diff --git a/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js b/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
index e3ee2be624..e4a0a8638f 100644
--- a/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
+++ b/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 habitrpg.controller("GroupsCtrl", ['$scope', '$rootScope', 'Shared', 'Groups', '$http', '$q', 'User', 'Members', '$state', 'Notification',
   function($scope, $rootScope, Shared, Groups, $http, $q, User, Members, $state, Notification) {
-    Members.selectMember('9', function(){
+    Members.selectMember('d7f809df-81bd-4d58-992b-851d94bfaccb', function(){
       $rootScope.openModal('send-gift',{controller:'MemberModalCtrl'})
     });
 
diff --git a/public/js/controllers/rootCtrl.js b/public/js/controllers/rootCtrl.js
index 4e27c81b52..7c5b6c3ed4 100644
--- a/public/js/controllers/rootCtrl.js
+++ b/public/js/controllers/rootCtrl.js
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 /* Make user and settings available for everyone through root scope.
  */
 
-habitrpg.controller("RootCtrl", ['$scope', '$rootScope', '$location', 'User', '$http', '$state', '$stateParams', 'Notification', 'Groups', 'Shared', 'Content', '$modal', '$timeout', 'ApiUrlService',
-  function($scope, $rootScope, $location, User, $http, $state, $stateParams, Notification, Groups, Shared, Content, $modal, $timeout, ApiUrlService) {
+habitrpg.controller("RootCtrl", ['$scope', '$rootScope', '$location', 'User', '$http', '$state', '$stateParams', 'Notification', 'Groups', 'Shared', 'Content', '$modal', '$timeout', 'ApiUrlService', '$filter',
+  function($scope, $rootScope, $location, User, $http, $state, $stateParams, Notification, Groups, Shared, Content, $modal, $timeout, ApiUrlService, $filter) {
     var user = User.user;
 
     var initSticky = _.once(function(){
@@ -139,24 +139,30 @@ habitrpg.controller("RootCtrl", ['$scope', '$rootScope', '$location', 'User', '$
       $rootScope.flash[type].splice($index, 1);
     }
 
-    $rootScope.showStripe = function(subscription) {
+    $rootScope.encodeGift = function(uuid, gift){
+      return JSON.stringify({uuid:uuid, amount:gift.gems.amount, message:gift.message});
+    }
+
+    $rootScope.showStripe = function(data) {
       StripeCheckout.open({
         key: window.env.STRIPE_PUB_KEY,
         address: false,
-        amount: 500,
-        name: subscription ? window.env.t('subscribe') : window.env.t('checkout'),
-        description: subscription ?
+        amount: data.gift ? data.gift.gems.amount/4*100 : 500,
+        name: data.subscription ? window.env.t('subscribe') : window.env.t('checkout'),
+        description: data.subscription ?
           window.env.t('buySubsText') :
           window.env.t('donationDesc'),
-        panelLabel: subscription ? window.env.t('subscribe') : window.env.t('checkout'),
-        token: function(data) {
+        panelLabel: data.subscription ? window.env.t('subscribe') : window.env.t('checkout'),
+        token: function(res) {
           var url = '/stripe/checkout';
-          if (subscription) url += '?plan=basic_earned';
+          if (data.gift) url += '?gift=' + $rootScope.encodeGift(data.uuid, data.gift);
+          //TODO else if? ^
+          if (data.subscription) url += '?plan=basic_earned';
           $scope.$apply(function(){
-            $http.post(url, data).success(function() {
+            $http.post(url, res).success(function() {
               window.location.reload(true);
-            }).error(function(data) {
-              alert(data.err);
+            }).error(function(res) {
+              alert(res.err);
             });
           })
         }
diff --git a/src/controllers/members.js b/src/controllers/members.js
index f839d0fbce..61ec8c8cd0 100644
--- a/src/controllers/members.js
+++ b/src/controllers/members.js
@@ -29,15 +29,16 @@ api.getMember = function(req, res, next) {
   })
 }
 
-var sendMessage = function(user, member, msg){
-  var message = groups.chatDefaults(msg, user);
-  shared.refPush(member.inbox.messages, message);
+api.sendMessage = function(user, member, data){
+  var msg = data.amount
+    ? "`Hello " + member.profile.name + ", " + user.profile.name + " has sent you " + data.amount + " gems!` " + data.message
+    : data.message;
+  shared.refPush(member.inbox.messages, groups.chatDefaults(msg, user));
   member.inbox.newMessages++;
   member._v++;
   member.markModified('inbox.messages');
 
-  var message = groups.chatDefaults(msg, member);
-  shared.refPush(user.inbox.messages, _.defaults({sent:true},message));
+  shared.refPush(user.inbox.messages, _.defaults({sent:true}, groups.chatDefaults(msg, member)));
   user.markModified('inbox.messages');
 }
 
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ api.sendPrivateMessage = function(req, res, next){
         || member.inbox.optOut) { // or if they've opted out of messaging
         return cb({code: 401, err: "Can't send message to this user."});
       }
-      sendMessage(res.locals.user, member, req.body.message);
+      api.sendMessage(res.locals.user, member, {message:req.body.message});
       async.parallel([
         function (cb2) {  member.save(cb2) },
         function (cb2) { res.locals.user.save(cb2) }
@@ -75,12 +76,10 @@ api.sendGift = function(req, res, next){
             return cb({code: 401, err: "Amount must be within 0 and your current number of gems."});
           member.balance += amt;
           user.balance -= amt;
-          var msg = "`Hello "+member.profile.name+", "+user.profile.name+" has sent you "+amt+" gems!` ";
-          if (req.body.message) msg += req.body.message;
-          sendMessage(user, member, msg);
+          api.sendMessage(user, member, {amount:req.body.gems.amount, message:req.body.message});
           return async.parallel([
             function (cb2) { member.save(cb2) },
-            function (cb2) { res.locals.user.save(cb2) }
+            function (cb2) { user.save(cb2) }
           ], cb);
         case "subscription":
           return cb();
diff --git a/src/controllers/payments/index.js b/src/controllers/payments/index.js
index eed12edd4d..23e5925114 100644
--- a/src/controllers/payments/index.js
+++ b/src/controllers/payments/index.js
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ var moment = require('moment');
 var isProduction = nconf.get("NODE_ENV") === "production";
 var stripe = require('./stripe');
 var paypal = require('./paypal');
+var User = require('mongoose').model('User');
+var members = require('../members')
+var async = require('async');
 
 function revealMysteryItems(user) {
   _.each(shared.content.gear.flat, function(item) {
@@ -61,12 +64,21 @@ exports.cancelSubscription = function(user, data) {
   utils.ga.event('unsubscribe', 'Stripe').send();
 }
 
-exports.buyGems = function(user, data) {
-  user.balance += 5;
-  user.purchased.txnCount++;
-  if(isProduction) utils.txnEmail(user, 'donation');
-  utils.ga.event('checkout', data.paymentMethod).send();
-  utils.ga.transaction(data.customerId, 5).item(5, 1, data.paymentMethod.toLowerCase() + "-checkout", "Gems > " + data.paymentMethod).send();
+exports.buyGems = function(data, cb) {
+  var amt = data.gift ? data.gift.amount/4 : 5;
+  (data.gift ? data.gift.member : data.user).balance += amt;
+  data.user.purchased.txnCount++;
+  if(isProduction) {
+    utils.txnEmail(data.user, 'donation');
+    utils.ga.event('checkout', data.paymentMethod).send();
+    //TODO ga.transaction to reflect whether this is gift or self-purchase
+    utils.ga.transaction(data.customerId, amt).item(amt, 1, data.paymentMethod.toLowerCase() + "-checkout", "Gems > " + data.paymentMethod).send();
+  }
+  if (data.gift) members.sendMessage(data.user, data.gift.member, data.gift);
+  async.parallel([
+    function(cb2){data.user.save(cb2)},
+    function(cb2){data.gift ? data.gift.member.save(cb2) : cb2(null);}
+  ], cb);
 }
 
 exports.stripeCheckout = stripe.checkout;
diff --git a/src/controllers/payments/paypal.js b/src/controllers/payments/paypal.js
index cfc0b8d4d2..b264f32325 100644
--- a/src/controllers/payments/paypal.js
+++ b/src/controllers/payments/paypal.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ var moment = require('moment');
 var async = require('async');
 var _ = require('lodash');
 var url = require('url');
-var mongoose = require('mongoose');
+var User = require('mongoose').model('User');
 var payments = require('./index');
 var logger = require('../../logging');
 var ipn = require('paypal-ipn');
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ exports.executeBillingAgreement = function(req,res,next){
       paypal.billingAgreement.execute(req.query.token, {}, cb);
     },
     function(billingAgreement, cb){
-      mongoose.model('User').findById(req.session.userId, function(err, user){
+      User.findById(req.session.userId, function(err, user){
         if (err) return cb(err);
         cb(null, {billingAgreement:billingAgreement, user:user});
       });
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ exports.executeBillingAgreement = function(req,res,next){
 }
 
 exports.createPayment = function(req, res, next) {
+  // if we're gifting to a user, put it in session for the `execute()`
+  req.session.gift = req.query.gift ? JSON.parse(req.query.gift) : undefined;
+  var price = req.session.gift ? Number(req.session.gift.amount/4).toFixed(2) : 5.00;
   var create_payment = {
     "intent": "sale",
     "payer": {
@@ -81,14 +84,14 @@ exports.createPayment = function(req, res, next) {
         "items": [{
           "name": "HabitRPG Gems",
           //"sku": "1",
-          "price": "5.00",
+          "price": price,
           "currency": "USD",
           "quantity": 1
         }]
       },
       "amount": {
         "currency": "USD",
-        "total": "5.00"
+        "total": price
       },
       "description": "HabitRPG Gems"
     }]
@@ -102,20 +105,25 @@ exports.createPayment = function(req, res, next) {
 
 exports.executePayment = function(req, res, next) {
   var paymentId = req.query.paymentId,
-    PayerID = req.query.PayerID;
+    PayerID = req.query.PayerID,
+    gift = req.session.gift;
   async.waterfall([
     function(cb){
       paypal.payment.execute(paymentId, {payer_id: PayerID}, cb);
     },
     function(payment, cb){
-      mongoose.model('User').findById(req.session.userId, cb);
+      async.parallel([
+        function(cb2){ User.findById(req.session.userId, cb2); },
+        function(cb2){ User.findById(gift ? gift.uuid : undefined, cb2); }
+      ], cb);
     },
-    function(user, cb){
-      if (_.isEmpty(user)) return cb("user not found when completing paypal transaction");
-      payments.buyGems(user, {customerId:PayerID, paymentMethod:'Paypal'});
-      user.save(cb);
+    function(results, cb){
+      if (_.isEmpty(results[0]))
+        return cb("user not found when completing paypal transaction");
+      if (gift) gift.member = results[1];
+      payments.buyGems({user:results[0], customerId:PayerID, paymentMethod:'Paypal', gift:gift}, cb);
     }
-  ],function(err, saved){
+  ],function(err, results){
     if (err) return next(parseErr(err));
     res.redirect('/');
   })
@@ -153,7 +161,7 @@ exports.ipn = function(req, res, next) {
       // TODO what's the diff b/w the two data.txn_types below? The docs recommend subscr_cancel, but I'm getting the other one instead...
       case 'recurring_payment_profile_cancel':
       case 'subscr_cancel':
-        mongoose.model('User').findOne({'purchased.plan.customerId':req.body.recurring_payment_id},function(err, user){
+        User.findOne({'purchased.plan.customerId':req.body.recurring_payment_id},function(err, user){
           if (err) return logger.error(err);
           if (_.isEmpty(user)) return; // looks like the cancellation was already handled properly above (see api.paypalSubscribeCancel)
           payments.cancelSubscription(user);
diff --git a/src/controllers/payments/stripe.js b/src/controllers/payments/stripe.js
index 4f9a52afeb..404ed80ad9 100644
--- a/src/controllers/payments/stripe.js
+++ b/src/controllers/payments/stripe.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ var nconf = require('nconf');
 var stripe = require("stripe")(nconf.get('STRIPE_API_KEY'));
 var async = require('async');
 var payments = require('./index');
+var User = require('mongoose').model('User');
 
 /*
  Setup Stripe response when posting payment
@@ -9,19 +10,20 @@ var payments = require('./index');
 exports.checkout = function(req, res, next) {
   var token = req.body.id;
   var user = res.locals.user;
+  var gift = req.query.gift ? JSON.parse(req.query.gift) : undefined;
 
   async.waterfall([
     function(cb){
       if (req.query.plan) {
         stripe.customers.create({
           email: req.body.email,
-          metadata: {uuid: res.locals.user._id},
+          metadata: {uuid: user._id},
           card: token,
           plan: req.query.plan
         }, cb);
       } else {
         stripe.charges.create({
-          amount: "500", // $5
+          amount: gift ? ""+gift.amount/4*100 : "500", //"500" = $5
           currency: "usd",
           card: token
         }, cb);
@@ -30,10 +32,16 @@ exports.checkout = function(req, res, next) {
     function(response, cb) {
       if (req.query.plan) {
         payments.createSubscription(user, {customerId: response.id, paymentMethod: 'Stripe'});
+        user.save(cb);
       } else {
-        payments.buyGems(user, {customerId: response.id, paymentMethod: 'Stripe'});
+        async.waterfall([
+          function(cb2){ User.findById(gift ? gift.uuid : undefined, cb2) },
+          function(member, cb2){
+            if (gift) gift.member = member;
+            payments.buyGems({user:user, customerId:response.id, paymentMethod:'Stripe', gift:gift},cb2);
+          }
+        ], cb);
       }
-      user.save(cb);
     }
   ], function(err, saved){
     if (err) return res.send(500, err.toString()); // don't json this, let toString() handle errors
diff --git a/src/models/group.js b/src/models/group.js
index fd2518b8ed..1bc275afe4 100644
--- a/src/models/group.js
+++ b/src/models/group.js
@@ -93,10 +93,10 @@ GroupSchema.methods.toJSON = function(){
   return doc;
 }
 
-var chatDefaults = module.exports.chatDefaults = function(message,user){
+var chatDefaults = module.exports.chatDefaults = function(msg,user){
   var message = {
     id: shared.uuid(),
-    text: message,
+    text: msg,
     timestamp: +new Date,
     likes: {}
   };
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ var chatDefaults = module.exports.chatDefaults = function(message,user){
       uuid: user._id,
       contributor: user.contributor && user.contributor.toObject(),
       backer: user.backer && user.backer.toObject(),
-      user: user.profile.name,
+      user: user.profile.name
     });
   } else {
     message.uuid = 'system';
diff --git a/views/options/settings.jade b/views/options/settings.jade
index 3cd1d09223..b094bb9e07 100644
--- a/views/options/settings.jade
+++ b/views/options/settings.jade
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ script(id='partials/options.settings.subscription.html',type='text/ng-template')
 
     div(ng-if='!p.customerId || (p.customerId && p.dateTerminated)')
       h3(ng-if='(p.customerId && p.dateTerminated)') Resubscribe
-      a.btn.btn-primary(ng-click='showStripe(true)') Card
+      a.btn.btn-primary(ng-click='showStripe({subscription:true})') Card
       //a.btn.btn-warning(ng-click='paypalSubscribe()') PayPal
       a.btn.btn-warning(href='/paypal/subscribe?_id={{user._id}}&apiToken={{user.apiToken}}') PayPal
     div(ng-if='p.customerId')
diff --git a/views/shared/modals/buy-gems.jade b/views/shared/modals/buy-gems.jade
index c6ade26a00..b1caf50816 100644
--- a/views/shared/modals/buy-gems.jade
+++ b/views/shared/modals/buy-gems.jade
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ script(id='modals/buyGems.html', type='text/ng-template')
             td
               p
                 small.muted=env.t('paymentMethods')
-              .btn.btn-primary(ng-click='showStripe()')=env.t('card')
+              .btn.btn-primary(ng-click='showStripe({})')=env.t('card')
               a.btn.btn-warning(href='/paypal/checkout?_id={{user._id}}&apiToken={{user.apiToken}}') PayPal
 
       div(ng-include="'partials/options.settings.subscription.html'")
diff --git a/views/shared/modals/members.jade b/views/shared/modals/members.jade
index e94596ffa1..94c31ec0c8 100644
--- a/views/shared/modals/members.jade
+++ b/views/shared/modals/members.jade
@@ -96,6 +96,6 @@ script(type='text/ng-template', id='modals/send-gift.html')
   .modal-footer
     - var fromBal = "gift.type=='gems' && gift.gems.fromBalance"
     button.btn.btn-primary(ng-show=fromBal, ng-click='sendGift(profile._id, gift)')=env.t("send")
-    a.btn.btn-primary(ng-hide=fromBal, ng-click='showStripe({uuid:profile._id})')=env.t('card')
-    a.btn.btn-warning(ng-hide=fromBal, href='/paypal/checkout?uuid={{profile._id}}') PayPal
+    a.btn.btn-primary(ng-hide=fromBal, ng-click='showStripe({gift:gift, uuid:profile._id})')=env.t('card')
+    a.btn.btn-warning(ng-hide=fromBal, href='/paypal/checkout?_id={{::user._id}}&apiToken={{::user.apiToken}}&gift={{encodeGift(profile._id, gift)}}') PayPal
     button.btn.btn-default(ng-click='$close()')=env.t('cancel')
\ No newline at end of file