Beat the Holiday Stress with These Crowd-Pleasing Gift Cards

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Love it or hate it, but gift-giving is not easy. Giving stellar presents might come naturally for some people, while others may struggle to find a tangible thing that can accurately express their love for another person. Regardless of which camp you fall into, let's quickly settle one thing: Gift cards are efficient and wonderful, actually. While they might have been considered lazy and thoughtless, they're now widely hailed as smart and modern presents. But then you run the risk of the recipient secretly wishing for a gift receipt—especially if you don't know them very well. At its core, it's actually quite thoughtful to concede your own taste and acknowledge that you want your loved one to have whatever it is they really want.

Of course, we still recommend finding a gift card that actually makes sense for your loved one. A well-traveled friend would certainly get some use out of a Clear or Uber gift card. Perhaps they just moved into a new space, in which case a Parachute, Nordstrom, or DoorDash gift card is relevant and useful. Or maybe they graduated recently and are facing a mountain of student loans, so a cash or GiftofCollege gift card makes more sense.

Be it a practical gift card that will lighten the load of their busy schedule or more of a "treat yourself" indulgence, find a smattering of actually thoughtful, truly useful gift cards that will light up your loved one's day right here. These make excellent picks for the holidays, a birthday, or just because. From Parachute to Saks to Uber, there's something for every kind of person on this list.

Gift Card

It’s like sticking cash in an envelope… without sticking cash in an envelope. A general-use card like this one from Visa is a total failsafe when it comes to gifting, last minute or pre-planned. Rest assured your gift will go towards the right thing, whatever they decide that might be.

Gift Card

Goldbelly is a foodie's dream come true. With a gift card, they can order at-home options from their favorite restaurants, much-talked-about hot spots, and faraway bucket-list eateries, all on one easy-to-use site.

MORE: Gourmet Food Gifts for Everyone on Your List

eGift Card

Everyone loves to be pampered, and there’s truly nothing like a day at the spa. With a Spafinder gift card, they can browse different offers at local spas. From basic facials to hot stone massages or trendy beauty services, they'll be grateful for an excellent excuse to indulge in some R&R.

MORE: The Best Spa Gifts for Self-Care Devotees

Stock Gift Card

Giving the gift of financial smarts is easier than ever. With a Stockpile gift card, you can help your loved one make an investment—now that’s bang for your buck. This is a great holiday gift for people young and old regardless of experience with stocks and investments.

Amazon eGift Card

Amazon gift cards are as useful as they come. Whether they need to restock household essentials, want to try out a new gadget, or are finally ready to treat themselves to whatever it is they’ve been eyeing, you can be sure this gift will be put to use.

More: The 35 Best Gifts to Buy From Amazon

Gift Card

The bookworm in your life will love a gift card from Bookshop, which, for the uninitiated, is a bookselling platform where proceeds go to local bookstores instead of major corporations. Even better, the books are often at lower prices than competitors. What’s not to love about that?

MORE: The Best Book Gifts for the Literature Lover in Your Life

Ticketmaster eGift Card

Consider this a roundabout way of giving an experiential gift. You don’t have to know their favorite band or comedian; a Ticketmaster gift card puts the power of picking an event in their hands. So, even if it’s the off-season for their favorite sports team, when they do make it to that event, it’s like you thoughtfully got those tickets for them.

Target Gift Card

Target: it seems to be everyone’s happy place. Inevitably, your giftee will end up spending way more than planned, but at least you can help contribute to whatever goodies they find, whether it's groceries, homewares, or a new pair of shoes.

Business Gift Cards

When in doubt, go with an Amex gift card. It can hold up to a whopping $3000 and is a great option for the best friend who always has your back, the aunt who's basically your second mom, or anyone else on your list who happens to be particular about gifts.

Gift Cards

Airbnb hosts thousands of places to stay, ranging from luxuriously classy to uniquely quirky. If they’re looking to glamp within driving distance or travel cross-country to sleep in the Breakfast at Tiffany’s brownstone, Airbnb has them covered.

e-Gift Card

Looking good takes work—and money. With a plethora of skincare and makeup brands, Sephora is a safe bet when it comes the beauty lovers in your life.

Digital Gift Card

Plant retailers like The Sill are your saving grace if you're buying for someone with a green thumb and you don't have one. Any plant lover will be elated to receive a gift card like this, which they can use to pick up a brand new plant, or accessories and goods for their existing plants.

MORE: The Prettiest Indoor Plants (and Accessories) to Buy Online

e-Gift Card

It might not be fun or glitzy, but the best gifts are often the things we just don’t want to spend our own money on. Enter: Uber gift cards. For their next night out or trip to the airport, you can give them the gift of safe travels.

Gift Card

For the recipient who loves style or beauty, a voucher for Nordstrom will allow them to peruse all things fashion, accessories, beauty, and home.

MORE: Best Housewarming Gift to Give 2023

Gift Card

Everyone knows those small daily expenses add up, which is why a Starbucks card is a fabulous gift idea for just about any coffee or tea drinker. Whether the drive-thru stop is a religious part of their morning commute, or they only occasionally treat themselves, their next drink is on you.

MORE: Buzzy Gifts for Coffee Lovers

Gift Card

Struggling to find a gift for your favorite fitness enthusiast? Classpass grants access to workout classes from an entire network of studios and gyms across the country. So whether they prefer yoga, HIIT, Pilates, or are looking to try something new, there’s no shortage of options.

MORE: Best Fitness Gifts for the Active People in Your Life

Gift Certificate

You can find hundreds upon hundreds of delightful and truly unique gifts at Uncommon Goods, many of which are personalized. Think customizable swivel cheese boards, artful bookends, or a book packed with New York Times articles from the day they were born. But if you're not quite sure which fun, useful little tchotchke will suit their fancy, a gift card fits the bill.

Gift Card

There are few things more satisfying than learning a new skill, whether it's something crafty like woodworking, more hands-off like poetry, or a lesson that feels more like a TED Talk. Your gift gives them an annual membership so they can choose from the 180+ classes led by experts and thought leaders like Judy Blume, Serena Williams, and Anna Wintour.

Saks Fifth Avenue E-Gift Card

For that special someone with very specific taste, it’s usually best to let them pick something out for themselves. But that doesn’t mean you can’t treat them to a touch of luxury. Surprise your loved one with a gift card for Saks 5th Avenue, so they can indulge in something they otherwise might not have sprung for.

Digital Gift Card

Whether they just moved into a new space, are heading to college, or have been talking more about refreshing their linens and decor, a gift card from Parachute will certainly be appreciated. The retailer offers luxe bedding, supremely fluffy towels, soft loungewear, and bespoke home items that can level up any interior.

DoorDash

What can’t you DoorDash these days? Actually, you could even DoorDash this gift. A delivery service gift card is perfect for the homebody friend who loves to stay in—or the on-the-go pal who desperately needs to stay in, but needs an excuse to do so.

MaidPro

Perfect for anyone overworked, over-scheduled, or just plain over it, MaidPro offers gift cards redeemable for house cleanings. They’re available in varying quantities, so you can treat your friend to a single cleaning, or perhaps gift your messiest friend to multiple sessions.

Digital Gift Card

For the loved one who always seems to be traveling based on their Instagram stories, give them a gift card for Clear, which takes the hassle out of security. Choose from a 6-, 12-, or 24-month gift subscription that allows them to breeze through check-in once they've set up their retina scan.

Gift Card

For the fashion-forward friend who's also conscious about sustainability and the environment, we recommend a gift card from Everlane. Their wardrobe will soon be stocked with popular denim silhouettes, ethically-sourced cashmere sweaters, leather booties, and more.

Gift Card

A high school senior, recent college grad, or even a new parent will love a GiftofCollege gift card, which is essentially a contribution toward their higher education. They can put it towards a 529 savings account, tuition, or use it to pay down student loans.

Physical Gift Card

Sure, you could give them a bottle of wine as a gift. But you could also offer up a gift card from Boisson, a huge online retailer for non-alcoholic everything: Cocktails, mixers, aperitifs, wine, beer, and more from buzzy brands like Ghia, Aplos, and Kin Euphorics. Not only will this level-up their already masterfully-curated bar cart, but it'll allow them to play around with mocktails during the week.

5-Class Package Gift Card

For the friend who's always telling you about (or dragging you to) their new favorite workout class, offer up a digital gift card to The Class, a cult-favorite workout based in New York and Los Angeles beloved by celebrities and normal people alike.

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