The Covid-19 pandemic is making it risky for groups of family or friends to visit in person, be it during the holiday season, birthdays or other special events. Amid the pandemic that shows no signs of slowing down, many are in search of novel ways to send a perfect, personalized gift.
Virtual gifts, which have the benefit of not taking space or gathering dust is fast becoming a trending gifting idea. And there is a gift for everyone, be it the bibliophile, the fitness freak or the couch potato.
But knowing how to give the perfect gift is an art. The NationWide has rounded up a few virtual gifts that can be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of home.
Giving the gift of words is back in style as online booksellers offer the ability to gift an e-book. If you know a bibliophile who would rather binge read than binge watch then an e-book subscription would be right up their alley. You can also pick an e-book from digital booksellers or pick up an audiobook subscription or a specific audio title from various audiobook service.
If your loved one is the kind who would prefer to get off the couch and move, a virtual gym membership or fitness class registration is the way to go. There are online classes for everything –from yoga and Pilates to dance and cardio. Sweat it out at any time or place as per your convenience. Apart from online fitness classes that also offer one-on-one sessions, you can also register their name on various fitness apps that offer personalised training sessions.
At a time when going to the movies isn’t possible due to Covid related restriction, Video streaming services have come as a rescue for people craving for entertainment. Gifting a streaming service means your nearest and dearest will never be without a TV show, miniseries or movie to entertain them.
Learning new things is fun and exciting. That's what makes virtual classes a great idea for a gift. You can gift a month's worth of any kind of lesson you can think of right from educatory lessons such as language classes, creating writing courses and software development sessions to culinary classes and music lessons. One can opt for either group classes or individual sessions and can even attend master classes by masters in the fields.
Who wouldn’t want to be greeted by a celebrity on their special day? Gift your loved ones a personalised video message from your favourite celebrity. A ‘video shout-out’ is a paid-for, pre-recorded message from a particular celebrity congratulating a fan on a promotion, wishing them a happy birthday, offering advice or motivation, or simply saying ‘hi’ – essentially a personalised video autograph Choose from popular names in comedy, music, sports and creative circuits. Price varies based on the celebrity you choose.
Nothing can uplift one’s soul like music can. If you're shopping for a music lover, why not go with a music streaming service subscription? After all, there is no situation that cannot be made just a little bit better if you have a great playlist. Gift a subscription to a music streaming platform through electronic gift cards.
Although it is nothing new, an e-card can never really go out of style. In fact, they're so rarely sent these days that your recipient might actually appreciate them more than some of the other gift ideas on this list. There are innumerable portals that offer attractive designs to scroll through, plus options to add your own type, photos, or a gift card. Cards can be sent to multiple recipients for free. Some sites offer group e-cards where people can sign with different fonts, add images, and tilt the text a bit askew just to add some flair.