Great on Paper

Consider it an insurance policy against gift-giving disaster: When plucked from one of the coolest shops in town, a gift certificate will net you infinitely more goodwill than a pair of furry slippers, Night at the Museum on DVD, or anything else you may be tempted to buy the people on your holiday list. Of course, sometimes only the three-dimensional will do—in which case, you’ve got our permission to steal the inspired ideas in our Holiday Survival Guide.