Last Minute Gift Ideas That Arrive in Minutes

Digital gifts skip every step that makes a late present stressful. There is no store to drive to and no line to stand in. You order, and the e-gift card is sent by email within minutes, either to your own inbox so you can forward it yourself or straight to the person you are giving it to. A personal message goes with it, written on the product page before you check out, so it reads like a gift and not like a receipt.

Because they choose what to spend it on, instant gifts rarely miss. That makes them easy last minute gifts you can actually feel good about. Our full range of digital gift cards works this way, from dinner and movies to shopping and games.

Pick the moment you are scrambling for, and the right card is usually one or two taps away.

A forgotten birthday

The birthday that crept up deserves more than a text with a cake emoji. The Happy Birthday Gift Card is our own card, and it lets them choose the brand gift card they actually want, in any amount from $10 to $750. If they are the type who orders dessert first, a gift card for The Cheesecake Factory is a warm alternative. Either way, it is in their inbox before the candles are lit.

A thank you that can't wait

Someone watered your plants for two weeks, or stayed late to cover your shift. A DoorDash gift card says thanks with a dinner they don't have to cook, from a place they already like. Amounts run from $10 to $150, so it stretches from a quick lunch to a meal for the whole family. It is used online, which suits a thank you sent from your phone.

A date night or anniversary

An anniversary that snuck up on you is easier to rescue than it looks. An AMC Theatres gift card covers tickets and snacks, and it can go toward IMAX or Dolby Cinema for a bigger night. Fandango suits movie fans with a favorite theater of their own, in amounts from $25 to $100. Add a message suggesting Friday night, and the evening mostly plans itself.

A host gift for tonight

The invitation said "just bring yourself," but you would rather not show up empty-handed. A 1-800-Flowers.com gift card lets your host pick the bouquet or gift set they really want, online or in store. Send it before you leave the house and mention it at the door, so they know to check their inbox. It beats a bunch of grocery-store tulips wilting on the passenger seat.

When you don't know their taste

Some people are simply hard to read, like a new coworker or a nephew you have met twice. The Multi Choice Gift Card is our own card, and it lets them pick from 500+ brand gift cards and split the amount across several. It runs from $10 to $750, so it works for a small thank you as well as a proper celebration. You set the amount and they do the rest.

Your sister lives three time zones away, and your college roommate moved to another state years ago. Online gifts close that distance in the time it takes to write a few kind words. Pick an e-gift card, add your message, and send it straight to their email address, so it reaches them at the same moment it would reach someone down the street. That is what same day gifts look like here: bought this afternoon, opened this afternoon.

For digital gift ideas that travel well, think about what they do on an ordinary evening. Ordering in, catching a movie and picking up something for the house all work from any zip code. Distance stops being the excuse.

December has its own version of this problem: the list looked finished until an extra guest said yes to dinner. Quick Christmas gifts work exactly like every other idea on this page, sent by email within minutes of your order. If you are hunting for last minute holiday gift ideas, our page of last minute holiday gifts gathers gift cards picked for the season, for everyone from grandparents to the new neighbor. Order from the couch while the cookies are still in the oven.

The name you almost forgot will never know.

Sending one takes less time than finding a parking spot at the mall. Here is how it works at Wow Gift Card:

1. Pick a card and set the amount.
2. Write your personal message on the product page.
3. At checkout, choose whether the card comes to you or goes straight to the person you are giving it to.

It is sent the moment you order, so there is nothing left to wait for. For more quick gift ideas and last minute digital gifts, browse our last minute gift cards. See brand details on each card's page before you buy. Terms are set solely by the brand.

You still have time.