I must say it's a nice idea, but I also agree with the others on that gifts are quite impractical. Somebody could buy a huge present for someone, and then get some weird, small thingie back. Or nothing at all, and that isn't very fun.
I also think postcards are a good idea. I don't expect anyone sending timebombs to every address they see on the web, so that shouldn't have to be any problem.
However, sending a postcard outside your country could be expensive, depending on where you live and where you are sending it to... I had to put about 4 stamps on every card when I was in the Netherlands Antilles (sending the cards to the Netherlands)..