Give Gift Cards This Year to Help Out Lubbock Businesses

Trying to find the perfect gift for someone in your family can be a stressful, daunting and obnoxious task. There's always the one person who's impossible to buy for, or maybe you don't know the person well enough to give them something really personal. That's usually where gift cards come in.

While gift cards are not known for being the most thoughtful gift, 2020 is much different from all the years before it. Gift cards could be one of the best ways to ensure your favorite spots make it through the pandemic.

This year has been full of setbacks, closures and layoffs, crushing small businesses and the service industry. The tremendous strain will be felt even more this holiday season, making this the perfect year to support Lubbock businesses and give everyone in your life a gift card to their favorite local establishment.

When you buy a gift card, you help a business upfront and right away, not just when the gift card is redeemed. If your great uncle never ends up going to that little Thai place you love, it doesn't matter. You will have already helped that restaurant just by buying him a gift card (and screw him, that place is great).

I honestly love gift cards, pandemic or not. Gift cards are fabulous, and when you give me a gift card, I don't have to pretend to honestly like the itchy cat sweater that you swore up and down I would love. I don't love it. I do, however, love to support local and small businesses.

Let's end 2020 on a high note and give a leg up to those in our community that've had it the worst. Please take local businesses into consideration when buying gifts this season and don't be afraid to give a gift card. Those can come from the heart, too.