In this great age of tech, gift-giving has never been easier. Transactions can be processed in seconds, we can send money virtually anywhere, anytime, and there's no need for messy gift wrapping, illegible greeting cards, and physical contact whatsoever.

Yep, all our apps, websites, and gadgets have definitely made gifting more convenient for us. The only problem is, convenient doesn't always translate into meaningful. Sure, we can send money instantly or hand out gift certificates, but those quick gestures and generic presents don't convey the same thoughtfulness and warmth that a personalized gift can.

Enter Giftly, a new service that effectively combines the convenience of technology with the warm fuzzy ingredient that only personalized gifts have. With Giftly, you can send thoughtful and personalized presents (i.e. items or experiences) straight from your smartphone or computer.

How It Works

If you're the gift-giver, you simply need to select the present that you wish to send. You'll need to specify the establishments where they can get the gift, so for instance, if you're giving someone yoga lessons, you can specify up to three yoga studios where they can redeem your gift.

Once you've decided on the gift and the business where the Giftly will work, you can then personalize your note with a photo or a message. When you're satisfied, simply determine the amount and instantly send via email.

Are you at the receiving end? If so, you'll need to register a credit a debit card on the site. Once you've completed this step, you can receive your gift by heading to any of the specified businesses where the gift will work. Use your registered card to pay for the gifted item or experience and enjoy.

After redeeming the gift, login to the Giftly website and redeem the gift in two clicks. The service will credit the gifted funds back to your card within a day or two.

Also, Gifty offers a 100% Satisfaction guarantee where they'll issue a refund in the event that you or the recipient isn't completely satisfied with the experience.

Gift Watch

Aside from letting users give and receive presence in a snap, you can also get gift ideas and insights thanks to Giftly's "Gift Watch" feature. Gift Watch lets you see giftable events in real-time. It uses Facebook Connect to find your friends' checkins, birthdays, and other gift-appropriate events.

The service lets you know who's celebrating their birthday so you can send an appropriate gift. If there isn't a big special occasion or event, Giftly will find a giftable moment for you. For instance, is a colleague having a lousy morning? Use Giftly to send them a cup of coffee. Saw that a friend checked-in at a particular restaurant? Make their night, and use the service to send them a drink or meal on you.

All in all, Giftly is an awesome service that makes you a much more thoughtful friend. It lets you take advantage of the ease and convenience of the web and mobile technology, but it does this without compromising the thoughtfulness and meaning of gift-giving.

Give it a shot (the holidays are upon us, after all) and let us know what you think!