5 Virtual Group Gift Ideas For When You Can’t Celebrate Together
If you’re reading this on your laptop, in pajamas, curled up in bed at 3 in the afternoon, you are not alone. With work from home, eat from home, and shop from home all becoming the new normal, gift from home is no exception! If we can hold graduation ceremonies over Zoom and birthday parties from our individual couches, we can make any special occasion memorable with these virtual group gift ideas.
Generic gift cards don’t always cut it, so keep scrolling to see what virtual group gift ideas we recommend for birthdays, holidays, baby showers, and more with coworkers and friends alike. With a sprinkle of technology (and in some cases, a dash of your local delivery service), you can bring together a group to collaborate on a single, special group gift — without sacrificing quality or sentimentality.
Ready to take your virtual gift to the next level? With Presently, you can pool funds with family and friends for a group gift and gather messages for a group card that shows your recipient the entire community of love and support behind them. It is the perfect alternative to an in-person celebration that’ll still feel like a huge hug from friends, family, and coworkers, all without leaving the comfort of your home.
Last-minute solo gift ideas 🎁💡 If you’re scrambling for that perfect gift with zero shipping time, and don’t have time to gather a group together, check out our bonus section at the end of this piece for some solo gift ideas!
Online Learning
School most definitely is cool, so give the gift of learning to students that need an extra activity on the weekends or adults whose college days are in the past. Nurture curiosity with Brilliant’s interactive STEM learning courses, perfect for anyone ages 10 and up. Through bite-sized courses, they will master a new topic in no time and have fun along the way.
Though traveling isn’t as simple these days, if your friend has dreams to go to Italy someday soon, head to Rosetta Stone to give them access to real-life scenarios and pronunciation feedback so they can start practicing Italian. They can even explore Italian cuisine with a virtual cooking class from The Chef & The Dish. Give them the opportunity to work one on one with a chef from countries including Peru and Morocco. This gift will take any amateur chef to the next level. Choose one of these virtual group gift ideas, head to Presently to organize a group gift, and let the learning begin!
Virtual Celebrity Message
From birthday wishes to baby shower congratulations, get your friend’s idol to cheer them on this year. Book your giftee’s favorite celebrity for a personalized recording or video chat. Sites like Cameo will connect you with the famous actor, athlete, musician, comedian, or other celebrity of your choice. What better way to celebrate someone than a shoutout from Ne-Yo, or a virtual Q&A with Daymond John from Shark Tank? Your well wishes will mean a lot to them too, of course, but their favorite celebrity will make their day even more memorable. Get family and friends to pitch in on the celebrity message of a lifetime with a virtual group gift that is as personal as it gets!
Virtual Tasting Gifts
Give the gift of a virtual tasting, even if you can’t be there to enjoy it with your friend in person. This is the perfect virtual group gift idea for the people in your life (ages 21+) that prefer making memories to physical gifts and want to add flavor and sophistication to a home-cooked meal. We especially love these gifts for newly-wed couples for fun date nights after the wedding!
Browse Murray’s Cheese events for a virtual tasting where your giftee will try 4 different kinds of cheese with the perfect pairing of meats, cocktails, spreads, and more. Everything they need will be shipped directly to their address, so all that’s left for them to do is sit back and enjoy the delicious experience heading their way.
If cheese just isn’t for them, bring wine-tasting home with Bottles Nation. Starting at $150, this is the perfect group gift to surprise a friend or loved one with an adventure for their taste buds. Another option is contacting Single Malt Savvy to set up a virtual whiskey tasting. Keep your virtual group gift idea fun, safe, and comfortable by going remote with a tasting that will be remembered long after the plates and glasses are empty.
Lifestyle Services
Virtual lifestyle gifts are the perfect complement to your friend’s work, home, or work-from-home routine. An obé fitness annual membership connects your recipient with top NYC fitness instructors for both live and on-demand classes. Their quick and effective 28-minute classes are sure to give anyone an extra boost in the morning.
If a cardio kick isn’t your recipient’s speed, look into Stitch Fix, a virtual personal styling service. For your friend who hates shopping or wants help finding clothes that work for them, you will save them time and effort by taking the hassle out of both online and in-person shopping experiences. Your stylish friends and family will also love Collov, a virtual interior design service. Help turn your loved one’s guest room into an office or upgrade their living room online, making stay-at-home feel homier.
Lastly, a Blue Apron or Hello Fresh meal kit subscription takes the hassle out of healthy home cooking and helps make every day a little easier with fresh ingredients delivered right to their door.
Donation to a Worthy Cause
A virtual gift that also makes a difference is a donation to a nonprofit organization. Make an impact with Presently by allocating any excess group gift funds raised to support the community and planet.
The World Wildlife fund gives the option to virtually adopt an animal from a list of endangered species. If your loved one’s favorite animal is pandas, use your contributions to protect them and the habitats in which they live. For a more timely donation, support the World Health Organization’s COVID-Solidarity Response Fund to track the spread of the coronavirus, care for patients, and help develop vaccines. This Time magazine article has other organizations that support the frontlines. Or, see what local charities are in your area, and use your collective funds for good.
Additional Virtual Gift Idea Considerations
When sending a virtual gift to a friend, coworker, or family member, make sure you know when the gift will arrive. Gifts sent through email may be sent to the recipient instantly, or in other cases, you can schedule the delivery. If you organize a group gift through Presently, we can take the delivery details off your plate so the recipient can redeem the gift from us at a place and time that’s best for them.
As soon as you’ve picked your favorite of these virtual gift ideas, head to Presently to organize your virtual group gift for friends and coworkers and make someone’s day from right where you are.
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate virtually, you can also check out our tips for celebrating while social distancing, easing back into in-person celebrations, or our virtual holiday celebration guide.
BONUS FEATURE: Solo Virtual Gift Ideas!
For those in a last-minute pinch to find the perfect gift, these virtual gift ideas will cut out the stressful delivery times. While group gifts really make a splash, sometimes you need a gift idea you can execute solo that can be delivered to the recipient the moment you click send. We got you covered!
The ultimate marathon
Is your family one for marathoning movies? Subscriptions to the latest streaming services, like Disney+ and HBO Max, make great gift ideas for family or partners, plus a great excuse to get cozy and start new shows together.
Self-care all day err day
Help your friend or loved one welcome mindfulness into their lives! In the interest of unwinding during this wild year, a subscription to Calm or Headspace might be just what’s needed to form a great new habit.
Handpicked clothes just for them
Fab Fit Fun is just what its name implies! A subscription box from them consists of 10 super high-quality and full-sized items ranging from makeup to the coziest mittens you’ll ever wear. Each box is super personalized, giving the recipient a super-tailored gift for every season.
Yum in a box
For the chef who wants to cook some comfort food, check out Thrive Market. Thrive carries all your organic cooking needs, from nonperishables to high-quality, fresh seafood and meats. They even have filters set to cater to over 70 diets and values!
Gift cards
And of course, the tried and true last-minute classic: the gift card. A gift card to a site like Etsy or local stores will support small businesses and make for a customizable gift, making this option hardly feel like a quick purchase. You can purchase Etsy gift cards and more when you send an ‘individual e-card‘ during your Presently signup!
ABOUT PRESENTLY
Presently is a group-gifting platform that gives people an easy way to contribute to a single gift, together. Designed for kids and adults alike, Presently enables communities to gift better, choosing quality over quantity.
Organize a group gift here.
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