It’s a new decade, or as the math geeks say, it will be once we reach January 1, 2021. However, you define it, the 2020s are shaping up to be a very interesting time for gift giving and receiving. That’s because several social trends have come together to create a retail version of a perfect storm, in the good sense of the term. Among the blazing hot trends are personalization, cannabis-related items, 3D printed artworks, alternative health services, and tech-themed gadgetry. Here are some of the more clever things you’ll run into when you visit some of your favorite online gift sites.
Personalized COVID Masks
There’s no telling how long these novelties will be around, but they’re apparently big sellers because you can’t seem to avoid them. Want a face mask with your state motto on it? You can buy one. How about a mask that features a photograph of the hidden part of your face? You can get that too. The goal of the latter is to let people see your entire face even though it’s concealed out of medical necessity. One of the best is the personalized mask that features a celebrity’s face to show off while you’re shopping for disinfectant and bleach.
A Marijuana Subscription Box
A huge sensation for 2020 is the entire lineup of marijuana subscription boxes. Not only do the better ones, like those from Daily High Club, feature top-level weed, but they come with various add-ons like special papers, storage containers, and other necessary peripherals. Like the other monthly product clubs, these cannabis boxes make perfect gifts for yourself or someone you care about. They’re popular with couples, too, which is one reason sales are so brisk.
Chiropractor Gift Certificates
Who would have guessed that gift certificates for a doctor visit would ever become a thing? But inexplicable as it might seem, they have. In fact, all things related to alternative healthcare are hot this year, including aromatherapy products and healing crystals. But the chiropractic products are usually dollars-off coupons for spinal adjustments. Recipients love the relaxing feel of an adjustment and the doctors enjoy getting new customers.
A 3D Printed Sculpture
Now that 3D printing has come into its own, it’s possible to order life-sized, exact replica busts of yourself or someone else. Admittedly a strange gift, these new age forms of sculpture are a big hit in corporate suites, homes, and sports clubs. All you need to do is send several photos of the subject’s head, from different angles, and the seller can print any size replica you desire.
Coffee Shop Cash Cards
A perennial best-selling in the gifting niche, cash cards for coffee are becoming the go-to items that people give to their postal carriers, favorite restaurant servers, and healthcare workers. You can get them for any amount you want, and most don’t expire for one or two years.
Thumb Drive Assortment Packs
Every year there’s at least one computer-geek item that breaks out of the retail sales charts and sells like crazy. This year, it’s the boring thumb drive. People are rediscovering the security and safety of storing sensitive data on these portable little pieces of memory.
