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Category: Cards

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/

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.

No more toasters – ask for what you want with Gift Card Registry

Posted on by Hamish McCracken

Organising a wedding is a major logistics operation that calls for short cuts and time saving tips to make the planning as smooth as possible. You’ll save both time and stress with a Gift Card Registry!

More secure than a wishing well

Compared with a store-based Wedding Registry or a Wishing Well at the reception, a Gift Card Registry is the superior way to give and receive because it is secure, convenient, easy to use and saves everyone time. You are not locked into preselecting gifts like traditional registries.

No unwanted gifts

Traditional gift giving has been turned on its head with cutting edge technology and the advantage of a prepaid Mastercard. Setting up a Gift Card Registry means no unwanted gifts and it is more secure than wishing wells and money trees.

Research recommends saying what you want

Research shows that inviting guests to contribute to a wedding fund is preferred by the recipients of the gifts. Studies by Harvard and Stanford researchers and published in Experimental Social Psychology, showed that gift recipients most appreciated receiving money more than receiving a specific gift.^

No surprises, thanks!

Surprises may be exciting but can be a disappointment when you get unwanted presents. With a Gift Card registry, you are sure of getting what you want because you are going to be choosing the gifts.

All the money received on the Registry is transferred to a prepaid Mastercard, ready for you to go on your honeymoon or complete your shopping after the wedding. You can spend it anywhere in the world or online where Mastercard is accepted, a versatile and easy option.

Once your registry has closed, you will be sent the card for you to buy exactly what you both want.

Understanding the gift exchange

The studies on the benefits of explicitness in gift exchange showed that there is a vast difference in perception between gift givers and recipients.

Gift recipients:

  • Appreciated receiving money more than receiving a specific gift.
  • Were more appreciative of gifts they explicitly request.
  • Regarded givers who gave what they had asked for as being more thoughtful.

Gift givers thought:

  • Recipients did not appreciate receiving money as much as receiving a specific gift.
  • Whatever they gave would be equally appreciated.
  • A surprise gift would be appreciated just as much as if it had been chosen by the recipient.
  • Money wouldn’t be appreciated as much as an asked-for gift.

Please give us what we want!

Gift givers failed to realise that people prefer receiving what they want. However, when recipients specified the gift they would like, givers became more willing to purchase the requested gift.

The studies showed that gift recipients were more thankful when receiving a gift they had asked for, rather than one that had been chosen for them by the giver.

Gift Card Registry is the answer to gift giving

Gift Card Registry makes gift giving easy and everyone can be assured that the recipient will get just what they want and it will be appreciated.

It gives the opportunity to give the best possible gift for a wedding, birthday or special occasion because the giver knows that the recipient will be able to buy exactly what they want or need.

Give the gift of choice

Friends and family of the couple to be married can rest assured that they will not need to wonder whether to purchase another toaster or slow cooker, crystal glasses or cushions in the hope the newlyweds will need and like what they have chosen.

The ultimate gift is one of choice for the recipient! Gift givers don’t need to spend days looking for the perfect gift.

Guests will save time and stress by connecting with your Gift Card Registry. Let them know that you appreciate being able to purchase just what you want.

Express appreciation

After the honeymoon when you have had an opportunity to buy what you want using the Gift Card Registry funds, let your guests know how you used the prepaid Mastercard and thank them for their contribution. They like to be appreciated too!

 

Reference:

^Give them what they want: The benefits of explicitness in gift exchange. Francesca Ginoa (Harvard Business), Francis J.Flynn (Stanford Business),  Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 2011.

 

A symbol of love – the enduring promise of a wedding ring

Posted on by Thien Nguyen

A symbol of eternity over generations, the ring remains a beautiful icon of enduring love, a promise of togetherness.

As Elvis sang in the classic wedding ballad ‘She wears my ring to show the world that she belongs to me, to show the world she’s mine eternally’.

Band of gold

The band of gold on the third finger of your left hand not only indicates your marital status and your lifetime commitment to your partner, it links you to the ancient history of the ring as a symbol of perpetual love.

Ancient tradition

Spanning generations, cultures and ancient civilisations, the sentiments symbolised by your ring are steeped in tradition and imbued with promise.

The giving and wearing of a ring is a custom that can be traced as far back as 5000 years. Egyptians regarded the ring as a powerful symbol representing eternal life and love. Papyrus scrolls and ancient relics show evidence of the exchange of braided ‘rings of love’ made of hemp, leather or woven reeds.

The fable of the third finger

Wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand is a custom that dates back to the time of the building of the pyramids, as the Egyptians believed that finger had a special vein connected directly to the heart – the vena amoris or the vein of love. Many people still believe this, but it is more myth than fact as all the fingers in the hand have a similar vein structure.

Partner rings

The exchanging of rings is a relatively recent custom. The single ring worn by the woman was originally a symbol of ‘ownership’, derived from the customs of Europe in the Middle Ages. In the United States, wedding rings were initially only worn by wives, but became customary for both partners during the 20th century. Encouraged by the jewellery industry, the double ring tradition coincided with changes in gender ideology and the women’s movement.

Engagement rings

In the tradition of romantic symbolism, an engagement ring is a sign of affection and intention to take the next step and marry. Often bought by one partner and given to the other – sometimes as a surprise, tends to reflect the style and dreams of the one who purchased it.

Engagement rings have a history independent of the wedding ring, showing the wearer is betrothed and being associated with ownership. Archaeological findings have indicated that cavemen tied braided grass around their partner’s ankles and wrists to keep control of her.

Today, the engagement ring is universally recognised as a symbol of love, a promise of an enduring relationship.

Family rings

The tradition of ‘something old’ is not just a whimsical wedding tradition, but part of an ancient ritual that has endured to symbolise the power of love. Some couples may inherit a family heirloom ring that makes it particularly special to the giver and the recipient.

Choosing a ring

As you plan your wedding, choosing a ring will be added to your To Do List.  Think about your lifestyle. Do you want to wear your rings all day whatever you are doing? Or are you happy to take off your engagement ring because it is too elaborate for day-to-day activities and just wear it for special occasions? Some questions to answer when you are thinking about the ring:

  • Start with a budget. What do you want to spend? One ring or two?
  • What sort of style and design can both of you agree on? Do you want the rings to make a statement or be subtle? The wedding band should complement the engagement ring.
  • What will the rings be made from? Gold (white, rose, yellow), platinum, or mixed metals such as silver. You can even choose silicone.

Lifestyle rings

If you are planning matching rings, consider your partner’s work and regular activities. Some gold or platinum rings may be inappropriate for sportsmen or tradesmen such as a plumber, builder, bricklayer or cabinetmaker. But science has the answer for those who prefer something more practical for their lifestyle – there are now rings made of non-conductive silicone, polished wood or durable tungsten which is stronger than gold.

The gift of a lifetime memory of your wedding day

The one thing from your wedding day that will remind you of that special day and endure for the rest of your life will be your ring. So, your exchange of rings is an enduring gift to each other.

Gift Card Registry makes gift giving easy

While you are both involved in choosing your engagement and wedding rings, think about your family and friends who you are inviting to share the occasion with you. They will want to give you both a gift that will enhance your life together, so suggest they contribute to Gift Card Registry.  Set up a registry for guests that is secure and easy for everyone to use. After the wedding, Gift Card Registry will send the total amount loaded onto a prepaid Mastercard for you to buy the gifts you really want. For details, go to giftcardregistry.com.au, or phone 1300 354 632.

Plan B for the wedding day

Keep the ring safe with either the best man or a ring bearer, but have a Plan B.  Slip a cheap ring (even a curtain ring) in the pocket of another groomsman in case there are any hitches during the ceremony, such as the ring not being found at the right moment – it has happened!