Soon sleigh bells will be ringing and doorbells will too, thanks to a plethora of gift delivery options this year. While gifting via delivery isn’t quite the same as browsing the options at your favorite store and presenting your recipient with a colorful package in person, gift delivery has its own delights, as surprises at the doorstep mean no travel, no social distancing worries or bulky winter attire required. According to Deloitte’s 2020 holiday retail survey [1], 73 percent of consumers plan to have gift items delivered this year, up from 62 percent last year.
So what gift delivery options are out there? Classic gift delivery options like floral arrangements will never go out of style, and we’re fortunate to have some outstanding florists here in Mt. Lebanon. But here are a few more unique gift delivery options that you may not have thought of yet.
Food gifts
Food gifts have always been a welcome surprise around the holidays, with traditional options like Omaha Steaks and Harry and David packaged meals and snacks that arrive at the doorstep with little preparation required.
New options, like DoorDash’s gift feature, allow users to send a food gift to anyone near or far—as long as they’re within the delivery area. With DoorDash, send local restaurant favorites or even convenience store items along with a gift message that can be texted to the recipient, including a link to track delivery. This is a great last-minute or “now” gift option for a loved one! Simply check the “Send As a Gift” option when checking out to hide price details and leave a personalized message for your recipient.
The gift of learning
Looking to learn something new or pass along the gift of knowledge? There are plenty of educational gift options that can be delivered physically or virtually. Online destinations like MasterClass [2] or The Great Courses [3] provide gift subscription options and offer digital classes for everything from history lessons, to dog training, to wine appreciation.
For a local option, the Mt. Lebanon continuing education program will offer Zoom classes in the winter, as well as select in-person classes. Zoom links will be emailed to registrants a few days before classes begin. More registration and class information can be found on the webpage [4].
If you prefer a more tangible gift in hand, services like Book of the Month Club [5] offer gifting options for the adult or young adult in your life, and companies like Highlights [6] and HarperCollins [7] offer monthly book delivery options for kids.
Tech for gift exchanges
If you’re limiting travel this holiday season, it doesn’t mean that gifting traditions like Secret Santa have to suffer. Apps like DrawNames [8] allow you to host a virtual name-draw by entering the names and email addresses of the individuals in your gifting group, and the app will virtually draw names for you. Host a live, virtual name-reveal through the app or opt for the app to discreetly email each participant the name of who they’ll gift to. DrawNames also offers customizable options, like the option to not draw your own name or the name of your spouse, or even the person who you gifted to last year. It also allows participants to generate gift wish lists including options from Amazon, making purchasing and delivery extra convenient.
While the holidays may look a bit different this year, and Santa may look more like your local delivery driver than a round man with a fluffy beard, there are still plenty of creative ways to spread holiday cheer!