Subscribe your friends to long-lasting presents: Best Christmas gifts in 2024

Think a Christmas gift has to be exclusive? We believe it should be interesting, useful, and last long after the lights dim. In this guide, you'll find awesome and affordable goodies that will delight your friends, family, parents, spouse, and kids. We'll start with gift card ideas, move on to 2024 trends, and finish with a classic list of the best Christmas gifts under $200. Let’s go!

Idea #1. Gift Cards – the best long-lasting present

We believe that gift cards are one of the most winning presents. First, they're cost-effective. Second, your loved ones will use their subscriptions for at least a month. And yet, most gift cards are suitable both for your friend and for your grandmother.

Here are subscription gifts for the top platforms, along with an explanation of their specifics and prices.

Setapp for everyone who loves to tackle work & daily tasks smart

The Setapp Gift Card gives access to a suite of high-quality Mac and iOS apps covering productivity, creativity, and more. Your loved ones will find popular tools like DevUtils, CleanShot X, Ulysses, Bartender, GifFox, and more. Whatever they need to do – compress a file, take a cool screenshot, block ads, connect to the network via VPN – they can do it with just a few clicks.

With a single subscription, your friends or family will have access to all the apps, the total cost of which is much higher than the price of a Setapp subscription. There are no additional or hidden fees. The best subscription gift for anyone with a Mac and an iPhone!

Price: $9.99 for 1 month, $107.89 for 12 months, $29.97 for 3 months.

Gift Setapp

Spotify for everyone who loves music, podcasts, and audiobooks

Spotify card is a ticket to ad-free listening, offline play, and high-quality audio. You can gift a year, 6 months, or 3 months of Spotify Premium. Cards are available at Walmart, Target, Amazon, and other retailers and webstores.

Gift cards are valid for 12 months and can be redeemed only in the country they were purchased in. So it won't work for your overseas friends, unfortunately.

Price: $99 for 12 months, $60 for 6 months, and $30 for 3 months.

Gift Spotify

Apple Gift Card – includes Apple TV+, Apple Music, and more

Apple Gift Card is an all-in-one pass to all Apple services and devices. Your loved ones can use it to purchase gadgets, accessories, apps, subscriptions, or even iCloud storage.

The denominations start from $10 to $500 for electronic and from $25 to $2000 for physical cards. Note that they can only be redeemed in the country where they were purchased.

And a pleasant detail: when buying a card, you can choose among a few designs and add a special message for the recipient.

Price: From $10.

Gift Apple

Netflix for movie lovers and series binge-watchers

The Netflix Gift Card holds a certain amount of money that your loved ones can use to subscribe to the streaming platform. One month of access to a huge library of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and exclusive Netflix originals starts at $9.99 in the US but may vary in other countries. Gift cards start at $15. 

They are available in both physical and e-format and have no expiration date, but are not currently available in all countries. However, the recipient can use the gift card if it is in the same currency as their Netflix bill.

Price: From $15.

Gift Netflix

How do gifting subscriptions work?

Companies can offer electronic cards, physical cards, or both. Physical ones have an activation code printed on them. It is usually hidden by a protective layer that should be wiped off with a coin. To redeem a card, you typically have to:

1. Register on the relevant website.
2. Find the Redeem section. It is usually in Your Account, Membership, Billing, or similar section.
3. Enter the code and wait for activation. It's usually immediate, but delays are possible.

Physical cards are great for a personalized greeting but are only sometimes delivered worldwide. 

With e-cards, holiday shopping is a breeze: the gift is sent to the recipient's email along with an activation code and instructions on redeeming it. The recipient simply clicks on the link and follows the step-by-step instructions. You, too, can benefit by beating the holiday crowds or buying a last-minute gift.

Idea #2. Trends! What is the trend in Christmas gifts 2024?

Now, let's take a look at this year's trends! Every year, before Christmas, there are products that all the bloggers, media, and your friends are talking about. We've collected some of those ideas and combined them into collections. Meet the 2024 best holiday gifts under $200:

• Decor: floating globe, match holder and candle accessories, flower crystal ball, tulip night light.
• For car: car organizer, car slime (helps clean every nook and cranny of your vehicle).
• Wellness and beauty: neck and back massager with heat, wireless massager, nail clippers with a catcher, LED face mask, cute hand sanitizer, 
• Kitchen, food- and drink-related: wine glass chiller, coffee mug warmer, anti-spill tumbler with a handle and straw, smart meat thermometer, tumbler lid for cocktails (every button press dispenses half a shot directly into your tumbler).
• Travel and outdoor: cooler sleeve for beverage cans,  fast-flow water jug.
• Gadgets: digital camera, automatic pet feeder,  miniature phone, 4K projector, Macbook cover.
• Home: filtering shower head, portable folding hand truck.
• Apparel: beautiful robe, UGG slippers, puffer.
• Other: Jellycats, My social battery slider pin, cosmetic bag.

If you want to catch more trends, just search for the phrase Christmas gifts on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or any other social network you use. The only concern is that trends are fleeting, and there is a risk that everyone around you will be giving each other similar gifts. But that's not a problem if it makes your loved ones happy, right?

Idea #3. Classic. What is the most popular Christmas gift?

Want even more gift ideas? Then, take a look at what other people buy most often. A survey in the United States revealed the most popular gifts people buy for Christmas. In fact, it looks like a classic that never gets old or boring. So, get inspired with these top Christmas gift ideas, ranged from the most to the least frequently purchased.

• Clothing, shoes. These are usually sweaters, hoodies, socks, sneakers, and slippers.
• Gift сards. App platforms, music services, movie apps, coffee shops, travel services, taxis – whatever your loved one's interests or needs, there is almost certainly a gift card for it.
• Toys and games. And for adults, too! Board games, puzzles, maps, and building blocks. 
• Electronics. Apple AirTag, Echo Dot, headphones, smart display. 
• Accessories. The category is mainly for women. The top affordable presents are headbands, bracelets, and hair clips.
• Books. Among top-rated right now are Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, From Crook to Cook by Snoop Dog, and The Woman in Me by Britney Spears. 
• Cosmetics and beauty products. Usually, people go for universal and affordable Christmas gifts such as body scrubs, bath foams, lip balms, etc.
• Home furnishings. Think about the most clichéd gifts that we love anyway: candles, photo frames, home perfumes, decorative pillows, and blankets.
• Sporting equipment. Resistance bands or gym bag can be an excellent idea. 

At the bottom of the list were services or experiences, tools, and small and large appliances. 

Shop for subscription gifts

We hope this holiday gift guide will help you shop for the best gifts in minutes and even without leaving your house. Keep in mind that stores and delivery services are busy during the holidays. Try to shop ahead. To make things easier, try digital gifts. You can buy an electronic gift card even at the last minute because it is sent on email automatically after payment or at the time you specify. The key is to visit the companies' official websites (Setapp, Spotify, Apple, Netflix) or look for a list of authorized retailers.