The outbreak of the dreaded coronavirus has upended the way we work and live. Simple things like walking into a shop and picking out a gift for someone have become risky.
As we adjust to the new normal, we must find innovative ways to make friends and family feel special. Whether for a birthday, anniversary, or as a thoughtful gesture, there are creative gift ideas to explore. Read on to find some of the most thoughtful gift ideas.
Subscription Boxes
It’s been nearly a decade since subscription boxes were introduced into the e-commerce world. Since then, the model has caught on and has become a favorite of many retailers and consumers.
Sometimes, you can observe the habits of the person to decide on their preference. For instance, if the person is a smoker, Me Time Box Products is a perfect gift. Each box comes with two premium glass pieces, premium papers, wraps, hitters, chillums, metal rolling trays, and much more.
As of October 2019, there were 3,500 subscription box services. That figure is a 40% increase from the year before. There are all kinds of subscription box products on offer: beauty products, dog accessories, clothes, and lifestyle products. Find out what the person you want to surprise likes and choose a box that fits.
Books
Books are gifts that keep on giving. As Neil Gaiman once said: “Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them. And it’s much cheaper to buy somebody a book than it is to buy them the whole world.”
Observe the genre of books the person you want to surprise usually reads. That will give you an idea of the kind of books that will hit home. If you’re still unsure, here are some classic book titles that may come in handy:
- Animal Farm – George Orwell
- Beloved – Tony Morrison
- To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
- The Great Gatsby – Scott Fritzgerald
- The Andromeda Strain – Michael Crichton
- Becoming – Michelle Obama
You can buy books from Amazon or any online bookstore. Alternatively, you could purchase a subscription for audiobooks on platforms such as Blinklist and Audible.
A Virtual Day Out
Trips to tourist attractions are some of the most memorable moments. Thanks to technology, you can get someone to take an immersive virtual tour of some of the most breathtaking sites and artifacts in the world, including:
- The Amazon Rainforest
- The Great barrier Reef
- The Northern Lights
- Disneyland
- The Nasa Museum
Most of these immersive virtual tours are free, so you won’t have to fork out large sums of money to experience them. Check out some of these tours and find out how to get started in this article.
Celebrity Shout-Outs
Does that special person love a particular celebrity? You’re in luck. Cameo is a site that connects people to stars. With as little as $5, you can get a celebrity to record a customized greeting for your friend or family. However, if you’re looking for an A-list celebrity, the price will be much higher.
As of May 2020, over 30,000 celebrities have joined the platform. So, there’s a high chance you will find your idol on the platform. Cameo is one of the best ways to surprise your family or friends.
Office Set up
More and more people are joining the Work From Home (WFH) force as remote work becomes the norm. Tech giants like Twitter and Facebook have announced that their workers will continue to work from home in the coming years.
This move has seen many scrambling to set up a semblance of their offices in their homes. A gift to make a person’s home office more comfortable and functional is an excellent way of showing care. Here are some must-have items in every home office:
- Ergonomic furniture
- Laptop stand
- External Hard drive
- Noise-canceling headphones
- Powerbank
- Wireless keyboard and mouse
- File Cabinet
- Green plants
Go ahead, get any of these gifts to help your loved one work from home comfortably. You’ll likely learn a special place in their heart afterward.
Charity
Donate to a cause that matters to the person you want to surprise. Doing that is a sign that you respect and understand what matters to that person. Visit Global Giving to find non-profits around the world to send your donation. You can also send a gift to your local homeless shelter on behalf of your loved one.
Although the coronavirus is raging, there are innovative ways to make your loved ones feel special. In this article, we have shared some of the best gift ideas for this unusual chapter of our lives.
