It’s hard enough trying to find the right gift the special man or woman in your life, one let alone something original. You don’t want to get them anything that they already own — and these days it seems everyone has just about everything. You definitely don’t want to get them an impersonal gift card to Amazon. They’ll likely end up using it toward paper towels and other necessities, which is the exact opposite of what you want for them on Christmas.
For the travel enthusiast — Babbel
We all have travel destinations on our bucket list. Newsflash: English is not the dominant language in most corners of the world. If you’re buying a gift for someone intent on jet-setting in 2021, send them off with a gift that will go a long way in a foreign land. Babbel is one of the leading easy-to-use language learning apps. It’s equipped with more than 10 languages and voiced by native speakers so you learn real-life conversational skills — not boring textbook lessons. The app allows users to go at their own pace with short 10- to 15-minute lessons that are easy to squeeze into one’s commute or downtime.
Buy at Babbel
For the binge-watcher — Disney+
Netflix has been victorious in the streaming wars for years, but now with Disney+ on the scene, there’s a new serious contender battling for the attention of millions of viewers. Disney+ is the exclusive streaming home of a significant chunk of Disney’s massive archive of content. This can be the perfect gift for fans of Star Wars and Marvel since it is the only place to see new material like the first-ever live-action series, The Mandalorian, as well as upcoming content from Marvel Studios.
Right now, the Disney+ is making it even easier to gift a subscription
For the outdoors enthusiast — REI gift card or Co-op Membership
Some of us like the outdoors, while others live for it! If your significant other loves being one with nature — whether it’s skiing, snowboarding, camping, hiking, biking, fishing, or anything else while breathing in the fresh air — then a gift card to REI couldn’t be more fitting. A great way to express your love is to show interest in their interests.
Take it one step further and get them a REI Co-op Membership, which is only $20 for a lifetime. The membership includes annual member dividends, special pricing, exclusive access to classes, tours, and events.
For the shopper — Amazon Prime
or Costco memberships
There are two types of shoppers: Those who don’t hesitate to make an online purchase regardless of how small or large the amount is, and those who prefer to see the items first before making a purchase. For both types of shoppers, there’s a perfect membership gift for them: Amazon Prime and Costco memberships. Millions have either or both of these memberships, and for good reason. They are packed with tons of perks.
Amazon Prime
- Free two-day shipping on millions of prime-eligible items
- Free same-day delivery for certain zip codes
- Free eligible grocery deliveries with Amazon Fresh
Additional Prime benefits include exclusive discounts, including during Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday; and streaming access to Prime Video, Prime Music, and Twitch Prime.
A Costco membership is truly the best in-store shopping membership opportunity. The benefits include cashback rewards on purchases, the cheapest gas prices, huge savings on value-sized household products, and even discounts on travel packages and vehicles. And our favorite, you get an abundance of little samples to taste.
For the amateur cooks — HelloFresh
Our lives can get so busy with work, friends, family, and other commitments that we often neglect time in the kitchen. Some of us want to step up our cooking game, but it can be far too intimidating with dozens of different spices, freshness curve balls with greens and other vegetables, confidence in properly handling raw meat, and… the very possible chance of burning your meal to a crisp. If your partner is determined to improve their skills with a cast-iron skillet but is lost on where to start, then a meal kit delivery service could be the perfect present. They come with the exact amount of every ingredient and detailed recipes to help turn any amateur cook seemingly into a seasoned chef. And for those with dietary preferences or allergies, HelloFresh
For those in desperate need of R&R — Hotels.com gift card
Maybe your partner works too hard and never takes time off for themself. You can’t force them to ignore their inbox or kids, but you can bring them one step closer to vacation with a Hotels.com gift card. Though hotels is in the name, the company now also offers flights and packages so your overworked partner can find thousands of opportunities to get away with Hotels.com. Also, you know your money is stretching far as the company always has competitive rates on four-star rooms.
For the movie-goer — Fandango Gift Card
Some of us go to the movies often. Others, not enough. Either way, a Fandango gift card can a decent gift for anyone and everyone. The gift cards can be used at just about any movie theater in the country.
For the amateur or pro musician — Guitar Center gift card
We all have hobbies we’ve been itching to start, and if making music is one of them, that can be pretty intimidating. For starters, musical instruments and equipment can cost a pretty penny, especially for someone that’s not quite the rock star yet. One way to push your partner in the direction of finally living their music dreams (beyond Guitar Hero and karaoke) is a gift card to Guitar Center so he can finally get the item(s) he needs to start moonlighting at the nearby dive bar. The music instrument retailer sells anything from DJ equipment to microphones to drum sets.
For the partner determined to get in shape — Echelon FitPass Plus
If your partner is set on getting into shape but doesn’t have the time to get to the gym, we have a solution and an excellent last-minute gift idea.
For those like us, finding the right time to inconsistently squeeze in a workout between work and family commitments is a struggle in itself. The next obvious solution is to build your own home gym so you can work out on your own time, but that too has its own set of challenges. Equipment can get expensive and you need the space in your home to hide it away when it isn’t in use. That’s where Echelon, one of the leading exercise equipment brands, has developed the perfect solution with FitPass Plus.
FitPass Plus is a fitness membership service with live and on-demand classes available 24 hours a day — all from the comfort of your home. They are conducted by world-class trainers in various workout categories including yoga, boxing, cardio, and much more. You just stream it from your tablet or TV. No heavy equipment required making it ideal for the significant other with limited available space.
