Dreaming of a digital Christmas

The festive season is upon us, and that means it’s time to think about presents again. And not just for close friends and loved ones, but everyone else in your world: coworkers, relatives, and so on. And that means figuring out what to buy for them all, then heading to the stores in the pre-Christmas crush to do battle with fellow shoppers.

Can’t spare the time for this seasonal ritual? Digital gifts could be the solution. This post talks about the benefits of doing so — with tips on the best options.

Six reasons to go digital

Let’s take a look at six good reasons why digital gifts are increasingly popular, and why they could be a great choice for you this Christmas and New Year.

1. You can give remotely. You won’t have time to see everyone in the flesh, but you still want to give something special and/or useful. Some folks you might not even especially want to see in person, but for whatever reason they still need a present. No problem: you can send them a digital gift even if they live at the South Pole.
2. No need to wait in line. An obvious advantage of digital gifts is that they are, by definition, sold online. So you don’t have to brave the endless traffic jams and waiting lines with the other pre-holiday masochists. You can sit at home in a comfy armchair, sip hot tea, and order everything in a few clicks.
3. Always in stock. Sure, you can try to order something physical from an online store, but the closer you are to Christmas and New Year, the more likely it is that all the good stuff has sold out. This isn’t an issue with digital gifts: the supply is endless, so there’s something for everyone.
4. Instant (and free!) delivery. Another problem with pre-holiday online shopping for physical purchases is delivery. If you don’t sort out gifts in advance, chances are they won’t arrive in time. No such hassle with digital gifts: they get delivered in milliseconds. Beat that, Santa.
5. Environmentally friendly. Let’s be honest: the Christmas and New Year tradition of gift-giving is not all that great for the environment. Millions of Christmas reindeer sweaters to be worn a couple of times (if at all) — and squillions of pairs of “funny” socks that go straight in the trash — do not help save the planet. Again, no such problem with digital gifts. Even if the gift wasn’t a hit, it’s okay: no need to recycle it.
6. Can be very last-minute. Christmas is tomorrow (yikes!), and you’ve forgotten to buy someone a present or couldn’t get to the store before closing time? A digital gift will save the day! As mentioned, it’s ready in milliseconds after clicking or tapping that Pay button. So you can buy and give in real time.

Top-5 digital gifts for Christmas and New Year

Now that we’ve established why digital presents are good, let’s talk about what those digital presents can be.

1. Movies. Blockbusters, documentaries, sporting events, TV shows, educational videos, cartoons, yoga classes — these days just about everyone, young and old, eats a slice of digital video content on a daily basis. So a subscription to an online movie theater or streaming service is an excellent gift that can’t fail to raise a smile.
2. Music. Digital music is another gift you can’t go wrong with. Sure, you might not know exactly which album or artist to pick, but there’s no need! Just gift a subscription to a digital music service, and the lucky recipient can listen to whatever they want.
3. Games. Although not everyone would describe themselves as a gamer, that same everyone likely plays games. It’s just that some do it on a souped-up computer brimming with all the bells and whistles, while others opt for a regular laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Therefore, a subscription or gift card to a gaming platform or app store could be just the ticket. By the way, gaming stores often have wishlists where you can see what someone wants to play and make that a gift.
4. E-books. In the 20^th century, it was often said that books make the best gifts. But in the 21^st , you can give not just one book, but an entire library — and there’s no need to break the bank in doing so. So the best gift for an e-bookworm is a subscription to an online library.
5. Digital life protection. All our devices, and especially the valuable data they hold, need to be protected. There a several gift options here: for example, a subscription to a quick and reliable VPN, or to a secure password manager. Or you can give all this (and more) in one — with a subscription to our Kaspersky Premium.