Every year, people all over the U.S. receive gift cards for the holiday season, and these gift cards can really accumulate if they’re not promptly used. In fact, it’s been estimated that over $1 billion in unused gift cards are left each year.

Many people intend to eventually use their gift cards but end up not doing so because the card has expired, it was lost, or the business has gone out of business. That’s why National Use Your Gift Card Day was created.

This holiday falls on the third Saturday in January and encourages everyone to take their gift cards and use them. Don’t leave money on the table; use those cards!

The History of National Use Your Gift Card Day

This holiday was created in 2020 by Tilson PR. They created this day to remind people to use up those gift cards they just received for the holidays while they still can. Of course, when people use their gift cards, it’s not only good for their bottom line but also for businesses’ bottom line.

Gift cards can help drive traffic, and people who use their gift cards will often spend a little bit more in addition to the value of the card. That can help many businesses with their after-holiday sales slump.

Some Quick Facts About Gift Cards

Now that we’ve identified the problem of people not using their gift cards, let’s take a few moments to learn more about gift cards and how people use them. After doing extensive research, we came up with the following facts that we feel everyone will appreciate.

• Approximately 93% of all Americans have given a gift card to someone at least once in their life.
• In 2019, the most popular gift card was an Amazon Gift Card.
• Almost a third of shoppers’ holiday budgets are spent on gift cards.
• About 7 out of 10 birthday gifts are gift cards.
• Approximately 33% of people have received a gift card that they never used.
• In 2019, over $3 billion in gift cards weren’t used.
• According to research, men spend more than women on gift cards.

Observing National Use Your Gift Card Day

During this holiday, everyone should take the time to use their gift cards. They need to go through their glove compartments, their kitchen drawers, and any other place where they may have stashed those cards, and then take those cards and use them. While they’re doing so, they should also be sure to use the hashtag #NationalUseYourGiftCardDay on social media.