The Best Last-Minute Gifts to Buy in 2022

October 18, 2024

No matter how hard you may try to get all your shopping done before the holidays arrive, there are always a few gifts that get left for the final hours. Though you may purchase them in haste, last-minute gifts can still be thoughtful and fun. The internet abounds with options that can be delivered to an inbox in minutes—particularly simple, but still high-impact, are subscriptions and gift cards.

We rounded up 18 gifts that offer something for every person on your list, from the aspiring mixologist to the animal lover, all of which are available for quick online purchase. To make this list, we looked at digital gifts across categories, finalizing selections based on variety, price, and pizazz.

Here are 18 gifts—ranging in cost from $1 to $199.99 at the time of publication—that will delight and thrill your loved ones, even if you’ve waited until the last minute to buy them.

Custom video message from a celebrity on Cameo

Price: $1 and up

One of the most personal last-minute gifts you can give the reality TV enthusiast or pop culture fanatic in your life is a Cameo video message from their favorite star. From The Real Housewives of New York’s Sonja Morgan to former Disney Channel actor and Hannah Montana star Jason Earles, the service offers an eclectic selection of celebrities to choose from at a range of prices, starting at just $1.

Buy now: $1 and up at Cameo

MasterClass membership

Price: $15 per month

Learning a new skill is priceless, which is why a MasterClass membership is a perfect last-minute gift for someone with a great sense of curiosity. From a cooking class taught by Alice Waters to lessons in tennis from Serena Williams, there’s an offering for everyone.

Buy now: $15 monthly membership at MasterClass

Barkbox subscription

Price: $23 per month

For the dog lover in your life, consider a monthly subscription to Barkbox, a service that delivers personally curated toys and treats straight to their door. For $23 a month, your recipient and their canine pal will receive more than $40 worth of goodies in each box.

Buy now: $23 monthly membership at Barkbox

Ipsy beauty products subscription

Price: $28 per month

Makeup enthusiasts will be overjoyed when they receive a subscription to Ipsy, a service that sends beauty products in monthly packages. Each Ipsy subscription starts with a beauty quiz that assesses the recipient’s preferences, which is then used to customize each month’s box. While Ipsy offers multiple subscription tiers, we’re partial to the Glam Bag Plus monthly subscription; for $28 a month, you get five full-size products, plus product samples.

Buy now: $28 monthly subscription at Ipsy

TIME subscription

Price: $40 for a year

Give the gift of impactful multimedia stories with a subscription to TIME. For $40, your friend or loved one will get access to all the trusted journalism you’ve come to expect from TIME, from politics and business coverage to culture commentary and annual tentpole issues like TIME100 and Person of the Year, with both digital access and print magazine delivery.

Buy now: $40 at TIME

Scentbird perfume subscription

Price: $48 for three months

Finding the right perfume can be a journey, but with a three-month subscription from Scentbird, your loved one will be able to sample a variety of designer fragrances to find their signature scent. Recipients take a quiz to determine which type of perfume or cologne would best suit them, then make selections from a personalized set of options to try each month.

Buy now: $48 three-month subscription at Scentbird

Shaker & Spoon cocktail box subscription

Price: $59 per month

For the aspiring mixologist in your life, consider a monthly subscription to Shaker & Spoon. Each delivery centers around one spirit with the goal of showcasing various styles of cocktail-making. The boxes don’t include the alcohol—but they do come with recipe cards and URLs for how-to-videos, as well as all the syrups, bitters, garnishes, mixers, and other materials needed to make up to a dozen cocktails.

Buy now: $59 monthly subscription at Shaker & Spoon

Urban Stems flowers subscription

Price: $55 per month

There’s no better casual luxury than fresh flowers, and with a monthly subscription to Urban Stems, your loved one can always have fresh blooms on hand. The subscription starts at $55 and allows the recipient to select the arrangement they want each month—for a higher fee, you can give premium flowers and/or more frequent deliveries.

Buy now: $55 monthly subscription at Urban Stems

Symbolically adopt a wombat through the World Wildlife Fund

Price: $60

Show some love to your favorite animal enthusiast by gifting them a symbolic adoption of an adorable wombat. Each symbolic adoption, which helps the World Wildlife Fund’s global conservation efforts, comes with a personalized certificate of adoption.

Buy now: $60 at World Wildlife Fund

Headspace subscription

Price: $69.99 for a year

Give the gift of serenity with a yearly subscription to Headspace, a meditation and sleep app. With mindfulness exercises, guided meditations, and soothing music and sound offerings, it encourages users to set aside time to boost their peace of mind.

Buy now: $69.99 at Headspace

Mubi Go subscription

Price: $79.99 for a year

The film buff in your life will flip when they receive a Mubi Go subscription, which allows users access to a new film to stream everyday on the app, as well as a hand-picked movie ticket to see in theaters every week.

Buy now: $79.99 at Mubi

Y7 online subscription

Price: $192 for a year

Yogis can sweat it out, at any time and in any place, with a yearly subscription to Y7, the hot yoga studio collective with a cult following. With themed classes that range from hip hop to club mixes, there’s a flow for everyone.

Buy now: $192 at Y7

New York-style brunch from Goldbelly

Price: $195

For a classic New York-style brunch, there’s no better destination than the popular restaurant and delicatessen Russ & Daughters, an experience that can be replicated anywhere that Goldbelly delivers. Purchase the brunch as an e-gift from Goldbelly, and your loved ones can choose when and where they want to indulge in a brunch for six that includes lox, cream cheese, hand-rolled bagels, chocolate babka, and fresh coffee in a Russ & Daughters mug.

Buy now: $195 at Goldbelly

NBA League Pass

Price: $199.99

For the basketball enthusiast who lives by the credo that “ball is life,” consider gifting an NBA League Pass. With this subscription, they’ll get access to live season games and out-of-market games on demand, so they can experience all the thrills of the sport through streaming.

Buy now: $199.99 at NBA

A donation in their name

Price: price varies

Supporting a cause or community that your loved one cares about can be an incredible way to express your appreciation. Consider making a donation supporting the issues or groups that matter most to your recipient—it’s a gift that will be meaningful not only to them, but also to those who your gift benefits.

Bookshop gift card

Price: price varies

Help the bookworm in your life grow their library and support independent bookstores with a gift card to Bookshop, a distributor that supports independent bookstores. Users can select the local bookstore they’d like to buy from or opt for the money from their purchase to go to a profit-sharing pool that benefits all of the bookstores Bookshop works with.

Buy now: price varies at Bookshop

Spafinder gift card

Price: price varies

Give the gift of relaxation with a Spafinder gift card, which allows recipients to find and visit top-ranked spas in their area. The Spafinder network takes away the stress of finding a great place to indulge in beauty and wellness services.

Buy now: price varies at Spafinder

ClassPass gift card

Price: price varies

For fitness enthusiasts who like to mix it up with a variety of classes, consider a gift card to ClassPass. With this gift, your friend will be able to try a dizzying range of classes at the 30,000 studios and gyms around the world that participate in ClassPass. From classics like boxing and pilates to more unique offerings like trampoline workouts and beauty and wellness appointments, there’s an in-person experience for everyone—plus, with the app, users can access thousands of free, on-demand workout videos.

Buy now: price varies at Class Pass

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