Looking for a cute way to give money as a gift? Instead of just putting it in a card, consider placing it in a balloon along with some confetti or glitter. Place it in a box with a cute toothpick to pop the balloon and reveal the gift. Gifting money doesn’t have be boring!
What You’ll Need to Recreate This Exact Money Gift Idea:
- A small balloon. Too big and it won’t be round or inflate enough to pop properly. These balloons were the perfect size for the box I used.
- Something to inflate the balloon. I used a basketball pump with the needle removed.
- Cash or check. Side note, for my kids, instead of cash I give them notes that the dollar amount will be deposited in their Greenlight accounts.
- Glitter or confetti
- A small funnel to get the glitter inside the balloon. Otherwise you could roll paper into a cone shape to easily get the glitter inside.
- A hinged round box I used this one from Michaels but also found similar boxes on Amazon if Prime shipping is more your speed. The box I used would be the medium from that set of 3.
- A cute toothpick or decorative pick. I was planning to use these pretty heart cupcake topper picks but they were too long so I pulled the sequin heart off of one and hot glued it to a smaller toothpick.
- Hot glue or other adhesive to attach the bow
- Tape to attach the toothpick to the lid. I also used tape to hold the box closed. You could use a sticker or tie ribbon around the box to hold it closed.
- Paper shred – totally unnecessary and there isn’t room for much but mentioning since that’s what I did. I put just a little white and iridescent paper shred under the balloon in the box.
- A small note that says “Pop me” to attach to the inside of the lid. If you want to use the same one I did, use cardstock or paper and print the free printable.
Instructions to Make This Money Balloon Gift:
Set Up the Money Balloon Box:
- Open the hinged round box, add the optional paper shred.
- Print and cut out Pop me printable or create your own note. Attach it to the inside of the lid.
- If you want the exact popping pick I used, remove the sequin heart from the cupcake topper pick and attach it to a toothpick with hot glue.
- Tape the popping pick to the inside of the lid over the pop me tag.
- Attach letter sticker to the top of the money balloon box
- Glue ribbon bow to the top of the box
Prepare the Money Balloon:
- Start by folding the money, rolling it tightly, and carefully inserting it into the balloon.
- Place glitter or confetti inside the balloon using a small funnel or create a funnel by rolling a small piece of paper into a cone shape.
- Wait until the day of gifting to inflate the balloon so it doesn’t lose air.
- Inflate the balloon to the size of the box and tie it tightly. I pushed the knot as close to the inflated side of the balloon as I could to create the round look and make sure it wasn’t loosely filled because my test run without doing this didn’t pop, it just deflated. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you’re using the exact balloon and box I used, you’ll want it to be full enough that the box won’t close without pressure, but not so full that it pops when you close it. If the balloon isn’t full enough, it won’t pop the way you want it to. You may want to do a few test (empty) balloons to get the right inflation and tightness of the knot for the dramatic pop you want.
- Place the balloon inside the box. Again, make sure it fits snugly.
- Use tape or a sticker or a ribbon tied around to hold the box closed.
Presenting the Money Gift:
When it’s time to give the gift, explain that they need to pop the balloon to reveal their gift. Popping gently or carefully might not get the pop you want, tell them to pop it with authority, haha. When they do, the confetti will fly and the cash will be revealed, making for an exciting and memorable moment.
This playful approach not only makes the act of giving money special but also adds an element of fun to the experience. Happy gifting!
