Virtual Gift Ideas for Every Occasion (Shipping Is Always Free!)

And if you’re like us, you may have gone with the old standby: an e-gift card via email. They’re a great option for shopping procrastinators, and they offer a convenient way to send a little something without much effort. 

But we’re here to tell you: digital gifts are not just for procrastinators or the people on your list who are hard to buy for anymore. Nope—now there are a huge variety of really cool virtual gifts that are thoughtful, unique, and just right for anyone on your list. 

It’s just a bonus that the delivery aspect is really convenient, too. 

Here are our favorite virtual gift ideas for the giving season (or anytime you’d like to send along a gift to show someone you care). 

Gift Ideas for Learning and Exploring:

The pandemic certainly caused all of us to pivot at work and beyond—and the teaching industry is no exception. In fact, many companies who didn’t offer digital learning classes before are now offering options that you can take right from your home.

We love the idea of sending along a gift of experiential and unique classes so that your loved one can nerd out on whatever they’re interested in. As a bonus, you can purchase a class for yourself, too, and “join” your friend or loved one in the class—even if you live far apart.  

Virtual Wine Tasting

Buying for a wine aficionado? Treat them to a virtual tasting class so that they can learn about something they enjoy and have fun sipping along while at home.

There are options for this gift: your local wine or cheese shop may offer virtual tasting classes where you purchase the wine in person and then take the class from home. 

Alternatively, Priority Wine Pass will ship wine to the recipient and then they’ll simply log in for the class. They also offer small-group virtual tastings, so this would be a fun idea for a long-distance get together with work colleagues or friends. 

Virtual Music Lessons

If your friend is a musician (or if she’d like to be), consider gifting her some music lessons. Sure, she can do tutorials through YouTube, but a bonafide lesson feels more “authentic.” Fender Play is a great option for beginners.

They have a comprehensive music library and expert teachers who walk you through how to get started. Guitar Tricks is great for mid-level learners, and they also offer a large catalog of lessons.  

MasterClass or Skillshare Membership 

MasterClass is cool because courses are taught by well-known experts like Yo-Yo Ma, James Cameron, and Kelly Wearstler. They have over 100 class offerings that range the gamut from the Art of Negotiation to Filmmaking to Bread Baking...the list goes on. Your gift recipient is nearly guaranteed to find a class that piques their interest here. 

Skillshare is less about the instructor and more about the variety of tangible skills that members can learn through their courses. We’re all about development and growth (both professional and personal), and Skillshare offers classes like graphic design, UI/UX design, and web development for skill building. They’re fun—and they look great on a resume. 

Brooklyn Brainery is a more affordable option that has virtual classes on just about everything, including block printing, watercolor painting, bonsai planting, hand lettering, and more. (Plus, if you’re local to NYC, they offer in-person classes as well.) This is a fun one-off option as opposed to the subscription and membership options that some of the others require. 

Online Classes or Certifications

Do you have that one friend who has been complaining about updating their resume for what feels like a century? Maybe they need a little bump in the right direction with a resume makeover course. 

There are tons of online classes to help improve soft skills, time management, and even confidence. In fact, we have a few here at Career Contessa that are perfect for someone struggling with their next big career move. 

Virtual Cooking Class 

Shopping for a virtual gift for a foodie?

There are amazing food kits like these that are available nowadays, but another fun experiential option is to give them a virtual cooking class. Chef & the Dish offers private virtual cooking class options with a large selection of dishes to choose from. 

Williams Sonoma also has a variety of virtual cooking and baking classes, as well as events that range from cookbook parties to pizza “school.” 

Digital Airbnb Gift Card

It’s hard to go wrong with a gift card for travel. Even if you can’t afford to foot the bill for a night or two getaway, a gift card that goes toward a trip is sure to be appreciated. Plus, the recipient can choose where and when she’d like to use it. Or, you can encourage her to use it toward a future trip with you. 

As a bonus, Airbnb gift cards can be used toward their experiences as well, including their virtual options. Even if you can’t physically go anywhere soon, it still makes a thoughtful option. 

Museum Membership or National Parks Pass

While this idea won’t work for everyone, if the recipient is lucky enough to live in a city with an interesting museum or near a national park, set them up to get out and explore with a museum membership or national parks pass.

A virtual gift card can help support museums and parks, and your friend is likely to enjoy it all year. 

Gift Ideas for Feeling Pampered: 

Everyone loves to feel pampered and take part in a little self-care, right? It’s been quite the year, and we can just about guarantee that the recipient of a gift that encourages them to relax will truly appreciate it. To that end, here are our favorite gifts that make people feel cared for. 

Interior Design Consultation

Giving to an interior design lover?

A virtual interior design consultation could be a unique gift for them. There are options that make this more accessible now, no matter where the recipient lives.

Virtual design sites like Havenly and Modsy offer various design consultation packages and price points so that you can decide which is best for your loved one. Alternatively, many local designers are offering edesign services as well, if you'd prefer that over the larger companies.

Meal Delivery e-Gift Card

Alright, this one is a little less creative and a little more straightforward, but who doesn’t love having a break from cooking every once and a while? A GrubHub or Doordash gift card is sure to be a hit, no matter what the occasion. 

Music or Podcast Subscription

Giving the gift of entertainment is always a win. If you give a digital gift card for Apple Music or a subscription to Spotify, they’ll enjoy it for months (or all year, depending on the package you choose). It’s a simple way to better someone’s everyday life, and they’ll think of you anytime they listen to their favorite podcast or artist. 

If you’re sending this to someone who isn’t particularly tech savvy, offer to set up their subscription and devices for them to save them the hassle. 

Wine Delivery Service 

Need we say more? A few bottles of wine consistently delivered to her doorstep is a great gift. Period. 

Subscription services like Winc allow subscribers to select the varietals of wine they prefer, and then they send new bottles through the mail each month. This allows the recipient to try new wines and reduce trips to the wine store. Winc offers a variety of gift subscription packages, so you can choose what’s best for your budget.

Flowers 

If your loved one is known for her green thumb, consider gifting her a subscription to The Bouqs Co. Basically, she can use it to send herself a bouquet of fresh flowers when she likes. (You can also keep the account in your name and send them to her when you want.) Or, a one-off floral arrangement is a classic gift as well. 

Bloomscape is another great option for a virtual gift for plant lovers. Order a plant or an e-gift card from their website and send it to your friend or colleague. They have lots of variety, and you can sort via maintenance level and size to find the perfect plant. 

Beauty Subscription Box 

It may be a little expected, but it will still definitely be appreciated if your friend loves all things beauty and skincare. 

Allure’s Beauty Box is beloved and has a range of prices and subscription lengths. Since they’re known for their discerning beauty awards, they often have the up-and-coming brands as well as the old faithful beauty buys. 

Gift Ideas for Hobbyists:

These virtual gift ideas for specific hobbies feel personal since they show that you know what the recipient enjoys. From reading to working out, here are some hobby gift ideas that don’t require them—or you—to leave the house.

Audible Subscription

Know your friend is an avid reader? Does she love podcasts? You’ll nail it with this gift. The perfect option for auditory learners or anyone who loves books and stories, an Audible subscription feels like a real treat. If you have a little more cash to spare on this gift, consider a gift card for an audiobook or two to build her listening library. 

eReader Gift Card or Book Subscription

Along the same lines, a virtual gift card for her Nook or Kindle habit is a great choice. She can choose whatever titles she has had her eye on and enjoy them during any upcoming downtime. 

Alternatively, if she prefers a hard copy to an e-book, a subscription to Book of the Month Club allows her to choose the books she’d like to read each month. They’ll be shipped right to her door and will provide a bright spot on a random day a few months from now. 

Virtual Fitness Classes

People are crazy about these virtual fitness classes for a reason. Obé has a large library of virtual workout classes that include barre, strength, cardio boxing, dance, HIIT, yoga, and pilates. Users can choose time, length of class, and instructor for a workout that’s tailored to their preferences.

They also have live classes where instructors give “shout-outs,” which makes it even more engaging and fun.

With Peloton classes, your loved one can enjoy the class without owning the bike, as they have an extensive library of workout classes. They also offer live-streamed classes and recorded classes with a variety of types, levels, lengths, and instructors.

A gift card to either of these options is sure to please your active or gym-loving friend.

Gift Ideas Just for Fun:

Finally, who doesn’t need to have more fun just for the sake of fun in their lives? The best gifts are the ones that someone wouldn’t normally treat themselves to but that they’ll enjoy, even if they’re not “practical.” These picks fit the “fun” bill.

Charitable Donation

If you’re wondering what in the world to get for someone who has *everything,* a charitable donation in their honor is your perfect option. Choose an organization that they care about (a non-profit like the World Wildlife Fund or Baby2Baby) and donate a monetary gift in your friend’s honor. It’s a feel-good idea that’s a win-win.  

Cameo Message

This is another good option for someone who’s difficult to buy for. Cameo is a service in which celebrities record personalized messages for different prices.

Purchase a message for your friend and then post it to social media as a surprise or send it to them via email.

There are lots of celebrities to search from, and your friend will get a kick out of hearing a favorite celebrity “speak” to them.

Streaming Platform Membership

We all know that streaming services can add up, so why not foot the bill for your friend to enjoy one for a few months or throughout the year? Disney+ is a fun option for this—or Apple TV+, Hulu, Netflix...whichever you think will have the shows or movies she’ll enjoy the most. 

Virtual Concert

If you know she’s missing live music, send her tickets to a virtual concert through NoCap. Buy yourself a ticket as well so that you can “attend” the concert together. Pair this with the food delivery service we mentioned above, and you’ll set her up for a fun Friday night in. 

Magazine Subscription 

Sign her up for a virtual magazine subscription—or one that’s physically delivered each month. It’s an “unnecessary” expense that she’s unlikely to spend on herself but that she’ll look forward to every month. 

Digital Card

Lastly, emailing a simple card to say you’re thinking of her will brighten her day. (We love the options on Paperless Post.) It’s unexpected and lets her know you’re thinking of her. And that’s really what gift-giving is all about, right?