Key Takeaways
- The holidays create more waste than connection. Every year, millions of tonnes of packaging and unwanted gifts add to clutter and environmental impact.
- Digital gifts make giving more intentional. They bring creativity, learning, and experience instead of more stuff.
- Sustainable gifting is on the rise. Conscious choices reflect a move toward minimalism and mindful consumption.
- Digital gifts can still feel personal. Experiences, subscriptions, and donations make meaningful, tailored presents.
- Shift builds sustainability into browsing. With carbon-neutral browsing and the Carbon Meter, every click counts toward a lighter footprint.
The holiday season doesn’t need more stuff
Every December, we watch the same cycle unfold: packages arriving daily, wrapping paper overflowing, and an avalanche of “things” that lose their novelty before the new year. The holidays often leave us with more clutter than connection.
But a new kind of gifting is emerging, one that doesn’t require shipping labels or storage bins. Digital gifts and online gifts are redefining what it means to give thoughtfully. They support creativity, learning, and wellbeing without adding to the pile.
The problem with physical gifting
The numbers behind holiday waste are staggering.
- In the UK the festive season typically generates around 3 million tonnes of additional waste, constituting about a 30 % spike over non-holiday periods.
- UK households throw away an estimated 3½ black bags’ worth of Christmas packaging each.
- In the United States, Americans generate approximately 25% more waste during the holiday season than they do during the rest of the year.
Even beyond the environmental impact, physical gifts often come with emotional clutter—another item to store, maintain, or feel guilty about not using (or if you’re bold enough….re-gifting).
Over-consumption can create cognitive overload, crowding both our homes and our minds. Environmentally friendly gifts are gaining popularity as people look for ways to give meaningfully without contributing to the pileup of waste.
Digital gifting offers an alternative: gifts that simplify instead of multiply. It’s a small shift toward digital minimalism, where meaning replaces material, and generosity looks more like empowerment than accumulation.
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Read MoreThe rise of digital gifts
From streaming subscriptions to creative tools, digital gifts are gaining traction as people rethink what “valuable” means. They’re personal, accessible, and best of all, waste-free.
We’re spending more of our time online learning, building, and connecting. So why not gift in that space too? And as holiday gift guides evolve, more people are prioritizing unique gift ideas and subscription gifts that make life simpler and more sustainable.
Digital gift ideas that don’t add to the pile
Creativity and learning
Give tools that spark curiosity and growth.
- Learning memberships: Skillshare, MasterClass, or Coursera for creative and professional learning.
- Organization tools: Notion templates for structure, goal setting, and habit tracking.
- Digital art tools: Procreate brushes, Adobe Lightroom presets, or Canva Pro subscriptions.
- Creative marketplaces: Creative Market gift credits for downloadable design assets, fonts, and templates.
Entertainment and connection
Share experiences that bring people together.
- Streaming subscriptions: Spotify, Netflix, Audible, or YouTube Premium.
- Virtual experiences: Online workshops or live sessions through Airbnb Experiences—from pasta-making in Italy to digital art classes led by creators around the world
- Digital magazines: Gift digital subscriptions to WIRED or Kinfolk for a stylish, low-clutter way to stay inspired.
Mindfulness and wellbeing
Help someone prioritize rest and reflection.
- Meditation and sleep apps: Headspace, Calm, or Endel for focus and relaxation.
- Virtual fitness memberships: Online yoga or fitness classes that fit into any schedule.
- Digital journaling apps: Day One or Journey for mindfulness and gratitude tracking.
Sustainability and impact
- Carbon offset or tree-planting credits – Gift a contribution through platforms like Ecologi or Treeapp in someone’s name. It’s meaningful and planet-positive.
- Digital donation gifts – Many charities now let you send a personalized digital card when donating. Choose causes your recipient cares about (like charity: water or World Wildlife Fund).
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Read MoreThe emotional impact of digital gifting
Objects fade, but tools and experiences that empower us tend to last. A digital gift can help someone learn a new skill, stay organized, or simply feel calmer in their day.
When you gift something that reduces stress, sparks curiosity, or supports focus, you’re giving space back to someone’s mind and life. And with fewer physical goods to ship or discard, you’re also giving back to the planet.
At Shift, sustainability is built into the experience. Through carbon-neutral browsing, every action in the browser—from checking email to streaming a playlist—is measured and offset. The built-in Carbon Meter lets users see how their online habits impact the planet and how those emissions are balanced through verified climate projects. It’s a small but powerful reminder that even our digital choices can make a difference.
