The other day I got a lovely surprise in the mail from a friend — a 1000 piece puzzle! I thought it was such a thoughtful and kind gesture I immediately started brainstorming what to send back and what other things I could send to other loved ones to let them know I was thinking about them during this arduous time.
So here are some thoughtful and quarantine appropriate gifts you may want to consider mailing out today!
1. Games — Let’s get the obvious suggestion out of the way: a card game, board game, or puzzle are the perfect gifts right now! If you know the receiver has a preference, opt for that. Try to stay away from games they are already like to have. If you don’t want to ruin the surprise by explicitly asking them, your safest bet is to go with a brand new game (shameless plug: may I suggest my new game, Cards That Make You lol — a game of hit or miss party tricks?)
2. A bouquet of flowers or a plant — Who doesn’t love receiving flowers or plants? And no, flowers are not just for your spouse or partner. Many companies are still delivering, and flowers/plants will beautify your receiver’s home (where they are spending a lot of time right now) so will be greatly appreciated.
3. Fresh fruit. A lot of people can’t go to the supermarket and wait in line to buy fresh goods. As such, they are stocking up on canned goods like tuna, or frozen foods that will last a good while. But nothing beats fresh fruit — full of vitamins and minerals and good for you. Maybe on your next grocery run, you can pick up a few extra goods (think fruits with durable skins like bananas and grapefruits) and send someone a healthy gift.
4. A Good Book — Got a book that you recently enjoyed? Pass the joy around by sending your friend or family members the copy.
5. Face Masks (not those face masks, the age defying ones)- For the person in your life who is all about the spa and pampering themselves. These folks will surely be missing their regular outings, but you can brighten their day and their skin by shipping out a face mask.
6. Coloring Book — Any gift that will help your friend/family member past the time is an excellent one. That makes an adult coloring book the perfect surprise to purchase and mail out as a surprise gift. If you’re not sure whether the receiver has crayons or colored pens, don’t forget to add those essential supplies as well.
7. Letter / Post card — I know, crazy right? When was the last time you wrote, much less sent, a letter or post card? Now’s your chance. Write a thoughtful letter just letting the person know you care and are thinking about them and it’ll be a lot more meaningful than just shooting an e-mail, text, or DM.
8. Recipes — We have all been slaving away in the kitchen a lot more than usual since the stay at home measures went into place. So you can be sure that people have exhausted their list of go to’s and are getting tired of eating the same old, same old. That’s where you can come in and save the day with some of your favorite recipe cards!
9. A Picture — Whether it be a framed photo of you and your friends in happier, active times or a piece of art work, sending a picture says a thousand words — of how much the person that receives it means to you!
10. Gift Card — Money is tight for a lot of folks, and that means stress is high. So if you can, send a little “I appreciate you” gift by shipping a gift card to Amazon, or your friend’s favorite retail outlet of choice.