Gift Card Labs popped up on Comission Junction and it seems pretty interesting, you can make a Visa gift card with your picture on it and a personalized message. Here’s their marketing description:

Gift Card Lab provides photo Visa Gift cards – an industry-first product. Customized Visa Gift Cards are the ideal way to send the right gift every time. They’re completely hassle free, fully customizable, and they’re accepted at millions of locations worldwide – anywhere in the U.S. Visa debit cards are accepted. Visa Gift Cards can be selected from our online catalog or designed to meet every gift card need. Gift cards are available in various denominations: $10 to $250. GiftCardLab.com offers Web access for cardholders to check their balance and see transactions. The turn-around time is 5 business days.

Something to think about as an alternative to the store specific gift cards that often don’t get fully used, and a little more thoughtful than a wad of cash.