Yep, it is already time for Valentine's Day. This Sunday, couples all over will be deciding what's the best way to spend their quarantine-affected date night.
Cue the collective deep breath of folks who just realized they haven't gotten a gift for their significant other yet. If shopping for your special someone has taken a backseat, we put together some ideas of worthy virtual gifts that you can still get before the big day, no shipping necessary.
MasterClass
MasterClass offers up tons of classes ranging from photography to acting to business, so you can find a class for anything your giftee is interested in. We love Massimo Batturo of course, but also have our eyes on the class from Aaron Sorkin on screenwriting to channel our inner West Wing or the adventure photography class from Jimmy Chin to help get some photos that make us look like better climbers than we are. Memberships are $15/month and for that price you get every class on the site.
Driftaway Virtual Coffee Tasting Class
If your loved one is a coffee nut, check out a virtual coffee tasting class from Driftaway. For $50/participant you get a tasting kit with four different coffees and a private virtual tasting with Driftaway's professional brewer, James McCarthy (2013's World Brewer's Champion). In the class you'll learn how to brew to perfection, differentiate between flavor profiles and get to know your favorite type of coffee. You could also just purchase one of Driftaway's Explorer Kits and tune into an Instagram Live tasting — but that kit won't get there by Sunday.
The Chef & The Dish Private Cooking Class
The Chef & The Dish offers up private cooking classes with specialized dishes from all over the world, including Italian, Japanese, and Brazilian cuisines. If they're missing out on travel and would enjoy a getaway from inside their own kitchen, check out the Visit San Sebastian class where the chef will take them through a four-course meal that could only be found in Spain. Classes are a bit pricey and the student is responsible for procuring the food, but you get a two-and-a-half-hour private class with a chef and a virtual personal kitchen assistant who can help get the recipe dialed in beforehand.
CreativeLive
CreativeLive is a service that provides classes on all aspects of the creative world, with categories such as Money & Life, Art & Design, or Craft & Maker. Each class has a set price, which starts at $29. If you want to give access to the whole library of classes, you can get the Creator Pass, which is $149/year. This includes all of CreativeLive's classes, plus access to OnAir, classes that stream each day in real time.
Disney+ Membership
With one of the deepest libraries and some of the best new content available, Disney+ has emerged as one of our favorite streaming memberships. You get access to almost every Disney movie ever made, including Disney Channel Originals, so, yes, you can watch Brink. Plus, you get shows like The Mandalorian and WandaVision, which provide a much needed Star Wars and Marvel fix. Disney+ is $6.99/month, but if you want the whole package, you can pair a Disney+ membership with Hulu and ESPN+ for only $12.99/month.
Beer or Wine Subscription
Picking out a beer or wine subscription is a great idea for the partner who loves to imbibe, especially if they want to try new things. Winc is a wine subscription service that is running a great deal right now, giving you 50% off your first order, which comes out to four bottles for less than $30. You can always tack on more months if they're loving it, or just wrap up after one or two if it isn't up their alley.
If beer is more their speed, check out Craft Beer Club. For $45/month, they get 12 bottles. Each shipment will have four types of beer coming from two different breweries. You can choose monthly, every-other-month, or quarterly deliveries and can stop at any time, so there is no pressure to commit (unlike within your relationship).
LEARN MORE: WINC LEARN MORE: CRAFT BEER CLUB
Meal Subscription
A meal subscription is a great way to take some of the stress out of cooking. What is easier than getting ingredients delivered straight to your door and being given get new recipes? There are meal plans for any kind of cook, whether they love cooking or would rather eat in as few steps as possible. We love HelloFresh or Blue Apron for the full experience, Home Chef for picky eaters, or Freshly for folks who just want to put something in the microwave.
ClassPass
When a gym subscription is too specific, ClassPass steps in. With connections to gyms and health clubs all over the place, the ClassPass app can offer a spin studio, a local HIIT workout, or even a massage. You can spend as much money as you want, with different monthly price points ranging from $19 to $199 — $19 gets you two classes and $199 gets you up to 36 classes, depending on what you choose.
Gift Cards
When all else fails, there is still a gift card. Who doesn't like one of these? Here are some of our favorites:
Brooklinen: E-gift cards with value options from $5-$500.
Buck Mason: Physical or digital gift cards with value options from $25-$1000.
Buffy: Digital gift cards with value options from $50-$250.
Columbia: Customizable physical or digital gift cards with value options from $25-$500.
Huckberry: Virtual gift cards with value options from $25-$500.
Milk Bar: Digital gift cards with value options from $25-$500.
Outdoor Voices: Physical or digital gift cards with value options from $25-$300.
Parachute: Offers digital gift cards from $50-$500.
Sur La Table: Physical or digital gift cards with value options from $10-$500.
The Sill: Digital gift cards with value options from $25-$500.
