beliefs.

On their birthday, a gift card that allows them to buy what they want, where they want, is the ideal gift.

Gift cards empower the recipient

So when you are invited to a 21st, show you understand their independence and their challenges by giving a gift card. They’ll appreciate the coolest gift of all and thank you for your thoughtfulness!

To view the range of gift cards and order, visit giftcardstore.com.au.

To set up a gift registry, visit giftcardregistry.com.au.

Reference:

Global communications firm Edelman interviewed 1,000 young Americans, ages 16-22 (Gen Z) and ages 23-38 (Millennials), in August 2019 ahead of the 74th UN General Assembly. Find out more: https://www.edelman.com/news-awards/new-survey-reveals-strong-support-of-united-nations-from-millennials

A gift with all the right numbers – makes it lucky!

Posted on by Hamish McCracken

You’re invited… to a wedding and you immediately start thinking about the wedding gift your friends would like. If the wedding couple are of a different culture to your own, its helpful to know about lucky numbers because if you contribute money to their gift registry, make it a lucky amount!

Australians are a multi-cultural society, with more than 75% identifying with an ancestry other than Australian and about 45% having at least one parent who was born overseas.

Lucky number for multicultural weddings

Here are a few tips to make sure you pick the right lucky numbers for the culture of the happy couple.

Chinese. Eight is a particularly auspicious number. Even numbers are better than odd numbers, except four which should be avoided because in the Chinese language, four sounds similar to death. In China, 666 is an auspicious number as it can mean “Everything goes smoothly”.

If giving cash, the notes should always be new and crisp. Folding the money or giving wrinkled bills is in bad taste. Put the money inside a red envelope as red is a lucky colour. Pink and yellow symbolise happiness and gold for fortune and wealth.

Avoid white, black and blue as they symbolise death and should not be used. Never write a Chinese person’s name in red ink as this is considered bad luck.

Hindu. At a Hindu wedding, numbers ending in one are considered lucky, so it is best to give money in denominations ending in one; for example $101, $151 or $201. Cash is preferable when giving money. Never give a gift made of leather as it is sacrilegious.

Buddhist. Giving money in denominations ending in one is also a Buddhist tradition. If you are giving cash, find a traditional red envelope with gold and black lettering to tuck the money inside.

Jewish. Give money in multiples of 18, which is the numerical equivalent to the Hebrew word ‘chai’ that means ‘life’ in English. Get your calculator out and do the math, as depending on your relationship to the couple, you might want to give $144, which is eight times chai, or 11 times chai, which is $198, or any other multiple of 18.

Lucky or unlucky? Pick a number!

Certain numbers can be regarded as lucky in some cultures, but unlucky in others. Here are just a few examples:

Lucky Number 3: China, Sweden, Italy, USA.

Reason: Considered to be lucky in Chinese philosophy. In Sweden, they say: ‘Good things come in threes’. In Italy, 3 represents a triangle, a symbol for strength and balance.

Unlucky Number 3: Vietnam, Japan

Reason: Superstition says that if a photo shows 3 people, the middle person will die.

Lucky Number 4: Germany

Reason: The number matches the number on the lucky ‘four-leaf clover’.

Unlucky Number 4: China, Japan, Vietnam, or any countries with a Chinese or Japanese influence.

Reason: In China and Japan, the word for number four is similar to the Chinese word for death.

Lucky Number 7: UK, USA, France, Netherlands, or any westernised country.

Reason: Biblical references, 7 wonders of the ancient world, 7 planets of the ancient world.

Unlucky Number 7: China, Vietnam, Thailand, or any country with Chinese influences.

Reason: July or ‘the seventh month’ is the month is where people pay respects to the dead.

Lucky Number 8: China, Japan, Vietnam, or any countries with a Chinese or Japanese influence

Reason: The number 8 in both languages sounds similar to ‘prosper and make money’.

Unlucky Number 8: India

Reason: This is the number of Sani which is a relation breaker, peace breaker.

Lucky Number 9: China, Norway

Reason: In China 9 is the number for the emperor. A sacred number in Norwegian mythology.

Unlucky Number 9:  Japan

Reason: The word sounds similar to ‘suffering’.

Lucky Number 13: Italy

Reason: The number represents St. Anthony, the patron saint of finding things or lost people.

Unlucky Number 13: USA, UK, Sweden, Norway, or any westernised country.

Reason: Associated with unlucky events, mainly the Last Supper.

Lucky Number 39: USA, UK, France, or any country that practices Catholicism

Reason: Sometimes regarded as the number of Divine guidance.

Unlucky Number 39: Afghanistan

Reason: Considered to be a curse as it sounds similar to ‘dead cow’.

Lucky Number 666: China

Reason: In China, 666 can mean ‘Everything goes smoothly’.

Unlucky Number 666: USA, UK, Brazil, or any Christian country.

Reason: In the Bible, 666 is the Number of the Beast.

 

With Gift Card Registry, contribute your gift in the luckiest denomination and wish the happy couple a wonderful future.

To find out more about setting up a registry for gift giving phone 1300 354 632 or visit giftcardregistry.com.au.

Buy your own 21st present with the gift of money

Posted on by Hamish McCracken

Everyone loves a birthday, specially a 21st where the celebrations can be so memorable they last a lifetime.

What’s your birthday style – lavish or low key?

Would you like a star-studded event like Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Kylie Jenner? She celebrated her 21st with a lavish party in August 2018, recording her gifts on Snapchat. Her gifts included a 1950s Rolls Royce and a pink Can-Am Spyder 3-wheeled roadster with unicorn print.

Maybe low-key is more your style like global singing sensation Taylor Swift who turned 21 in 2010, Instead of a party, she opted for a quiet celebration with her parents.

Making memories

‘Remember my 21st, when we…’ fill in the gaps, because everyone has a story about a 21st – your own or your best friend’s.

So many gifts, so many of them unwanted! Today’s generation of hashtag followers would rather see an uptick in ‘likes’ than a gift of engraved crystal glasses.

Make gift giving easy for your guests

When you’re invited to a 21st, you immediately think of what you can buy as a gift and make tactful enquiries as to what the birthday celebrant actually wants or might like as a gift.

You will always receive the gift you want with Gift Card Registry – because you choose the gift yourself!

The best gift is something you really want

If you’re planning a 21st, set up a Gift Card Registry to help your friends and family choose the right gift. It’s easy to set up and your guests will appreciate being able to contribute to something you really want.

Go to giftcardregistry.com.au and start the registry today – it is free to set up online. Each guest is invited to contribute to a total instead of buying individual presents. The total amount is loaded onto a prepaid Mastercard that will be sent to you after the party is over. You can set up a thank you email that they will receive once they have added their gift.

Prepaid cards are more secure than cash

The prepaid Mastercard is loaded with the total contributions on one easy-to-use card, so you don’t have to worry about keeping cash secure. And when the party is over, you can have the pleasure of buying the gift you really want for yourself.

Don’t settle for kitchen appliances, jewellery or homewares, think about the big-ticket items that you can use the money for – education, travel or even towards a deposit on your future home.

Gift Card Registry gives you so many options to make your 21stt one to remember.

What do others do for their 21st birthday parties? Check out the 21st celebrations of celebrities to get an idea of how the rich and famous celebrate!

Celebrities with low key 21st celebrations

Singer Rihanna’s 21st in 2009 was low-key. She organised a movie night followed by a house party in the Hollywood Hills.

Superstar Adele celebrated her 21st birthday on stage in New York City where her mother surprised her and her audience with a mega-birthday cake and balloons.

Super celebrations for the stars

Mega-star Justin Bieber was paid to attend his own 21st party in 2015 at a nightclub in Las Vegas.

Actress and singer Miley Cyrus held a lavish party in West Hollywood for her 21st in 2013 and her big-ticket item was a motorcycle from her father Billy Ray Cyrus.

Famous for being famous celebrity Paris Hilton was not satisfied with just one 21st party in 2002, she had celebrations all over the world with events in Las Vegas, New York, Paris, London, Tokyo and Los Angeles. Her big-ticket item was a silver Porsche and fans from all over the world sent her jewellery, cute teddy bears, and huge bouquets of flowers.

Choose your own style

Your 21st is one to remember, so choose your own style to celebrate the big event. And make it easy for your guests to give you a gift when you create your own gift registry.

Find out more at www.giftcardregistry.com.au or call 1300 354 632.

No more toys – kids’ parties discover Gift Card Registry for special gifts

Posted on by Hamish McCracken

Everyone loves a party! From toddler to teenager, parties are the highlight of the year for every child. Once organised by parents as a simple get together at home, today’s children’s parties have become like mini-adult events.

What used to involve a few balloons, party games, some sweet snacks and lots of presents, has now become a creative production with jumping castles, clown entertainers and an elaborate cake.

Parents are looking for an easier solution to celebrating their child’s birthday and one aspect of the move to simple planning is to ditch the presents and use Gift Card Registry.

Kids’ parties are major events

Organising a children’s birthday party in the age of social media is like planning a major event, inviting the right people and designing the right theme for the age group and the circle of friends and family. Having the on-trend food, the appropriate games and lots of prizes for everyone are all on the party priority check list.

Children’s parties that invite every child in the playgroup or classroom are mentioned on Facebook, add followers on Instagram and have become key highlights for any children’s party.

Parties and social media

Parents can now engage a party planner or book the party as an event at the local restaurant to ensure it will be talked about by parents and children long after the occasion. With fun photos uploaded to Facebook or Instagram, your child’s party can be talked about on social media long after the event.

Parents looking for an alternative solution are connecting with online Gift Card Registry to set up a wish gift for their child’s birthday celebrations.

Refocus gift giving with Gift Card Registry

From toddler parties to pre-teen celebrations, all children love a party and gifts are a traditional focus whatever the age.

Gift Card Registry gives parents the opportunity to refocus the gift giving to help children plan for major purchases or life events. If you’re over the excessive gifts of toys and would rather have a special gift wish, Gift Card Registry has the answer.

The gift wish makes giving special

Using Gift Card Registry can help children understand the value of saving money for a special purpose.

  1. For younger children, suggest contributions for a special gift like a bike, musical instrument, sports equipment.
  2. For pre-teens or younger teenagers, the focus can be education – TAFE or university.
  3. For older teenagers soon to leave secondary school, the experience of an overseas trip during a gap year can be a great reason to use Gift Card Registry.
  4. For any children, suggest giving to others who need a hand. Sponsoring a child overseas is a great way for children to understand that they can help others.

Make gift giving easy

Break with tradition and set up a Gift Card Registry for your child’s birthday. Let the guests coming to the party know that you would prefer they don’t bring presents but donate to the online Gift Registry. Send them a link to your registry at giftcardregistry.com.au where they can write a message to the birthday child and make a contribution to the wish gift.

Let them know that the total amount will be loaded onto a prepaid Mastercard that will be used for the special gift for your child, or their special project to help others.

Friends and family may appreciate not having to buy a present for the child and can use the occasion to explain the idea to their children.

You will receive a prepaid Mastercard loaded with the gifted funds, ready to use online or at any merchant that accepts Mastercard. The choice is yours to use the funds for the special gift or project for your child.

To set up a Gift Card Registry for your child’s birthday, go to giftcardregistry.com.au or call 1300 354 632.

Top 10 ideas to celebrate a milestone birthday!

Posted on by Hamish McCracken

You can’t avoid it, so make the most of it! When it’s your ‘Big 0’ Birthday, it’s time to celebrate.

Whether the celebration is for a 20th or 80th birthday any double-digit number that ends with a zero is special, so make it one to remember!

No one likes to be reminded they are growing older, so if there’s a milestone birthday coming up and you’re planning a celebration for a friend or family member’s special birthday, make sure they want it acknowledged. Or organise a surprise party for them to join the fun.

Milestones add up for birthday avoiders

Adding up the years is sometimes not an occasion some people want remembered. They would rather ignore the passage of time and hope no one realises their true age. If you are making plans to celebrate a special occasion with a birthday-avoider, you will need all your charm to convince them to observe their milestone.

Gift Card Registry is the answer for gift giving

Suggest using Gift Card Registry for friends and family to contribute. Gift Card Registry is perfect for when the birthday celebrant says ‘No gifts!’ Make it easy for the guests to contribute to a prepaid gift card so the recipient can buy what they want, when they want.

And if they really don’t want a gift, they can donate their gift card to a worthy charity!

When you are organising the celebration, go online to giftcardregistry.com.au and set up a registry for the birthday celebration.

You can then send a link to all the guests so they can go online and contribute to the prepaid Mastercard gift card. Guests can also leave an online message for the birthday celebrant.

Gift Card Registry makes it easy to give and guests will thank you for not having to shop for a present. Your birthday celebrant can then use the card for something they really want.

Low-key or memorable milestone?

Milestone birthdays can be low-key or a memorable celebration.

When you are planning a milestone birthday, make the celebration about the birthday celebrant and keep it in style with their preferences.

10 party ideas for any milestone, from 20 to 100

  1. Surprise Party – the party you organise when the birthday celebrant doesn’t want their birthday recognised. The key to a successful surprise party is keeping it a secret from the star guest. Surprise parties can borrow ideas from other party themes, it’s just that planning for the event must be kept to a few trusted friends or family.
  2. Day Cruise – a river or harbour cruise can be a great way to celebrate. Check out party boats that you can hire for the event.
  3. Luxury party – could be a night at a classy hotel, a high tea, an indulgent spa session or a stage show. Make it something luxurious to remember for years. Look for special hotel deals.
  4. Road Trip – Australia has so many scenic destinations that would make a memorable road trip at any age. Plan ahead for your on-road adventure. Take a tent and make it a camping trip. Ideal for small groups.
  5. Destination unknown – for an adventurous birthday consider a mystery break. Check your preferred airline for details of their mystery short break escapes. Great for small groups who would enjoy a surprise destination for a celebration.
  6. A vintage year – Focus on the year they were born for a great theme for a dress up party. Friends of similar age will have fun looking for outfits from the era they were born whether it was 20, 30, 40 or more years ago. Research special events that happened that year as a theme.
  7. Early bird party – a party for any age, particularly if children are attending. Make an early start – breakfast or brunch – so you can continue to celebrate into the afternoon and evening if everyone’s enjoying themselves.
  8. Pool party – a family favourite. Hold this one at the home with the biggest pool! A barbecue in the backyard is an Aussie tradition and the easiest of all parties.
  9. Bring a plate – the ultimate low key, no fuss, easy party. Friends chip in to bring a plate or easier still, just order pizzas for a night of fun.
  10. Fundraising party – for the birthday avoiders who are reluctant to party, suggest having an event to fundraise for their favourite charity. Set up a Gift Card Registry for the donations and make the party a great way to help others!

To set up a Gift Card Registry, go to giftcardregistry.com.au or call 1300 354 632.