In these times of social distancing, when we can’t see our friends and family in person, delivering a gift to a loved one’s door is a special way to show they’re in your thoughts. If you have a loved one who could use a pick-me-up, we thought these unique gifts – from coronavirus care packages to custom cards, to fun little novelties – would help lift the mood and give people a smile. Surprise your mom on Mother’s Day, your best friend on their birthday, your grandpa on Father’s Day, and your favorite grad on their last day of school with these unique gift ideas amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Whether it’s an in-person experience saved for later, a thoughtful personal gesture from afar, or a care package delivery filled with personalized gifts, we can show each other we care in creative gift-giving ways. What’s most important right now is making sure your favorite people know that you’re there for them during these trying times. To help you navigate COVID-19, here is a guide on the best gifts to send and stay connected with your loved ones.
What To Put In A Care Package
Amidst the rediscoveries we’ve made during our adjustments to the new normal (matching pajama sets, 1000-piece puzzles, wine subscriptions), there’s one that feels particularly comfortable above all the rest: care packages. One way to connect with friends and family members, aside from the weekly Zoom meetings, is by sending them gifts of a good old-fashioned care package.
Know someone special who is in need of a birthday gift during COVID in lieu of a birthday party? Boxes filled with everything from utility buys such as cloth face masks, trinkets such as personalized stationery sets, a photobook filled with memories and yummy treats like cupcakes are ways to bridge the social distance between partners, friends, and family. Show your loved ones you miss them with these super thoughtful care package ideas that will brighten up anyone’s quarantine.
Custom Photo Books
A custom photo book that has been thoughtfully designed to suit any story is a great memory keepsake to put in a care package. Nothing is sweeter than reminiscing over photos from the past, reflecting on how your family and friends have grown and the fun times you’ve shared.
Personalized Puzzles
Now that everyone is spending more time at home, keep your loved ones busy now with a new coronavirus hobby such as puzzles. Make your own puzzle with your favorite photos for a fun activity and special keepsake. If you’re sending a care package to someone who loves to relax with brainteasers, a custom puzzle with a personal touch is a fun twist on a classic jigsaw puzzle. If it’s a gift for children, give them an easy challenge with 60 pieces or a long term project with 1014.
Coffee Subscription Gift Box
Since we can’t drop by our favorite corner-coffee shops at the moment, a customizable gift subscription of curated coffee beans delivered directly to a loved one’s doorstep will take care of anyone who needs that extra boost working from home. Make their mornings even more special by adding a beloved personalized photo mug to the care package that will pair great with their newfound coffee beans.
Home Baked Goods
If you have the ability to safely drop off a care package directly to a loved one’s door, one of the best gifts to send are home-baked goods. If you’ve been busy baking cookies, bread, and cupcakes, make your friends and family a care package filled with yummy homemade treats. Baked goods from one home to another is a thoughtful gift that’s hard to beat.
Flower Grow Kit
Instead of sending your mom the typical Mother’s Day flowers or plant delivery this year, surprise her with a shipment of greenery tailored especially for her. With a little bit of online research, you can find thoughtfully curated care packages that come complete with seeds, glass planters, care instructions, and more. This gift is best for moms who love to design their gardens with unique flowers and plants.
Personal Beer Steins
Your beer-bud may be far away, but they can still pour one out for you in a personalized beer stein that you made especially for them. If you are crafting a care package for a beer lover, be sure to include a photo beer stein so they can crack open a cold one at home.
Monogrammed Wine Glasses
If you know a wine enthusiast, personalized stemless wine glasses are quaint, attractive, and perfect for any care package that includes wine and cheese. Our stemless wine glasses can be personalized with their initials, an important date, or a favorite saying. With etched monogram designs, their wine glasses can easily be displayed as customized works of art.
Postcards
Send a postcard to show how much you care! Postcards are a go-to gift for birthdays, sending support, or simply saying hi. Personalize your postcards with witty, humorous messages and photos to send to friends. Something about snail mail feels a bit more special than the usual “checking in” text message.
Keepsake Plates
Mark a milestone, holiday or celebration, or honor a loved one, with a personalized keepsake plate. Customize with photos, text, and more to create an elegant heirloom for yourself or as a gift for someone special. Display on a shelf or hang on the wall (stand/hanging mechanism not included).
Photo Tiles
Choosing a unique, personalized gift during COVID can be challenging. Depending on how familiar you are with the recipient, it might be difficult to know what he or she would like. With our custom photo tiles, all you need are some kind words or a few personal photographs that will be meaningful to the giftee and you are ready to go. Photo tiles can be easily attached and reattached to any wall without nails or hooks. Made from real metal for greater photo print quality and clarity. Let your camera roll shine. Here are some great ways to use photo tiles as gifts:
- Create a photo collage for a pet owner who is mourning the loss of his or her faithful companion.
- Give the grandparents a stylish display featuring all the grandchildren.
- Use tiles as durable birth announcements that close family will cherish.
- Highlight words of inspiration that can be displayed for everyone to enjoy.
- Design a tile for a newlywed couple to display in their first home together. Present it during the housewarming party.
- Give a tile to a high-school graduate so he or she can take shots of family members along to college.
Gift Ideas For Mother’s Day
Mother’s day is the occasion to show your mom how much she means to you. Start with one of these unique Mother’s Day gifts to celebrate all moms the right way. Whether your mother’s taste is fun or sophisticated, show your thanks for all the hard work the strong women in your life do with meaningful gifts that will help every mother, grandmother, new mom, mother-in-law, aunt, stepmom, and godmother, too.
Celebration IOU
Plan for fun experiences with your mom as a gift saved for later. Send your mom gift cards to her favorite wine bars and restaurants. The benefits are two-fold – these small businesses receive immediate financial support and your mom gets a good excuse for a night out to celebrate once it becomes safe to do so. The same goes for theater tickets or museum and park memberships. They can’t be used right now, but it’s something to look forward to later.
Personalized Gifts
Make sure your mom knows how loved she is this Mother’s Day with the best personalized gifts. A framed memory is a sentimental reminder of your love and appreciation for your mom. Give her the gift of comfort with a personalized fleece blanket – a match made in heaven for any couch, a custom blanket is a great way to help moms feel as warm and comfortable as possible. You can also get your mom a customizable bracelet that can serve as an extra reminder of how strong she is to push through this overwhelming time.
Shop Related Product
Jigsaw Puzzle – Photo Books – Prints – Wall Art – Fleece Photo Blankets
Home Décor Gifts
If your mom loves redecorating and sprucing up the house, give her a thoughtful gift she’ll be happy to look at every day and that’ll add to her home décor collection. Use wooden wall art to create a quote sign so your mom can hang in the living room or kitchen. Take her home décor to the next level by giving her a large canvas print depicting family photos or a beautiful vacation scenery for a rustic overall home aesthetic. Add greenery to your Mom’s home with a large indoor plant that adds to a natural home décor look.
Gifts To Send Your Dad On Father’s Day
To help you with your Father’s Day gift shopping this year, we’ve compiled a list of one-of-a-kind and useful gifts that fit any budget – from digital experiences to personalized presents you can’t find anywhere else. No matter if you’re shopping for your grandpa, husband, or other special dads in your life, we want to help you find something that suits his personality the most.
Digital Experiences
For those who want to give something your dads can immediately enjoy, you can gift digital subscriptions for streaming services, e-books, audiobooks, and online classes. There’s nothing more gratifying than mastering a new skill, and it’s an even better experience when you get to share it with someone you love. You can also plan to watch movies at the same time or start a long-distance book club to stay connected. If your dad loves pub trivia, there is a way to relocate online and there are platforms to support remote game nights as well.
Kitchen Gadgets
If your dad is a big foodie and loves to experiment with different kitchen tools, fuel his hobby, and help him stay entertained indoors with fun kitchen gadgets and personalized dad gifts. Get him an espresso machine or a pour-over kit, and throw in a personalized coffee mug or a photo latte mug for added sentimentality to this practical present. Replace his dull knives with sharp new ones that’ll make chopping ingredients so much easier. Pair his new knives with a custom cutting board displaying your family name or a fun quote. Encourage a mixology hobby or add to his barware with bottles of his favorite liquor, a cocktail shaker, flavored syrups, and personalized shot glasses. Whether he loves coffee or beer, baking or cooking, these cool gift ideas will knock it out of the park.
Home Office Gifts
If your dad is working from home now, make his work time most enjoyable with personalized office accessories. Make dad excited to work from home every day with a stylish wooden desk caddy featuring family photos to store all his supplies. Get him a personalized planner and custom calendar to help keep track of his meetings, appointments, and important events. Get your dad noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones so he can focus and not get distracted by a full house.
Unique Graduation Gifts Ideas
Graduation is a huge milestone in everyone’s life. One of the best ways to congratulate your friend or family member on their accomplishment is to give them a thoughtful present. Celebrate their amazing achievement with these graduation gifts that will leave a lasting impression on their next journey.
Four Years Of Photos Book
With the rise of DIY and photography gifts, consider compiling your very own school yearbook as a graduation gift to yourself. A customized photo book features all your hand-picked images of your memories from the past four years. If you are celebrating with your best squad of girls or guys, consider a bulk order and surprise your friends with the matching books on the last day of school.
Watch And Keepsake Box
Planning to pass down a family heirloom on their graduation day? Keep it safe in a keepsake box adorned with a family photo and personalized message. This is also a great opportunity to pair a graduation card that explains the story behind the keepsake and your message of love and support.
Motivation Wall
If you know a high school graduate who is moving on to college, curate a wall for their dorm room or new apartment that greets them each day with motivation and enthusiasm. Include a large canvas print with an inspirational quote and include smaller prints, a photo wall calendar, and a magnetic whiteboard to make notes for the day. Include instructions on how to design a photo wall and make a date to hang everything together after graduation.
Garden Flag
Have your grad hang up a custom garden flag to welcome visitors that shows off everything they love. The personalized flag is printed with the same design on both sides, so you can make an impression from each direction. Order multiple flags so your recipient can switch them out to celebrate seasons, holidays, special occasions, and more.
Teacher Appreciation Gifts
Teachers provide a source of encouragement, love, and kindness that shouldn’t go unnoticed. If you are a grad who wants to put a smile on your favorite teacher’s face and thank them for everything they’ve done, consider these teacher appreciation gifts. Send your teacher a heartfelt thank you card paired with a personalized tumbler to help keep their coffee warm all day long. Surprise them with a custom canvas tote bag perfect for any bookworm.
Final Thoughts On The Best Gifts To Buy People During Coronavirus
Along with sympathy messages, gifts can let someone know you care about them and want them to feel as comfortable as possible during these times of quarantine. Whether it’s giving the gift of time with video calls and stay-at-home experiences or sending them a thoughtful birthday care package, stay connected to those you love in these small ways because small and unexpected surprises can go a long way.
In navigating these uncertain times, Shutterfly plays an important role to look after our employees, support our customers, and aid our communities. See how Shutterfly For Good is dedicating resources to help those in need and help us, as a society, emerge stronger on the other side.
Additional Resources:
