Our top last-minute gift card picks you can still get in time for Christmas
If you're scrambling to find a last-minute Christmas gift this weekend, a gift card is an obvious choice. They arrive quickly (and can even arrive instantly with quick, digital delivery) and are an easy choice for the person who has everything or says that they don't need anything.
Gift cards are a good gift, but you need to make sure you're choosing a gift card that they'll actually use. Consider a Starbucks card for the coffee enthusiast in your life or an Amazon gift card for the friend who orders everything online.
Our top five gift card choices for Christmas
The CBS Essentials team has compiled a list of the top five gift cards that people won't hate to get. These gift cards all arrive by Christmas and are sure to please your friends and family this holiday season (though verify the delivery date if you're ordering a physical gift card today, as delivery times vary based on your location).
- For the Apple tech enthusiast: Apple gift card
- For the coffee lover: Starbucks gift card
- For the person that loves takeout: Uber Eats gift card
- For the person who buys everything they want themselves: Amazon gift card
- Gift card they can use almost everywhere (but has an added fee): Visa gift card
For the Apple tech enthusiast: Apple gift card
Looking for a gift card for the Apple enthusiast in your life? Then there's no better option than an Apple gift card.
The card can be used to buy the latest Apple tech hardware, as well as apps, software, music, movies, subscriptions and more. Whether they're saving up for a new MacBook, recently upgraded to a new iPhone or just need some extra money to spend in the app store, this gift card will delight any Apple user.
The physical Apple gift card can be ordered in values of $50, $100 or $200. If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can get it delivered before Christmas (and same-day delivery is even available in some areas for this item).
You can also choose email delivery. Load $25-$500 on the e-gift card and it will be sent digitally to the recipient.
For the coffee lover: Starbucks gift card
Keep your friends and family caffeinated this winter with a Starbucks gift card, available at Amazon. The holiday season is a special time for coffee lovers and Starbucks enthusiasts with the coffee chain's delicious season menu featuring delicious, festive flavors like the gingerbread latte.
Choose from three card designs and denominations up to $100. The physical gift cards can likely arrive by Christmas with Amazon Prime delivery, though delivery times vary based on which denomination you choose and the delivery address.
You can also order a Starbucks gift card for email delivery. This makes a great last-minute gift option, because you can buy it at the literal last minute. The gift will be emailed to the recipient and can be easily added to their Starbucks account via their Starbucks app.
For the person that loves takeout: Uber Eats gift card
For that person on your gift list who prefers to order takeout from local restaurants over cooking, an Uber Eats gift card is an excellent choice.
It allows the recipient to access the menus from nearby restaurants wherever they're located in the United States (using an internet-connected mobile device or computer). They can then order food from a selected local restaurant, pay online using the gift card and have their meal delivered directly to their door.
A digital gift card is available. You can choose any amount between $25 and $100. Physical gift cards are also available for quick Prime two-day delivery on Amazon, but you'll need to order soon to meet the Amazon Prime shipping deadline.
For the person who buys everything they want themselves: Amazon gift card
An Amazon gift card is a safe bet for just about anyone on your list, as the recipient can order whatever they want with it. The e-commerce giant sells groceries, clothing, beauty items, home essentials, tech and basically anything else you could think of. It's a great gift when you're not quite sure what to get someone.
You can send a traditional physical gift card or a digital gift card. Amazon even has print-at-home gift cards with festive Christmas designs if you don't want to do email delivery but need to get the card right away. Load $10 to $2,000 on to this gift card and let the recipient treat themselves to a little online shopping.
The gift card they can use almost everywhere: Visa gift card
If you want to give the recipient the ultimate freedom to spend their gift card balance wherever they want, consider a Visa gift card. The Visa gift card acts like a normal debit card and can generally be used anywhere that Visa credit and debit cards are accepted. This makes it an ideal choice if you're gifting it to someone who prefers to shop in person at retail stores (but you're not sure exactly which store they'd like best) or if you want to treat someone to a nice meal out at a restaurant of their choice.
The one downside of Visa gift cards is that there are added fees when you buy them. This fee ranges from $4-$7 depending on the card's value.
Visa gift cards are available as physical gift cards in values ranging from $50 to $200. If you need one before Christmas, your best bet is to order them from Walmart for two-day shipping or same-day pickup or delivery.
You can also order virtual gift cards in values ranging from $25 to $200 for email delivery.
