I lately learn that Ina Garten likes to offer “disappearing presents.” By this, she means consumable presents that don’t take up room within the recipient’s house (perhaps just a few room of their stomachs). She famous that materials presents typically include an unintentional burden on the recipient to search out area to make use of, retailer, or show an merchandise. The simplest method keep away from that? Give somebody one thing that isn’t a everlasting factor in any respect! Listed below are 30 concepts for presents that received’t take up any area in any respect – from experiences and edible delights, to subscriptions or charitable concepts filled with that means. Additionally, should you’re operating late on present planning, so many of those could be prepared proper on time for the vacations!
We’re positively not in opposition to bodily presents – we’re giving a number of this 12 months! However since downsizing to a smaller house, we take into consideration the entire “the place will this factor stay in our home” extra typically than we did in a bigger home. And I believe that thought course of has formed us to turn into extra intentional about what we deliver into our house… and what we give others. Fortunately, there are many intangible presents which can be simply as enjoyable, distinctive, and considerate as bodily ones… perhaps much more so!
30 Presents That Don’t Take Up Area
Be happy to consider this generalized checklist under as a jumping-off level. We’ll embody extra particular examples in different sections, however typically simply seeing the outlined classes under can get your wheels turning. You may even say they make it easier to assume exterior of the field (I’m sorry, that was nearly *too punny* – and I don’t say that always). The vast majority of non-physical presents fall into these 5 buckets:
- Meals & Drink
- Experiences
- Companies
- Subscriptions & Memberships
- Charitable Donations
Meals & Drink Present Concepts
Sure, meals and drinks are technically bodily objects, however the level is that after they’re consumed, they disappear! Plus, these are nice choices as a result of it’s exhausting to fail (all people eats!) and simple to be distinctive and considerate.
1. Ready Meals
Something from present baskets (wine, cheese, fruit) to treats (donuts, chocolate) to full meals is on the desk (I’m sorry, yet one more pun). Ship a favourite merchandise of yours, or a brand new spin on one thing that your recipient already loves.
Examples: Spoonful of Consolation or Worldwide Snack Field
2. Baking Kits
Flip a culinary present into an expertise by sending a cooking or baking equipment. That is particularly nice for youths or households who love to do this form of exercise collectively. You’ll be able to even deliver it over and make it with them.
Examples: Make Your Personal Rainbow Bagels or DIY Fortune Cookie Package
3. Drinks
Give somebody a tried-and-true favourite or enjoyable new taste of wine, espresso, tea, beer, or soda. You’ll be able to actually modify these to your funds, making them nice for stocking stuffers, host presents, neighbor treats, and extra.
Examples: Tea Drops Sampler Package, Alcohol-Infusion Package, or Coffees of the World Discovery Package
4. Sauces & Spices
One other budget-flexible choice is sauces (scorching sauce, BBQ sauce, pasta sauce), spices (seasonings, rubs, fancy salts), and even syrups.
Examples: Burger Spices Set or Sizzling Sauce Sampler Package
5. Restaurant Experiences
This might be a easy present card or date night time to a favourite restaurant (or a brand new one to strive), however may additionally imply calling round to see if there are particular chef tastings or occasions accessible.
6. Quick Meals & Supply
Suppose present playing cards to a favourite drive-thru or quick informal place (consider it or not, we all know somebody who loves a Culver’s present card greater than anything) – or perhaps a present card to Door Sprint, Instacart, or another meals supply service. You can too use a kind of to order one thing recent that exhibits up at your recipient’s door.
7. Meal Package Subscriptions
Do you know most meal equipment supply providers like Howdy Contemporary and Inexperienced Chef provide present playing cards? These are nice to assist an current buyer lengthen their subscription or give somebody new an opportunity to strive them out.
Expertise Present Concepts
After consumables, experiential presents are in all probability the most well-liked type of non-material presents. Whereas these may be exhausting to “package deal” or “unwrap,” we love them as a result of they create alternatives for relaxation, journey, studying, and high quality time.
8. Occasion Tickets
Suppose live shows, performs, and sporting occasions… and even simply the native movie show. Many of those may be a splurge, however providers like Ticketmaster and Dwell Nation provide present playing cards. Yearly we do a giant group present to John’s mother for the Broadway tour that comes by means of her city.
9. Pampering
Guide an appointment or get a present card for an area spa or salon (providers like massages, hair styling, or manicures might be so pleasurable – you recognize which family and friends members love these). Additionally think about in-home providers for an out-of-the-ordinary deal with.
10. Excursions
Guide a guided tour, like a sightseeing tour, strolling historic excursions, meals excursions, ghost excursions, and so forth. You’ll be able to guide these both in your recipient’s personal city (many people by no means do these “touristy” issues the place we stay) or in a city that you recognize the recipient is touring to quickly. We gave John’s dad and mom a present card for an area meals tour final 12 months and so they beloved it! Take a look at websites like Eventbrite, TripAdvisor, or Airbnb Experiences for concepts & bookings.
11. Lessons
Cooking, dancing, crafting, and even studying an instrument – these might be nice presents for somebody who enjoys any of these hobbies or passions. These might be a one-off occasion (like a ceramics lesson or candle-making class) or a recurring event (like a sequence of portray courses). If there’s nothing in individual in your space, think about a web site like Outschool (for youths) or Masterclass (for adults).
12. Adventures
Are there leases for bikes, boats, ATVs, jet skis, snowmobiles, or kayaks that might make for a enjoyable, bodily outing that your recipient might not assume to strive on their very own? Guide an appointment, get a present card, or write a coupon for a future tour collectively.
13. Health
Get a present card for an area spin, yoga, or pilates studio – perhaps a spot they go repeatedly, or a spot they could have enjoyable attempting out. You possibly can additionally guide an appointment with a private coach or different health professional should you assume they’d get pleasure from that or have talked about desirous to strive it.
14. Time Collectively
It sounds tacky, however folks all the time get pleasure from high quality time with family members. So planning an outing, occasion, or exercise together with your recipient might be so simple as bingeing a present at your property or theirs (collect all of their favourite snacks). You’ll be able to even plan a weekend getaway to an area resort or close by city you assume could be enjoyable to discover.
Service Present Concepts
Much like experiences, take into consideration providers you may give (through present card, reserving appointments, or do-it-yourself!) that may be a deal with on your recipient. These can actually alleviate stress in somebody’s life (particularly in the event that they’re a busy dad or mum to younger children or an getting old house owner). They may appear to be a bizarre alternative, however it could actually actually relieve a burden for somebody you like, and assist them lastly get that nagging factor executed.
15. Automotive Wash or Detailing
A number of automotive wash firms provide present playing cards or membership packages, or you may guide an at-home detailing for a particular service that requires no work on the recipient’s half.
16. Home or Yard Cleansing
Guide an appointment with a home cleaner or panorama firm to tidy up the house, mow the grass, or cross off an annoying chore like blowing leaves, mulching within the spring, and even hanging lights across the holidays!
17. Picture Session
Rent a photographer to take household pictures, headshots, and even pictures of your recipient’s house design initiatives. You can too do a kind of retro picture periods at a division retailer with your loved ones or give that to somebody you like! Ten factors in the event that they’re individuals who will do one thing superb like matching cat sweaters.
18. Consultations
Would your recipient get pleasure from one-on-one time with an professional like a private stylist or colour guide. I beloved having “my colours executed” by Created Colourful (I yapped about them sufficient that they gave me a coupon code, which is YHL20 to get $20 off a colour seek the advice of). Or perhaps you recognize somebody who would love a digital design or entrance landscaping plan? Heck, you may even get a psychic or tarot card studying in the event that they’d be into it! I’d LOVE receiving that.
19. Babysitting
Whether or not you’re providing to do it your self or rent somebody, giving somebody a day or night off to spend nevertheless they like is such an excellent and considerate present. Websites like Care.com even provide present playing cards!
Subscription Present Concepts
We’ve already talked about meal equipment providers, however there are many different subscriptions and memberships that may stretch your present for days, months, and even the entire 12 months!
20. Museum & Park Memberships
It is a favourite in our prolonged household. We’ve given memberships to tons of various museums (artwork, historical past, science, youngsters’s) and park methods (state parks, nationwide parks, and so forth) over time. It is a nice option to help an area spot that provides a lot worth (rehabilitating animals, preserving nature, and so forth) too!
21. Leisure Subscriptions
Take into consideration a TV, gaming, or music service that somebody already enjoys or may need to strive (Apple TV, Spotify, Minecraft, and so forth). Lately you possibly can typically choose up bodily present playing cards that may go towards beginning, extending, or upgrading somebody’s digital subscription.
22. Studying Subscriptions
We love to offer somebody a subsciption to a newspaper, journal, information app, e-book service (like Kindle), or perhaps a favourite creator’s Substack. John took eternally to improve to the paid New York Occasions Video games and now he’s obsessive about it. Simply assume if somebody had gifted it to him sooner!
Charitable Present Concepts
Donating to a charity that displays your recipient’s passions or pursuits might be an extremely considerate present. As an example, we frequently discover a native animal shelter or rescue group for a cat-loving member of the family. However listed below are some extra particular examples:
24. Charitable Present Playing cards
Websites like TisBest and CharityOnTop allow you to buy a present card after which your recipient chooses the charity they need to help with it. These may even make nice stocking stuffers!
26. Volunteer
Give the “present of time,” particularly yours, spent supporting a trigger vital to your recipient. Possibly even invite them to hitch you! This might be at an animal shelter, meals financial institution, senior dwelling facility, or perhaps a stroll or 5K benefiting a trigger near their coronary heart.
Different Non-Bodily Present Concepts
To spherical out our checklist, listed below are a remaining handful of concepts that didn’t match as properly right into a class above. Some bizarre, some sentimental, all with out that “burden of area.”
27. Celeb Cameo
Cameo is a web site the place you possibly can order personalised video greetings from celebrities, creators, comedians, athletes, and extra. For instance, John as soon as acquired me a birthday greeting from Actual Housewife Countess LuAnn (for $40 ages in the past!) and we nonetheless discuss it. There was singing and a reference to her falling right into a bush. There are a stunning variety of celebs on it now!
28. Storyworth
We’ve gifted Storyworth subscriptions a few instances over time and it has all the time been a particular & memorable present. It sends the recipient weekly e-mail prompts like “What was your first job?” and “How did you meet your partner?” So by the tip of the 12 months, you’ve helped seize their life story. You’ll be able to even order a printed guide with pictures whenever you’re executed! It is a nice present for grandparents!
29. Digitizing Previous Photographs & Movies
Talking of recollections, you possibly can assist somebody declutter their outdated picture albums of VHS movies by buying a digitization present set from a web site like LegacyBox or iMemories. That is a kind of issues many people want nudging to get executed. In reality, we’re hoping to finish this in 2026!
30. Gasoline, Grocery, or Cellphone Present Playing cards
Serving to cowl important dwelling bills may be simply the present somebody wants this vacation season. Possibly it alleviates stress of their life or frees up some funds for them to deal with themselves to one thing particular.
31. Considerate Letters
Take time to put in writing a substantive be aware to somebody. Or get your entire household to put in writing a set of them for a grandparent, trainer, and so forth. Inform them what you admire about them, how they’ve impacted your 12 months or life, or recount an vital reminiscence of the 2 of you collectively.
Want Extra Present Concepts?
And naturally, if you need some extra present recommendations, listed below are a couple of posts that may make it easier to out:
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