Last-Minute Holiday Shopping: The Right Way To Give A Gift Card

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Christmas is just hours away, and if you're still in need of one last-minute gift -- gift card are always a popular choice.

"They are the perfect gift they give you what you want," Michelle Livingston, told CBS2's Andrea Grymes.

Gift cards are growing in popularity and experts say security is a top priority. A study by consumer finance comapny Bankrate found 72 percent of gift cards have some sort of loss or theft protection.

"They want to make sure that if they buy that card for a loved one that, that person's actually gonna the benefit instead of it being taken away by, you know, some criminals," Claes Bell, of Bankrate, said.

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And since one in four people lose their gift cards, many companies let you register them. You can notify the issuer if they're lost or stolen, and with some, you may be able to recover the value.

Some cards also allow you to create a secret pin.

"The biggest thing that we've seen is that some cards, general purpose cards mostly, have added the ability to add a customized pin to the card so that would prevent a thief from being able to use your card so they wouldn't be able to make a debit purchase," Bell said. "You see that on Visa and MasterCard-branded cards."

According to Giftcards.com, the hottest trend trend right now is going digital. But if you worry a gift card sent via email seems impersonal, more companies let you record audio and video messages, which are sent with an e-card.

"So even though you're not there to deliver the gift in person, you can send your personality with it," Shelley Hunter, of GiftCards.com, said.

Bankrate found that now only five percent of cards charge dormancy fees -- but your best bet is to register a gift card the moment you get it, and to use it as soon as possible.