5 gift ideas that don’t require a trip to the store

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. I love everything about the holiday season but it can be a daunting task to shop for gifts for friends and family. Shopping for the perfect gift this season can be even more challenging once you factor in a global pandemic. Retail stores are closing earlier in the evening due to local ordinances. Currently in my area, shops are only allowed to have customers at a 50% capacity in store. Online boutiques are a great option for shopping safely but shipping is expected to take considerably longer this year which means your gift may arrive after Christmas. One is left with two options: opt out of gift giving this year because let’s be real surviving 2020 is a gift itself or thinking of gifts outside the box. If you chose option 2, I have you covered. These are my top 5 gift ideas that don’t require a trip to the store.

Option 1: Stocks or bonds

Stocks or bonds are the gifts that keep on giving…or taking depending on the stock market. Although investments can be unpredictable, it is always good to have a little money in the market. I believe that this is a very thoughtful gift idea, especially for the person who has everything! Who couldn’t use another passive source of income?

It’s also a great way to introduce children and teens to investing. Are you new to stocks? No problem. You can read more about how to gift a stock or share in stocks here because your girl is definitely not qualified to give financial advice…only ideas.

Option 2: Love letters

Whether you want to admit it or not, 2020 has been an excellent teacher. It has taught us to never take anything or anyone for granted. It is important for us to let others know how much we love and appreciate them, now more than ever before. This is such an inexpensive gift option with a huge impact. Sit down with your favorite drink and reflect on how much that special person means to you and all the fun memories you’ve shared over the years and put it down on paper. I feel the best love letters are handwritten but if you have the handwriting of a 90 year old doctor, you may opt to type your love letter instead. If the letter would not arrive by Christmas, send it as an email. Words of appreciation or affection are truly priceless. You could also send a floral arrangement with the letter for an added touch.

Option 3: Memberships

I am all about gifting experiences instead of another material possession that most likely will collect dust on a shelf or never be worn. A membership is an excellent gift idea for families and young professionals. If the receiver is a young professional, you can gift the annual dues to the professional organization of their choice. A friend or family member can also be gifted memberships to things like gyms, museums, zoos, aquariums, gardens, theme parks, theaters, and more. This will be the perfect gift for use once the world returns to some sense of normalcy!

If the cost of membership is too pricey, you could opt to cover the ticket cost of spending a day at one of these businesses. It also is a great way to help the businesses in your community stay afloat during this challenging time.

Option 4: Subscriptions

Subscription services are also a great gift idea. If the recipient loves music, consider gifting them a subscription to their favorite music streaming service like Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music. If your friend or family member is a lover of arts & crafts, sign them up for a monthly craft box like Homemade Luxe. If the recipient love movies, movie streaming services like Disney + and Netflix may fit the bill. For food and wine lovers, a gift card to purchase a chef curated box of goodies for meals or wine club subscription may be an amazing alternative. For the avid reader, consider a magazine, newspaper website, or audiobook subscription.

Option 5: Classes

Education is something that can never be taken away… unless you get a traumatic brain injury or develop dementia then all bets are off. The last gift idea for this holiday gift ideas round up are online classes! I have been so amazed by all the different classes that are now being offered online since we began social isolation. My favorite classes to participate in are ballet classes being offered by professional ballet dancers through Instagram and Zoom. These classes are usually for a small fee per session. Other classes being offered are group workouts, acting workshops, photography classes, and more. The options are endless. It’s easy to gift a class voucher or session fee if you know your recipient’s interests.

Hopefully this gift idea list will help alleviate your stress this season when trying to shop for that hard to gift person in your life or at least save you the trip to your local market or department store.

Are you giving gifts this year or opting out? Let me know in the comments below.