The Best Super Last-Minute Gifts You Can Send Instantly by Email
Gifts you can send instantly online that won’t be affected by the ongoing supply chain issues.
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Let’s face it: even if you’re an ultra-responsible gifter who usually plans ahead instead of waiting until the very last possible second to do your holiday gift shopping, most of us are guilty of forgetting to buy a gift for someone’s special graduation, holiday, birthday, baby shower, and the like. Fortunately, there are plenty of surprisingly thoughtful gifts you can send by email that won’t look like you waited until the last minute—even if you totally did.
Plus, many of us are still socially distanced for the holidays, so giving gifts IRL isn’t always an option, which means e-gifts are the only safe bet whether you procrastinated or had responsibly planned months in advance. Plus, with this year’s ongoing supply chain issues and rampant inflation, there’s a good chance you will want to send digital gifts that will be guaranteed to be delivered on time.
I was raised always to send handwritten thank you notes, birthday cards, holiday greetings—and, well, the list goes on, so the idea of emailing a gift to someone still makes me a little bit uncomfortable (especially if I imagine my mother’s reaction). But frankly, there is a plethora of thoughtful gifts you can send online that don’t scream “I literally forgot to give you a gift until just now.” So, yes, while I may still be somewhat old-fashioned (I do still send the handwritten thank-you notes by mail) when it comes to my gifting philosophies, the idea of sending an online e-gift (especially during a pandemic, mind you), doesn’t feel quite as blasphemous to me anymore.
Now, despite my lifelong commitment to handwritten letters, I’m no angel. I, too, am a lifelong procrastinator (I wait until Christmas eve to do my gift shopping every damn year without fail) I’ve rounded up a few solid gifts you can send by email that will be delivered to the giftee in question almost instantly. Best of all, these e-gifts are thoughtful, so you could very reasonably send them in advance too.
From personalized Cameo videos recorded by a slew of celebrities to Masterclasses taught by industry professionals like Gordon Ramsey and David Lynch, there’s no shortage of stellar gifts to send by email. Scroll through below to check out some of our digital gift ideas.
Masterclass Subscription
From cooking classes with Gordon Ramsey to basketball lessons with Stephen Curry, Masterclass allows you to give the gift of learning instantly online. You can choose to gift a single course annually for just $90 or an all-access pass for $180.
Cameo Custom Videos
Cameo is an online service that allows you to "hire" celebrities to create brief custom videos for the giftee in question. These can be sent by email or text, and the prices range between $1 to $2,000 depending on the celebrity you choose.
"White cup with strong black coffee on a rustic wooden table with some beans, copy space, selected focus, narrow depth of field"
Atlas Coffee Subscription
The java snob (or casual coffee drinker!) will love Atlas Coffee Club’s premium subscription service. Right now, you can get each shipment for just $14 (regularly $28 per shipment).
The Daily Beast Subscription
The best Mother’s Day present of 2022 is a one-year subscription to the Daily Beast—it’s a gift she can open every day. Right now, gifting a one-year sub to the Daily Beast is only $35 and gives the mom in your life a bevy of benefits, including unlimited access to all our reporting and exclusive sub-only newsletters. Purchase now and choose when your recipient receives her gift. No shipping delays–promise!
Rosetta Stone
For the frequent traveller or general language lover, you can't go wrong with an e-gift card to Rosetta Stone. Gift card options start at just $50.
Winc Wine Membership
For the wine connoisseur on your list, give the gift of trying new wines each month with Winc's monthly subscription boxes.
The Sill Subscription
Whether your giftee in question just bought their first home or simply loves house plants, gifting them with a subscription from The Sill is always a good idea. Who doesn't love plants?
Udemy Classes
From marketing classes to baking lessons and everything in between, Udemy's expansive catalog of online courses means there's something for everyone.
Amazon Prime Membership
Anyone who has Prime knows that the membership offers a slew of perks and benefits that can't be beaten. Give the gift of Prime this year to anyone who doesn't (somehow) already have a membership and blow their minds.
IPSY Subscription
This monthly subscription service will delight any beauty lover. While IPSY doesn't have a gifting program, you can easily send the gift of monthly beauty products by registering the recipient yourself. See instruction here.
Tinggly e-Gift Card
Focussed on gifting experiences and adventures, Tinggly's e-gift cards (which can be delivered by mail in a gift box or via PDF to their inbox) offers giftees a choice of getaways and experiences.
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