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NATIONAL USE YOUR GIFT CARD DAY

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National Use Your Gift Card Day reminds Americans to use the $1 billion in gift cards left unused each year. On the third Saturday in January, take stock of the gift cards you received over the holidays. Make the most of each one of them before they’re forgotten for good!

Amazon Top 100 gifts
Amazon Top 100 Gifts

We all do it. Stash away gift cards thinking we will have more time later to use them. They collect dust and disappear into an abyss somewhere. We discover them as we clean and often don’t remember how much was on the card or if we used a portion of it. Those partial balances add up, too!  The first step is to collect the cards together and see what you have. You know where to look.

  • Every pocket of every purse and wallet you have
  • The infamous junk drawer
  • Glove compartment of the car
  • Bottom of the toy box (it may have been used to scrape goo off a toy)
  • The other junk drawer
  • A gift bag with the tissue paper still in it
  • The toolbox (we know what happens when a flathead screwdriver can’t be found)

Once you have your gift cards, get organized. Where do the gift cards work? Restaurants, retail, and services all offer gift cards. Some gift cards are designed to be used just about anywhere.

Coach Women's Katy Satchel#UseYourGiftCardDay
Coach Women’s Katy Satchel
Dooney & Bourke Handbag, Quincey Beacon Tote#UseYourGiftCardDay
Dooney & Bourke Handbag, Quincey Beacon Tote
Michael Kors Charlotte Large 3-in-1 Tote Crossbody Handbag Leather#UseYourGiftCardDay
Michael Kors Charlotte Large 3-in-1 Tote Crossbody Handbag Leather
Kate Spade Leila Medium Triple Compartment Satchel Women's Leather Handbag#UseYourGiftCardDay
Kate Spade Leila Medium Triple Compartment Satchel Women’s Leather Handbag
Maximizing Your Gift
  • Check for deals to maximize your gift cards. In most cases, gift cards work just like cash and can be used with coupons. There are exceptions, however, so it’s always good to check first.
  • Is the card to a place you don’t shop? You have a few options:
    • See if the card is good at a companion location
    • Check to see if the gift card can be cashed out
    • Have a gift card swap party or sell your gift card for cash
    • Donate your gift card to a charity fundraiser like a silent auction
  • Plan to overspend the amount of the gift card to avoid having small balances lying around. Even if you add a small useful item (lip balm is always handy) to go a penny over the amount, you’ll be able to hand the card over to the retailer to recycle the card.

NATIONAL USE YOUR GIFT CARD DAY HISTORY

Tilson PR founded National Use Your Gift Card Day in 2020 to make sure everyone gets the most out of their gift cards. Leave no gift card unturned and find tips, ideas, and deals by visiting useyourgiftcard.com, too.

HOW TO OBSERVE #UseYourGiftCardDay

Collect your gift cards. It’s time to use them. Don’t let them sit for a year and risk losing your gift altogether. Maximize your gift cards with deals and get the most out of your gift cards, too. Have a shopping spree or a spa day with your gift cards. Don’t let those gifts and savings pass you by! Use #UseYourGiftCardDay to share on social media.

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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE DAY

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Pledge of Allegiance Day on December 28th commemorates the date Congress adopted the “The Pledge” into the United States Flag Code. 

Congress formally gave recognition for the Pledge of Allegiance on December 28, 1945. Francis Bellamy receives credit for writing the Pledge of Allegiance. The Youth’s Companion, a magazine for young people, first published it anonymously on September 8, 1892, under the title “The Pledge.” It was written in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America.

In 1923 and 1924, the National Flag Conference inserted text of the pledge into legislation. Though modifications were made, the pledge remained nearly the same. At the same time, the conference didn’t designate it as the official pledge. In its original form, it read:

“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The small changes resulted in this version:

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

On Flag Day in 1954, Congress added the words “under God” in response to the anti-Communist opinion sweeping the country during the Cold War.

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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE DAY HISTORY

Over the years, various attempts to create a national day honoring the Pledge of Allegiance have reached Congress. Others have failed. Around the country, Pledge Days, large and small, focused on the history of the pledge, the flag, and the Nation as a whole. We recount some of those efforts below. Interestingly, none of the exercises in patriotism point to a holiday taking place on December 28th. 

Grade School Movement

In the 1970s, a movement took root aimed to set Pledge of Allegiance Day on April 30th. The significance of the date points to President George Washington’s inauguration on April 30, 1789. The third-grade students and their teacher, Mrs. Priore from Cleveland Hill School in Cheektowaga, NY, launched the campaign. Their campaign gained some ground with editorials and articles published across the country. However, their efforts never resulted in any continuing observance.

Congressional Designations

In 1982, Congress received a submission for National Pledge of Allegiance Day, but they took no action.

That same decade, the House reviewed a Joint Resolution to designate September 8, 1988, as Francis Bellamy Pledge of Allegiance Day. While they referred the document to the Post Office and Civil Service Committee for review, no further action resulted.

The following year, National Pledge of Allegiance Day returned. The House passed H.J.Res. 253 designating September 8, 1989, as National Pledge of Allegiance Day in commemoration of the first day “The Pledge” appeared in print. The resolution also called for the Pledge of Allegiance to be included in the 500th anniversary commemorative activities celebrating the discovery of America. The anniversary took place in 1992. That year, a commemorative stamp was issued.

In 2004, the Senate passed Resolution 378 designating June 14, 2004, as National Pledge of Allegiance as a way to reaffirm the United States flag as a unique symbol of the United States and its ideals.

More to Explore…

HOW TO OBSERVE #PledgeOfAllegianceDay

Learn more about the Pledge of Allegiance, its history and what it means. Recite the pledge. Use #PledgeOfAllegianceDay to post on social media.

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