A gift certificate is a document that indicates a payment has been made by someone in advance for a particular product or service. It can be used as a form of payment, and it allows the recipient to choose from a range of options available at the place where the certificate was purchased. Gift certificates are often given as gifts during special occasions such as birthdays, holidays, graduations, etc., and they allow the gift-giver to give a personalized present without having to guess what the recipient might want or need.