How to Give a Meaningful Holiday Gift in a Digital World

Gone are the days of grabbing the perfect holiday gift for a younger family member at a record shop or video store. Now that pretty much all media is online, gift recipients these days would probably light up at a gift card for their favorite streaming service or gaming platform. But doesn’t that seem like an impersonal present? When you went to a shop to get something specific, it felt meaningful.

“Once upon a time, the question was whether a cash gift was too impersonal,” says Daniel Post Senning, co-president of the Emily Post Institute and author of Manners in a Digital World: Living Well Online. “Now that question has started to be applied to digital gifts in all their various forms.”

But there are ways to make that online gift into something more special.

Get personal. “There’s nothing inappropriate about a digital gift, but make an effort to personalize it,” Post Senning says. And to do that, you should look beyond the obvious, to indicate that you really understand the recipient’s interests. Instead of the standard Spotify or Netflix gift card, look for special-interest services. This shows that you understand the recipient. A kid who’s into movies might love a subscription to the Criterion Collection of high-end films. A cartoon fan might enjoy anime streaming site Crunchyroll. A music lover might like a gift certificate to indie platform Bandcamp. 

And consider digital publications, e-book services, meditation apps or online courses. “Really think about the purpose of the gift — it should be unique and specific to the relationship, experience or the event,” Post Senning says.

For a gift that literally speaks to them, platforms like Cameo and Memmo.me let you book personalized video shout-outs from actors, athletes, musicians, reality TV stars and other celebrities. Your recipient gets a short video where the celeb name-drops them, mentions the occasion, and delivers your message with charm, humor or heart— depending on what you specify.