Since the start of the pandemic, we have all learned what it’s like to celebrate long-distance birthdays, holidays, and other milestones. It’s been tough, but thanks to technology, websites like Amazon and Alibaba, as well as our own imaginations, we have all been able to come up with some pretty fun party ideas and gifts! If you can’t be there in person for someone special in your life on their next birthday, you can still show them you care with virtual gifting. All you have to do is find the right virtual present that reflects their interests and personality. And our guide is the perfect place to start looking for the best gift. We’ve combed the web to find the most creative and cool digital birthday gifts, so your present can be the hit of any Zoom or Skype celebration.
Streaming Service
Whether they want to binge-watch every season of Friends or catch the newest Oscar-winning or nominated films, your loved one will thank you for a gift card for their favorite streaming service. With gift cards for services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney +, or an ebook and podcast service like Audible, you can easily choose the amount you want to give, no strings attached. The digital gift card will be delivered straight to their email. No trips to the store or post office required.
MasterClass
A MasterClass subscription makes a great gift because it enables your friend or family member to learn from the most skilled and well-known professionals in the world through an online course. With hundreds of lessons available in everything from gardening to basketball to photography, your special someone will have hours of fun and fulfillment learning new skills or improving existing ones. This is the perfect gift for anyone with a busy schedule, as the virtual classes can be taken any time that works for them, day or night.
House Plants
We could all use a little more green in our lives. An indoor plant not only looks great in any house or apartment, but it also has proven health and wellness benefits too, which makes it an especially thoughtful gift. Research has shown that the benefits of indoor plants include cleaner air, stress reduction, and increased concentration. Delivery service sites like Bloomscape offer a huge variety of indoor plants, delivered safely and quickly - making this the perfect choice for that last-minute gift.
Dinner, Delivered
Everyone appreciates a night off from cooking. With a digital gift card from DoorDash or UberEats, your birthday celebrant can have dinner from their favorite local restaurant delivered right to their door. With thousands of participating restaurants, food delivery is quick, easy, and reliable. Digital gift cards for food deliveries are convenient to gift too, as they are sent straight to the recipient’s inbox. This gift also works well for a Mother's Day gift if you aren't able to take your mother or mother-in-law out for a meal due to distance. And for that friend, you loved to party with, but that you haven't seen in a long time? Send them a Domino's Gift Card, along with a date for your virtual night out. Enjoy pizza, beer, and a good movie together - even from a distance!
Museum Membership
We think a museum membership is one of the most creative digital gifts available, and with museums and other attractions starting to open up again, your loved ones will be eager to get out and enjoy their special day. The gift of a membership to a museum, like New York’s Museum of Modern Art, will grant your friend or family member special access to exhibits and events, as well as a year of free admission to the museum. Are they not in New York? Thousands of museums around the world offer annual memberships through their websites, so the right one is out there!
Payment Card
For the person who has everything, a digital payment card can be used anywhere that credit or debit cards are accepted. Let your friend or family members buy exactly what they want. From a new Kindle to a wine subscription service to a self-care spa getaway. Have the card delivered right to their email so they can start shopping at their favorite retailers or booking a trip right away.
Beauty Subscription Box
If you are looking for virtual gifts for someone in your life who loves makeup, a beauty subscription box is one of our favorites. Each month, your special someone will receive a personalized mix of samples from the top beauty brands around. A beauty subscription box is the perfect way to try out the hottest new products, and your loved one will think of you each month when they receive their new package!
Gaming Credit
Gaming credit is the perfect digital birthday gift for the gamers in your life. At Dundle, gaming credit and game cards are available for a huge variety of games and gaming platforms, including Playstation, Nintendo, Xbox, and more. Your gamer can use a digital game card to purchase points, game time, subscriptions, in-game credits - you name it. And if you want to give the hottest new game, Dundle offers that too, and the game key goes straight to email for immediate use.
Adopt an Animal
If the virtual birthday giftee in your life is an animal lover or a devout conservationist, a symbolic animal adoption is the perfect choice. The World Wildlife Fund offers “adoptions” of dozens of species from around the globe, and the money goes toward the research, protection, and conservation of these amazing animals and their habitats.
Kids Subscription Box
Subscription boxes are some of the best virtual gifts for children, and parents love them too because they provide fun at-home activities for kids of all ages. Companies like KiwiCo will send your birthday kid a special gift box “crate” each month with a fun and engaging art or science project. Choose from crates for kids or kids-at-heart, with options available for infants to ages 14 and up.
So, just because you can’t be there for their big day, doesn’t mean you can’t make your loved one’s birthday extra special. With our list of the best virtual birthday gifts around, you are sure to find something that will please even the pickiest person on your list, and you won’t even have to leave the couch to do it!
