Surprise someone with a gift by hiding it inside a birthday card. The most common gifts that fit inside cards are gift certificates and good, old-fashioned cash. With some thought and planning, you can come up with cute, unique gifts the birthday person will enjoy and remember for years to come.

Tickets to a theatrical performance, musical concert, movie theater or museum make a memorable birthday gift. If the tickets are for a specific event date, make sure the birthday person is available or the tickets are exchangeable for an alternate date. Two tickets should suffice, but check with family and friends to see if they are interested in participating. If so, the cost should be divided by the group attending the event.

Make the birthday person work for her gift. Create a scavenger hunt on index cards with clues that will lead her closer to the present. For a unique twist to the game, take her out for a night on the town. Hide the clues beforehand or ask staff at the venues to play along. Include traditional nightspots such as a restaurant, movie theater and dance club but throw in funny stops such as a convenience store or car wash to keep her guessing. Each stop should hold a clue toward the gift. If the night on the town is the real gift, purchase a gag gift to award when all the clues are solved.

I.O.U. Coupons add a personal touch to gift giving. Novelty stores sell booklets with pre-made coupons that have fill in the blanks with sayings such as, “Person’s Name has the night off from dishwashing”. Homemade coupons work just as well. Coupons should be geared toward the birthday person’s age and relationship to you. For example, a teenager would appreciate a coupon from his parents that excuses him from weekend chores, a child might enjoy a day with mom or dad and a wife or mother would love a coupon from her husband for a home-cooked meal or free babysitting from her babysitter.

Most people are fans of celebrities. Find out the birthday person’s favorite singer, actor or sports figure and see if you can get an authentic autographed picture that will fit inside a birthday card. If the picture is too big for a standard card, buy a jumbo card from a novelty card. If the celebrity is signing at an event in the area, place the unsigned picture inside the card, add a note with details to the event and accompany the birthday person so you can take pictures of the signing.