Print-on-demand presents?

October 21, 2009 12:27 PM

Is there such a thing as an online vendor from whom I can purchase print-on-demand gift certificates as a wedding gift that I can put in today's mail?

So I have some friends who were married several weeks ago and I couldn't go to the wedding. Mainly out of forgetfulness (with a touch of lazy), I have not yet procured a gift. They've said they don't really want gifts but I still wanted to send a token of some sort. The couple is in their late 40s who already have an established home and children and don't need appliances or other things to get their household started. They live in another town so I'd like to mail them a modest gift card or certificate -- something fun or sweet and appropriate for a newly married couple, that they can use online or at some kind of specialty retailer.

I've had the wedding card here waiting to be sent for some time, so if there's a way I can print off a gift cert. today that would be ideal -- instead of ordering something and waiting for it to come to me before I can send it. I'm not interested in generic retailers like Amazon, Target, William Sonoma, etc. Also not interested in "(Edible thing) of the Month" arrangements. I'm thinking more along the lines of a certificate for something like wines, desserts, interesting/odd household items, or other newlyweddish stuff. Anyone have ideas?

posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy to shopping (8 comments total)

Restaurant.com? (or is it Restaurants.com?)
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 12:33 PM on October 21

Send them a Rwandan peace plantation, an acre of rainforest, or tranform the life of an Indian street child:

http://goodgifts.org/

(They do ECards)
posted by memebake at 12:49 PM on October 21

Redbox lets you give gift subscriptions, print and mail. Good for "date night" at home.
posted by Mrs_Eep at 2:44 PM on October 21

Scratch that - meant NetFlix (which my family ditched in favor of Redbox...)
posted by Mrs_Eep at 2:44 PM on October 21

Another vote for Restaurant.com, because you can look up their Zip code and see all the places near them.
posted by itsonreserve at 5:40 PM on October 21

Thanks for the suggestions thus far. I was interested in the restaurant.com option but unfortunately there are only a few eateries in their area listed, and I don't think they'd be interested in any of them. I will definitely keep the charity in mind as a backup option. Are there any restaurant sites similar to restaurant.com? Or other options?

Otherwise, (etiquette question) would it be tacky to send a movie theater gift cert. as a wedding gift? I have a theater in my town that's the same company as one near them so that's a gift card option. If it's not weird to send them to the movies that is.
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 6:15 PM on October 21

I'd find the movies a little wierd, unless they are movie geeks - it's sort of an 'everyday' outing, whereas I think of wedding gifts, esp off registry, as something more 'special event'.

You might want to check out iGourmet - they have gift certs which can be emailed to you. They have all sorts of goodies which your friends can choose from - cheeses, desserts, fancy oil...
posted by darsh at 9:38 AM on October 22

Oh for anyone who comes across this thread later: I went ahead with the movie theater gift card and they LOVED it. They said they never get time off to go do anything fun together anymore and they've had enough tchotchkes and "stuff" bestowed on them, so they really appreciated something carefree & experiential.
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 7:34 AM on November 8 [1 favorite has favorites]