30 Americans told us what became of a pen worth $30 or more that they were given in the past five years. 50% still use it often or sometimes.
Research from the Promotional Products Association International finds that pens are among the items people most often receive. A YouGov survey of British adults found that many prefer a practical present. Neither asked what happens to a nice pen once it has been given, or why. This page does.
Recipients 35 and older kept the pen in use far more
Current use of the gift pen, by age (30 U.S. respondents)
Step
Group
Answer
Respondents
Out of
All 30 respondents, by age
Under 35 (13)
Frequent use
1
13
All 30 respondents, by age
Under 35 (13)
Occasional use
2
13
All 30 respondents, by age
Under 35 (13)
Reserved for signing and notes
4
13
All 30 respondents, by age
Under 35 (13)
Storage
2
13
All 30 respondents, by age
Under 35 (13)
Given away or discarded
4
13
All 30 respondents, by age
35 and older (17)
Frequent use
7
17
All 30 respondents, by age
35 and older (17)
Occasional use
5
17
All 30 respondents, by age
35 and older (17)
Reserved for signing and notes
2
17
All 30 respondents, by age
35 and older (17)
Storage
3
17
All 30 respondents, by age
All (30)
Frequent use
8
30
All 30 respondents, by age
All (30)
Occasional use
7
30
All 30 respondents, by age
All (30)
Reserved for signing and notes
6
30
All 30 respondents, by age
All (30)
Storage
5
30
All 30 respondents, by age
All (30)
Given away or discarded
4
30
71% of the 17 recipients aged 35 and older still use the pen often or sometimes. Among the 13 recipients under 35, 23% do. The gap between the two groups is 48 percentage points.
Use followed the age of the recipient. Under 35, most pens were given away, discarded or kept only for special notes. For a pen going to someone under 35, the chance of regular use is lower. So why do some pens end up in a drawer?
Stored pens most often had no handwriting to do
Current use of the gift pen, and the reason given by those who keep it stored (30 U.S. respondents)
Step
Group
Answer
Respondents
Out of
All 30 respondents, by current use
All (30)
Storage
5
30
All 30 respondents, by current use
All (30)
Frequent use
8
30
All 30 respondents, by current use
All (30)
Occasional use
7
30
All 30 respondents, by current use
All (30)
Reserved for signing and notes
6
30
All 30 respondents, by current use
All (30)
Given away or discarded
4
30
The 5 who keep it stored, by reason
—
No handwriting occasions
3
5
The 5 who keep it stored, by reason
—
Fear of losing it
1
5
The 5 who keep it stored, by reason
—
Existing favorite pen
1
5
3 of the 5 who keep the pen stored said they have no need to write by hand. 1 of them already had a favorite pen. Another 4 gave the pen away or threw it out.
The other reasons were fear of losing it and an existing favorite pen. A pen that stays in a drawer is mostly waiting for something to write. Before choosing a pen as a gift, it helps to know how much the recipient writes. So does using the pen change whether someone would give one?
Pen users were likelier than those who stored it to give one
Whether respondents would give a pen themselves, by how they use their gift pen
Step
Group
Answer
Respondents
Out of
The 20 who use or stored their pen, by current use
Still use it (15)
Would choose a pen
9
15
The 20 who use or stored their pen, by current use
Still use it (15)
Might choose a pen
5
15
The 20 who use or stored their pen, by current use
Still use it (15)
Would not choose a pen
1
15
The 20 who use or stored their pen, by current use
Stored away (5)
Would choose a pen
1
5
The 20 who use or stored their pen, by current use
Stored away (5)
Might choose a pen
2
5
The 20 who use or stored their pen, by current use
Stored away (5)
Would not choose a pen
2
5
9 of the 15 who use theirs would give a pen as a gift. Among those who keep theirs stored, 1 would. Among the 6 owners who save theirs for signing and special notes, 4 would. Across all 30, 14 said yes.
Choosing a pen as a gift was likelier among those who use one. Those who keep a pen in a drawer were less ready to choose one. Those who have used a pen know what it is like to receive one.
Main reason by current use
Frequent use
Fit with daily writing
Occasional use
Fit with daily writing
Reserved for signing and notes
No single top reason
Storage
No handwriting occasions
Given away or discarded
Existing favorite pen
Every answer, one respondent per row
#
State
Age, gender
Occasion
Current use
Reason
Would give a pen
R01
Pennsylvania
35–44 · Woman
Retirement
Frequent use
Fit with daily writing
Would choose a pen
R02
Illinois
55+ · Man
Retirement
Storage
No handwriting occasions
Might choose a pen
R03
California
35–44 · Man
Promotion or new job
Storage
Fear of losing it
Would choose a pen
R04
Georgia
35–44 · Woman
Birthday
Occasional use
Writing feel
Would choose a pen
R05
Texas
25–34 · Man
Graduation
Occasional use
Fit with daily writing
Would choose a pen
R06
California
18–24 · Man
Birthday
Given away or discarded
Existing favorite pen
Would not choose a pen
R07
Michigan
35–44 · Man
Birthday
Frequent use
Writing feel
Would choose a pen
R08
Michigan
35–44 · Woman
Retirement
Occasional use
Reminder of the giver
Would choose a pen
R09
California
18–24 · Man
Graduation
Given away or discarded
No handwriting occasions
Would not choose a pen
R10
North Carolina
18–24 · Woman
Other occasion
Storage
Existing favorite pen
Would not choose a pen
R11
New York
35–44 · Man
Promotion or new job
Frequent use
Fit with daily writing
Would choose a pen
R12
California
25–34 · Man
Birthday
Reserved for signing and notes
Keepsake value
Might choose a pen
R13
Tennessee
25–34 · Man
Birthday
Given away or discarded
Existing favorite pen
Might choose a pen
R14
Texas
55+ · Woman
Birthday
Reserved for signing and notes
Reminder of the giver
Would choose a pen
R15
California
55+ · Man
Retirement
Occasional use
Reminder of the giver
Would not choose a pen
R16
Florida
45–54 · Man
Promotion or new job
Storage
No handwriting occasions
Might choose a pen
R17
California
25–34 · Woman
Promotion or new job
Reserved for signing and notes
Reminder of the giver
Would choose a pen
R18
Nevada
25–34 · Man
Graduation
Given away or discarded
Existing favorite pen
Would not choose a pen
R19
Ohio
55+ · Woman
Other occasion
Frequent use
Fit with daily writing
Might choose a pen
R20
Colorado
45–54 · Man
Other occasion
Reserved for signing and notes
Fear of losing it
Would choose a pen
R21
California
55+ · Woman
Other occasion
Frequent use
Writing feel
Would choose a pen
R22
Colorado
25–34 · Man
Promotion or new job
Occasional use
Fit with daily writing
Might choose a pen
R23
Texas
55+ · Man
Promotion or new job
Occasional use
Fit with daily writing
Might choose a pen
R24
Pennsylvania
55+ · Man
Birthday
Frequent use
Writing feel
Might choose a pen
R25
New Jersey
55+ · Woman
Graduation
Frequent use
Fit with daily writing
Would choose a pen
R26
North Carolina
25–34 · Woman
Birthday
Frequent use
Reminder of the giver
Would choose a pen
R27
Illinois
18–24 · Woman
Promotion or new job
Reserved for signing and notes
Keepsake value
Would choose a pen
R28
Texas
18–24 · Man
Birthday
Storage
No handwriting occasions
Would not choose a pen
R29
Georgia
45–54 · Woman
Graduation
Occasional use
Writing feel
Might choose a pen
R30
Virginia
25–34 · Not stated
Graduation
Reserved for signing and notes
Fear of losing it
Might choose a pen
In their own words
Age 35–44 · Woman · Pennsylvania Gift pen: frequent use
“I use it every day at work.”
Age 55+ · Man · Illinois Gift pen: storage
“I rarely write by hand anymore, so it’s in a drawer.”
Age 25–34 · Man · California Gift pen: reserved for signing and notes
“I keep it for signing important papers.”
About this survey
Survey
MJC Gift Pen Survey
Conducted by
Modern Japan Crafts
Respondents
30 adults living in the United States who were given a pen worth $30 or more in the past five years
Fielded
October 2026
Method
Online survey. Respondents named the occasion and chose how they use the pen today from five options. They explained why in their own words, without seeing options. Two people coded the open answers independently. Last, they said whether they would give a pen themselves.
Questions
1. On what occasion were you given the pen? (graduation / promotion or new job / birthday / retirement / other) 2. How do you use it today? (use it often / use it sometimes / keep it for signing and special notes / keep it stored away / gave it away or threw it out) 3. Why? (open-ended) 4. If you were the one giving, would you choose a pen? (yes / maybe / no)
