Stuck for a last-minute gift? There’s no need to buy novelties or sticky gift sets that will gather dust. It’s easier now than ever before to give media as gifts.
A big benefit of streaming media gifts is that there is no need to leave your home to purchase them; and you don’t even have to stress about delivery as long as you have contact details for your recipient. So if you’ve left Christmas shopping until the last minute, here are some media gift ideas to help you tick that task off your list.
Access to a streaming TV service
There are so many TV and film streaming services to choose from these days – for example, Netflix, Disney Plus, ITVX. An annual subscription, or even a few months’ subs, along with recommendations for films and shows, can give many evenings of joy to your loved ones without filling their home with DVDs.
Music gifts
But TV isn’t the only type of streaming service. Spotify and Apple Music offer subscriptions that give access to huge catalogues of music in every genre. To make the gift extra special, put together a playlist that you can share with your recipient, and ask them to do the same for you.
For classical music afficionados, Naxos Music Library offers a variety of subscription tiers that will give access to top quality recordings of everything from Tavener to Mozart to Hildegarde of Bingen.
Gifts that come directly from creators
You can support musicians directly by accessing their music via Bandcamp. – and in some cases offer exclusive CDs and vinyl that make a good case for having a hard-copy media collection. Another way to support creators directly is via Patreon. All kinds of creatives use the platform to share their work and make a living, from visual artists to writers to podcasters– perhaps your friend or loved one would appreciate the chance to upgrade their support for their favourites. Writers tend to congregate on Substack, and by subscribing, you can get updates and insights from influential writers and thinkers.
E-books to save space on your shelf
E-book services are another form of streaming media – Kindle Unlimited gives access to a vast catalogue of fiction and non-fiction, as do Kobo Plus and Google Books. Audible credits for audiobooks will also be welcomed by people who hate clutter.
There is even an E-book option for the cash poor. Project Gutenberg provides free good quality E-books of texts that are out of copyright. That includes classic favourites like Sherlock Holmes , Anne of Green Gables , and L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, as well as the adventures of heroes like Tarzan (Edgar Rice Burroughs) and Allan Quartermain (H. Rider Haggard). Exploring the Project Gutenberg catalogue is a great way to discover obscure works by famous authors like E. Nesbit, A.A. Milne and Rudyard Kipling (and also, obscure works by obscure authors).
Simply download the titles you want and send them to your recipient, perhaps with a note to tell them why you think they will enjoy the book.
Video games
Gamers will be familiar with the streaming services designed for their choice of consol. Whether it’s for Steam, Xbox Live or the Nintendo eShop, a gaming voucher will give hours of enjoyment. It can also be a good way to get friends hooked on the games you like to play!
While total immersion is great for some, other people have a more casual approach to their gaming. Gift cards for Google Play or the Apple Store are ideal for people who are always playing something on their phone. Also look out for popular puzzle apps like NYT Games, which is best known for Wordle but also offers other puzzles each day.
Giving gifts that don’t take up any space
Electronic media takes up no space at home, and provides just as much entertainment as physical media. Subscriptions mean that your gift will be remembered long after the end of the festive season, too.
And with that – we’d like to wish you a Happy Christmas!
