With the holiday season quickly approaching, you may have a long list of family, friends, and acquaintances that you plan to exchange gifts with. While you can take the time to conjure up ideas of the perfect gift for everyone on your list, there’s always a worry that you’ll gift someone something they already have, don’t like, or would rather pick out themselves.
Luckily, one thing nearly everyone can agree on is that receiving money as a gift is always welcomed. Plus, there’s a way to gift money in a thoughtful way that doesn’t lose the personal feel of holiday gift-giving — by using a personal check.
Why Use Checks for Money Gifts?
Simply put, checks are one of the easiest, safest ways to make a monetary gift. They don’t require either party to have an account with an online payment processor and still allow you to offer a physical check for a more meaningful gift-giving experience.
You’ll use the same process to write a check for a gift as you would in any other case. You’ll make the check payable to the gift recipient, and you can choose how much you’d like to gift to each person.
On the memo line, you may write a quick note to add a personal touch, and you can include the date of the holiday you’re celebrating if you’re writing the check ahead of time. Additionally, using themed holiday checks is a great idea to add some festive cheer to your monetary gift.
Keep in mind, if you’re gifting to a child, write the check payable to both the child’s and parent’s name separated with “or” between them. In case the child doesn’t have a bank account or is unable to endorse the check, the parent can still cash it on their behalf.
Holiday Gifting Ideas with Checks
No matter your style of gift-giving, there are plenty of ways to offer checks as a thoughtful gift this holiday season. Here are some ideas that you can consider:
In a Holiday Card
Especially if you need to send a gift to someone who’s located outside your area, mailing the check inside a holiday card is always a simple yet effective option. You can pick out a special card for the intended recipient and leave a thoughtful note to accompany your gift.
Inside a Book
Maybe you want to offer a small, meaningful gift aside from the check. In this case, you could purchase a book and use the check as a bookmark as a nice surprise for the recipient when they crack it open.
This works for people of all ages, and you can almost always find a book that caters to the person’s interests. Plus, the front cover of the book gives you a little more space to include a handwritten note compared to the memo line on the check itself.
Placed in a Stocking or Gift Box
You can also include a check as part of a larger gift basket or collection of small items in a stocking. For instance, you could place the check in a small gift tin alongside candies, a candle, socks, mugs, or other small gifts, still allowing you to offer that personal touch with the bonus of a financial gift.
