$5 VR? What is it? Just something you wear over your face with holes to see through into the real world. "It looks so realistic, just like my room at home! Wow!"

Maybe go and get your friend another present and call it the "proper" present which just "arrived by post"? Just don't leave the receipt in this time!

Your friend really deserves better...

Hope your friend gives you a nice crisp dollar for your birth day present.

We're you able to afford better? I spent about $40 on my boyfriend's gift, but I'm a student with only minimal income. His gift to me included several things, including a $50 gift card. I felt pretty bad, but he reassured me that it meant more that I found something specific to him (plus he makes a pretty decent living). If $5 is all you could afford and your friend holds it against you, FYL. If you could do better and you don't care, YDI. Side note, there's also a possibility someone gave your friend the gift card and they didn't want it, so they gave it to you.

Don't you know that Christmas is only about what you can afford to buy for people, and if you can't afford much, then that makes you a shitty friend?? /sarcasm/

TBH I think your friend could already tell it was worth about $5 anyways

If you can't afford to spend more, then that's fine (as long as you aren't in the habit of wasting money in ways friend can see, like gambling, smoking, drinking, new clothes- that nullifies the excuse of being poor) but if you can afford more, tell them you "forgot" to announce it earlier but aside from the "gag gift", their main gift is dinner or a convention or a concert or whatever event you think you'd both like.

.......and then you discovered there was only $3.25 left on the Gift Card the 1st time you went to use it, LOL

Dope friend