Top Christmas gifts: vouchers and gift cards Advent

It’s almost time until the big day, but if you’ve still got presents to buy the loved ones in your life, we’re here to help. Whether you’re stuck for ideas for someone, or you’re just looking for some quick stocking fillers, may we suggest some top Christmas voucher gifts?

Vouchers can be a great gift solution if you’re not sure what to buy. All you need to know is what they’re generally into in most cases, and they’re much more thoughtful than just slipping some cash into a card. Whether your family member or friend is a bookworm or avid gamer, all you need to do is pick the right voucher, and they can decide how they want to use it on the things they love.

Even better, most of the options below include flexibility in terms of the amount you want to to gift, which is great if you want something small, or go all out. So, including Netflix, PlayStation, and Audible gift cards, here are the best Christmas voucher gifts you should consider this year.

Amazon Gift Card

If you’re stuck wondering what would make the perfect gift for that cousin you know very little about, an Amazon gift card (UK here and Australia here) may be exactly what you’re looking for. Amazon has a huge range of goodies, from everyday essentials to PC parts – and pretty much everything in between.

You can select the amount you wish to spend and Amazon gives you a number of options for delivery; you can send it via email, text, or any messaging service that you have installed on your phone or tablet. If you’d prefer to have something physical to give on Christmas morning, you can print your own or have it delivered.

PlayStation Gift Card

A shiny new PS5 is just an expensive Netflix machine without any games for it, which is why the PlayStation gamer in your life will be more than happy to receive a tidy bump to their Sony wallet. It will be extremely useful for owners of the cheaper, discless PS5, too, but it’s still a great gift even if they haven’t picked up the brand new box.

A PlayStation gift card can be put towards games, a PS Plus membership that brings goodies like free monthly games, cloud saves, and the PS Plus collection on PS5, and Sony’s answer to Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Now. They can be gifted in $20, $50, and $100 increments (£10-£90).

A Google Play gift card is an excellent choice for an Android-owning friend or family member. You can use your Google Play balance to buy books, movies or music from the Google Play Store or if you’ve had your eye on one of the best Android apps but have been reluctant to fork out the cash, a Google Play gift card could well be your answer. 

You can pick up a Google Play gift card in brick-and-mortar stores or online retailers (UK is here) and, as with most other gift cards on this list, you’ll have a choice of exactly how much you’d like to spend. 

It seems that everyone has a Netflix subscription these days or, at the very least, has access to some sort of entertainment streaming service. But if you know someone who’s missing out on binge-watching The Witcher, The Queen’s Gambit or another of the best Netflix shows, if you want to help someone with the cost of their subscription, a Netflix gift card is a good way to go.

You can choose to buy online or in-store and both choices have the option of picking an amount that you feel comfortable with. Once the code is redeemed, the amount will show up on that account as a balance which will be used against future subscription renewals. If you choose to buy online, you’ll be prompted for the recipient’s email address but don’t worry about ruining any surprises – you can choose the date that the email is sent. 

In today’s busy world, you don’t always have the time – or inclination – to curl up with your favorite book after a hard day at work, so an Audible gift card is a solid choice for the avid reader in your life. There is a vast library of audiobooks to choose from across every conceivable genre. And the beauty of Audible is that you receive one book per month of membership and you have the freedom to listen on your drive to work or while out on a walk. 

Audible works a little differently to other gift options on this list. You can choose to gift an Audible subscription (here’s the link for UK) of anything from 1 month to 12 months or, if the intended recipient already has an active subscription, you can choose to gift them a specific book – or books – instead. 

For the music lovers in your family, the gift of Spotify Premium is a solid choice. While the free Spotify offering is adequate, real music fans will appreciate the features that Premium gives you, such as uninterrupted, ad-free listening as well as allowing you to download songs and playlists and listen to them anywhere.

You can choose between predetermined amounts ($10, $30, $60/£10, £30, £60) which typically net you one, three, and six months premium membership respectively. As with any gift card that is purchased via Paypal, you’ll need the recipient’s email address though you’ll be able to choose the date that the email is actually sent. And if Paypal isn’t an option for you, there shouldn’t be a problem grabbing a gift card from one of the big retailers where you are. 

Nintendo eShop Gift Card

If you’re looking for a gift for someone who enjoys the freedom that handheld gaming provides, you can’t go far wrong with a Nintendo eShop gift card. The recipient will be able to choose from a growing library of game titles to enjoy on their Nintendo Switch. And the good news is that you can redeem the card on older Nintendo consoles too, such as the 3DS or even the Wii U.

You can choose from a number of pre-selected values, ranging from $10 to $50 (£15 to £50 in the UK). These can be purchased digitally or via local retailers.