Celebrating special occasions in the age of Covid
A guide of shopping for loved ones
Christmas has recently just come and gone, and it has been a Christmas like no other. The holiday period that was 2020 has been marred by the Covid-19 global pandemic with many countries experiencing lockdowns with laws prohibiting social gatherings putting severe strain on families during this holiday period.
People have needed to adapt quickly in these uncertain times, especially when it comes to important family occasions such as Christmas, birthdays, and anniversaries. We take a look at new ways of communicating with one another, and how families can still create memorable experiences by means of not only celebrating in confined quarters, but also of how to do some gift shopping in a safe and new manner.
Christmas
It’s just a few more weeks until Christmas Day, people are isolated alone in their homes because of stringent guidelines on social gatherings, even among families…
Grandma and grandpa cannot come to Christmas this year because they are fearful for their health and choose to remain isolated by themselves whilst celebrating Christmas. Aunts and uncles with comorbidities are also advised to stay away from loved ones, for the benefit of their own good.
Families still yearn to be with another however, with that face-to-face interaction of all those closest to them. Not only has it been Christmas that has been ‘cancelled’, but there has been a host of important family events that have also been cancelled or changed very very drastically. This includes many birthdays, anniversaries, bar mitzvahs, graduations, and even just a regular Saturday afternoon BBQ.
The face of these parties has also changed; where friends and families now get together through virtual parties where everyone logs on and interacts with one another through their screens. Nothing can really break the tight bonds of families, as these customs are so ingrained in society.
One of these big traditions at Christmas, for example, is the act of buying and giving gifts to all those around. However, one would assume that because of these digital get-togethers, the act of gift-giving is now a thing of the past as it is not as easy or viable to do so. However with the rise of online shopping and the creation of personal wishlists, there is a massive opportunity for friends and family to still be able to get that perfect gift…
Shopping & Beyond
With the monumental events of the year and now with the benefit of hindsight, we have seen how possible it is to be able to celebrate things like birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries all virtually. But going into the new year, there are still many new customs and traditions that we will be taking with us into this still unchartered territory.
Lockdowns across cities and countries the world over mean people have a lot more time at home, and a lot more free time to browse the internet and shop online. A recent study notes that there are over 2 billion regular online shoppers across the world.
In the United States alone, over $700-billion was spent shopping for gifts just during the holiday season, with a growing number of these sales coming purely from online.
It is easy to see why online shopping is now so successful now more than ever:
- It is safe, don’t have to be in contact with any persons.
- It is convenient, as you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own house.
- It is efficient, as your wanted products arrive straight to your door.
Now with all this online shopping and the ease and comfort of being able to buy online, the question is now of how best to utilise online shopping for families and loved ones, and how to create memorable experiences in this new virtual world.
Of all this enormous shopping online over the holiday season, some $15-billion was spent on unwanted gifts. These are gifts given by close friends and family that are often returned back to the original store, or just merely never used or poorly appreciated. This really is no one’s fault, but rather it highlights the lack of understanding of what someone really wants as a gift and – as a sender – of what to really buy.
Given this gargantuan space where friends and families are buying gifts, mostly online, there is an opportunity here to ensure that every gift either purchased or received is a wanted gift, a gift that would be loved and cherished. This is where No Bad Surprises comes in.
No Bad Surprises
No Bad Surprises prides itself in creating memorable and good experiences for all its users. In the current landscape of families being divided between walls, towns, and even continents for everyone’s own safety – No Bad Surprises aims to bring everyone together, in a safe and fun way.
As the name suggests, No Bad Surprises aims to eliminate just that – bad surprises when it comes to gift-giving. It is a platform where one can add all the gifts and wants their heart may ever desire onto their own personal wishlist, which is not tied to any, single website or store. Read more about the ins and out of No Bad Surprises here.
In this regard, No Bad Surprises goes above and beyond when it comes to gifting in a safe and fun way:
- There is no burden of stressing over what kind of gift to get a family member over Christmas, or for any other important event.
- It is completely contactless as one can simply send a gift to the receiver’s address. Thus making the entire process very safe.
- It can all be done from the comfort of home in a matter of minutes.
This really is where No Bad Surprises shows up to shine. Grandma and grandpa are now able to effortlessly browse through their grandchildren’s personalised wishlists, see what gifts they actually really want – and then be able to purchase and send the gift straight to their doorstep. This makes everyone a lot happier: the children open a truly appreciated gift, and the grandparents take comfort in knowing that their money has been well spent.
This is a new space where all loved ones can come together to create memorable experiences. So why not make every gift a surprise? A good one at that.