So you waited until the very last minute. Don’t fret. Some gift givers thrive under the pressure. But even if you don’t, your options aren’t too limited. Even with supply chain shortages and shipping cutoffs, there are plenty of ways to give friends and family members something they’ll love. These gifts and experiences are so creative, unique, and useful, they’ll never know you waited until the week of.
(Need more suggestions but less worried about shipping timelines? Check out Fast Company senior writer Elizabeth Segran’s list of thoughtful experiential gifts that are sure to win them over.)
Send them a dream greeting with a Cameo from their favorite celebrity or personality. The personalized video service gives users the opportunity to request a custom, prerecorded greeting from a bank of notables, including Olympian Gabby Douglas ($950), Succession actor Brian Cox ($689), and Fiona the Hippo at the Cincinnati Zoo ($200). Check each celeb’s page for a special icon for 24-hour turnaround and look out for easy wins with kiddos, like Thomas the Tank Engine ($20) and Santa ($35)—no mall visit necessary. Honestly, a bargain.
Give the gift of the great outdoors with a gift card to Hipcamp, the innovative campground booking platform that puts nature first. In 2020, the company expanded its offerings to feature more U.S. agricultural properties, allowing users to wake up in an orchard while farmers diversify their revenue streams. Whether they’re a glamping enthusiast ready to ‘gram or an off-the-grid expert with a tent and a tankard of water, your recipient will find something to suit their tastes with Hipcamp.
Recommender is a fan of Alo Moves, the subscription-based fitness streaming offshoot of athleisure and yoga brand Alo Yoga. The classes range from BodyROX Conditioning to Sound Bath for Sleep and feature clean, aesthetic backdrops that transport you from the studio to the shoreline of Santorini. The Alo in the Wild series puts instructors in breathtaking settings around the world—from HIIT cycles in Joshua Tree to vinyasa flow in Istanbul.
Learning is always a gift, and MasterClass will allow your recipient to learn from the greats. The platform features hundreds of on-demand, A-list-hosted video courses for a little bit of everything—the pragmatic, the philosophical, the fundamental, the just plain fun. Think: Malala on activism, Ringo Starr on drumming, Dr. Jane Goodall on conservation, Amanda Gorman on poetry, and Hillary Rodham Clinton on resilience.
Good-gift wonderland Uncommon Goods revealed a new concept this fall with Uncommon Experiences, live hybrid workshops taught by experts in the field. Almost every virtual course includes the option to purchase a parcel of in-home equipment and supplies so they can make DIY hot sauce with food influencer Kai Kani ($67) or the “as seen on Instagram” Raindrop Cake with creator Darren Wong ($56).
Fill their home with beautiful blooms all year long with Bouq’s monthly subscriptions—the flexible program lets them pick from a range of lush, colorful, farm-direct flower bouquets before they ship. Consider it a super fresh monthly reminder that you care.
Up their oil-and-vinegar game this year. Brightland’s subscription ships single-origin olive oils on a quarterly, bimonthly, or monthly cadence. Each subscription arrives with two classic extra-virgin olive oils—Awake and Alive, otherwise known as the Duo—and can be tweaked to incorporate a range of infused oils, vinegars, and other pantry goodies before each shipment is sent out.
Help your transplant friends get a taste of their hometown at home with a Goldbelly gift card. The company’s meal kits, gift sets, and treats from much-loved restaurants and bakeshops across the country are sure to please. No matter where they are this season, they can nosh on Momofuku’s Bo Ssäm ($179) or whole birds from Hattie B’s Hot Chicken ($139). Straight from the maker, ready for the oven.
Capture a precious moment forever with Framebridge’s easy, custom, premium framing services. When you submit a digital file or photo to be framed, Framebridge provides a realistic digital mock-up that allows you to email an instant preview to the recipient as a sneak peak of what’s to come.