Coupons as gifts?

[Steel Serpent Smithy]

I hope this is the right place for this post.  I've never been that good at figuring out where things go.  I also hope this isn't an old discussion, I didn't find any with a google search.
Short background:  I really wanted to get out and make some stuff for friends and family before this weekend, because that's when the family Christmas gatherings are in my family.  But it didn't happen for various reasons.  So now I am stuck without any handmade gifts that I was planning.  So I had an idea.  But I'm not sure if it's a good idea, or if it would be in poor taste, socially.  I'm not that smart socially, so I wanted to get opinions.  I also thought it might make for a fun discussion.

Anyway, my idea: coupons!  At some point, I want to start selling my work.  So I mocked up some coupons for one free item to give out to friends and family.  That way they can pick what they want out of anything I'm offering once I get things started.
We're not really exchanging gifts this year, since a lot of us are pretty broke.  So it's not like it will be taking the place of a "real" gift.  Just a little extra.
Is this in poor taste?  Other thoughts on the idea?

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

I mean personally it seems a little bit out of taste to me to give coupons to close friends and family members (mostly because you’ll probably be making them stuff free eventually anyway) 

but like coworkers or customers or acquaintances who aren’t close I think it’d be perfectly acceptable 

 

[Steel Serpent Smithy]

Ok that makes sense.  I hadn't thought of it that way.  I guess my thought process was that I really wanted to make things in time and this was a gesture to show willingness despite the outcome.

I hadn't actually thought about giving them to not-close acquaintances.  So obvious now that I think about it. 

Already have several people in mind.
But here I go again overthinking things way before I get there

 

[Will Brouwers]

I think coupons are a great idea! I cannot tell you the amount of “IOU _________” coupons I got from my parents growing up because whatever they were going to get me didn’t come in time, or they weren’t sure what to get me so they just gave me a coupon towards getting what I wanted.

I hope that makes sense.

I have really liked being a blacksmith because I get to make fun things for my family for Christmas and birthdays!

Great idea!

[Frosty]

Coupons are an interesting idea. There might be folks who would look at them as impersonal but you can buy gift cards anywhere these days and a lot of the birth, holiday, Christmas, etc. cards intended to slip on in often say up front something like. 'I couldn't think of what to get you so I . . .' Some are serious, some humorous but there getting more popular all the time.

I think maybe calling them "coupons" isn't the best. How about "gift certificates"? And set values. Say $10 trinket certificates, good for a key fob, 5 nails, etc. A $25 certificate would be good for say a coat hook, BBq fork, rake, etc. A $50 for fire tools and larger or fancier products. 

A person would come to you with a gift cert they'd gotten and you'd show them items in that price range, either ones you have on hand or make. 

AND don't forget your gift coupons, certificates, etc. should be forged! Coupons would make cool coin sized products and would sell for oh say $5 over the printed value. 

Good idea, lots of room to think about and develope.

Frosty The Lucky.

[LarryFahnoe]

I think you've got a good idea SSS. You can make it as complicated or simple as you like: tokens, coins, fancy gift certificates, or coupons. Your family is going to know that you're just getting starting on your interest in smithing, so your coupon or whatever is expressing the honest intent to make them something that is still a little beyond your grasp. It works two ways though: while it expresses your intent to make & give, it is also a symbol that's out there that you will have to honor. Give the token with the same weight that you give your word. Having given the tokens you will be inspired to hold yourself accountable to make good on your intention. However you choose to do it, just do your best and your family will appreciate what you've done.

--Larry

[BillyBones]

when i read the title i thought why would you give small peices of metal? Using coupon as the term that we use for the small test piece for heat treating and such. 

Which got me thinking, you could quickly do some texturing/chamfering, cold even, on a few pieces of flat bar. Then if you have letter/number stamps use those for your coupons. Or you could engrave them with a dremal or some such tool. 

I make stuff for Christmas all year. I actually do not make anything specifically for Christmas but use it as a reason to purge all the stuff i have lying about.

[Frosty]

Well said Larry. A promise is a promise!

Frosty The Lucky.