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The 20 best gift cards to give anyone in your life
Waited until the last minute to pick out their present? These gift card ideas are here to save the day.
There's nothing like waiting until the eleventh hour to come up with a gift idea. But I can’t blame you, it happens to the best of us. Luckily, you can still present your loved one with a unique gift because the gift cards transcend the bounds of the USPS. And if you’re running really last minute, digital gift cards exist and can be sent instantly via email or text. Some may worry that sending over a gift card can feel generic or apathetic, but the best gift card scenarios happen when you actually think about what your loved one usually enjoys doing in their day-to-day.
Airbnb
Grubhub
AMC Theatres
BaubleBar
Stila
Brooklinen
Spafinder
Starbucks
Sephora
Everlane
Uncommon Goods
Outdoor Voices
Allbirds
Parachute
Columbia Sportswear
Sorel
L.L.Bean
Red Bubble
Amazon
The humble gift card is both universally beloved and instantly delivered (if you go the digital route). So it's a win-win if you're late to shop for their birthday, your anniversary or another gift-worthy occasion. You can score one for practically any brand out there — from fashion to food delivery — tailoring each pick to your recipient. And your loved one can shop online right away, without setting foot in a store, keeping cozy and pajama-ed at home while they select their own gifts.
The poetry, though, is in the initial selection. Here are the best gift card ideas to help show you care (even if you did procrastinate).
The world is their oyster — and with this gift card, they'll get access to some of the most beautiful destinations around the globe. They can put it toward their stay or activities during an upcoming vacation or if you're really generous, then it might just cover everything.
Ordering takeout is way too easy these days. Make it even easier for someone you love with a Grubhub gift card. The meal delivery service works with more than 300,000 restaurants in more than 4,000 cities. Search by restaurant or cuisine — or get even more granular searching by food item. Whatever you crave, you can find it on Grubhub.
Movies aren’t cheap these days. Gifting your loved one a night to the movies is a thoughtful gesture, especially if your loved one is a movie buff. Throw in some extra cash so he could buy some snacks and drinks too!
BaubleBar is a mecca for jewelry of all styles, from dainty stackable rings to statement-making hoop earrings. The site includes a range of price points too. They have fine jewelry for fans of solid gold or gold vermeil, but they also carry lower-end fashion jewelry for folks who like to switch it up on a whim. Baublebar also makes custom items. In addition to buying printed or digital gift cards, you can design your own physical gift card!
Stila is beloved for its high-quality cosmetics, from sparkly eye shadow palettes and bronzers to silky-smooth lip glosses and more. Makeup and skincare are the ideal gifts for beauty junkies, and letting them pick their own is even better.
A top player in the luxury bedding industry, Brooklinen has a strong following. Everyone’s gaga over the brand’s luxe sheet, duvets and cozy loungewear. As the company has grown, it has introduced affordable modern furniture and wall art too. Plenty to choose from at whatever amount you want to give.
In the world of beauty, it’s hard to find a brand more esteemed than Ulta, and for good reason. Shoppers can get their glam on from head to toe thanks to the brand’s exhaustive inventory of products to pamper their skin, nails, and hair, plus makeup from their most-loved brads, from bareMinerals to Mac. A great gift for the glam girl.
What better gift is there than a day at the spa? Let your gift recipient choose a massage, facial or any other kind of spa treatment in the area with a Spafinder gift card, which can also be used on-site to buy luxe products by brands like SpaRitual and Pure Fiji.
You can keep it in your wallet or load it onto your app, but a Starbucks gift card will satisfy your caffeine craving no matter where you are. Fancy coffee can feel like an indulgence, but a sweet gift like this will make a venti soy latte with an espresso shot feel like a guilt-free treat any day of the week. Of course, you can pick up a scone or a cake pop while you’re at it too.
Got beauty on the brain? Sephora has tons of products to make you feel pretty, pampered and posh. Makeup, beauty tools, hair-care products and so much more from brands like Benefit, Drunk Elephant and Philosophy are practically oozing from the digital shelves, just waiting for a spot in your makeup bag or vanity.
The resource for sustainable, well-made, sophisticated basics, Everlane makes it easy to love shopping with them. Not only are their items effortlessly chic — we’re talking sweaters, denim, dresses, bags and more that will make you feel high-end overnight — but the brand makes environmentalism a real priority.
There’s no end to the quirkiness you’ll discover at Uncommon Goods — after all, it’s right there in the name. A gift certificate (of course, they don’t even call it a card) can score you things as mildly whimsical as wall-mounted chess boards and beer-chilling coasters to items that are totally out there in the best possible ways — things like velociraptor garden sculptures and smartphone-controlled paper airplanes. Let your freak flag fly!
This activewear brand is all about outfitting people to move freely and comfortably so they can keep their endorphins pumping. Outdoor Voices makes cozy, high-quality, supportive yoga pants, sports bras, joggers, jackets and more. You can even shop by fabric, and there are many specialty materials to choose from, including fabrics that are moisture-wicking, lightweight, water-resistant and recycled.
Love comfy, walkable shoes? Honestly, who doesn’t? Allbirds has mastered the art of producing stylish, supportive footwear, and it has the fan base to prove it. Slip-on sneakers made of merino wool, boat shoes built to conform to your foot and water-resistant running shoes are just some of its prime offerings. Also available: insoles to make your comfy shoes even comfier.
This one-stop shop for luxury bedding and bath products — think buttery-soft sheets, pillows, duvets, towels and more — recently decided to get in on the bed-in-a-box mattress game too. In 2019, Parachute launched a 100-percent organic cotton coil mattress. The brand also sells chic home accessories like candles and dinnerware.
The activewear giant carries everything needed for outdoor adventure — or simply to brave the cold: fleeces, down jackets, beanies, joggers, hiking boots and more. They even carry cute, outdoorsy accessories, like an insulated wine tumbler, camping cookware and all kinds of bags and backpacks. Great for outdoorsy folks.
The name Sorel is synonymous with rugged winter footwear that’s also high on style. The brand’s snow and rain boots have tough, weatherproof outers and chunky, treaded, all-terrain soles—and they all bear the signature polar bear logo. Your recipient can also shop warm and fuzzy slippers, sneakers and — looking forward to summer — even sandals.
This household name is appealing to anyone who loves cozy clothing, rustic home decor, outdoor adventure gear or an iconic nautical tote bag. Shoes? Slippers? L.L. Bean has those too — and there’s nothing quite like an authentic fleece from this beloved brand. The great outdoors is even greater with an L.L. Bean gift card.
If you want to support independent artists in your gifting, a Red Bubble gift card is the way to go. The site sells all kinds of quirky stuff emblazoned with the designs of creative individuals. Think wall art, smartphone cases, aprons, throw pillows and even fun socks. The options are effortlessly unique and unbelievably affordable. If you prefer, you can pick a design first then see which products are available in that print.
When in doubt, Amazon (if that’s not an actual saying, it needs to become one, stat!). The internet’s biggest and most exhaustive megastore sells gift cards too, and it can be used to redeem anything from clothing and housewares to electronics and e-books. And because Amazon is known for its industry-best prices and quick, convenient delivery, there’s nothing not to love.
Your go-to shopping guide: See all of our gift guides in one spot. We've got gift ideas for all the different people in your life — men, women, teens, kids, you name it.