Now is a really good time to cheer up a friend or loved one with a thoughtful surprise.
With most of Australia’s population currently in lockdown, it can be a very stressful and lonely time for people.
Other than following COVID-19 regulations and getting vaccinated, unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to prevent lockdowns. However, if you want to cheer up a friend or loved one experiencing a lockdown, there are plenty of options to suit every budget.
Thanks to the internet and innovation of Australian businesses, there are lots of ways you can stay connected to people throughout Australia, including sending a surprise present. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best lockdown gifts you can send to make someone’s day.
Food
Food connects people across cultures and makes a great gift for someone who hasn’t been able to eat out during a lockdown.
Pepe Saya Buttery is a Sydney-based company that produces butter from locally sourced cream and has an online store full of butter-related products. Online offerings include ghee, curds, and make-at-home meal packs. Sydney metro deliveries are made every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, while Australia-wide deliveries are made once a week. Free shipping is available for orders over $65.
If you are interested in treating a friend in Sydney while helping people in need, Harvest Bites is a great option. Harvest Bites is a collaboration between OzHarvest and its ambassador chefs, and hospitality partners. For each purchase made from Harvest Bites, OzHarvest will deliver at least 40 meals to people in need. Meals, fruit and vegetable packs, and general food products range from $10 to over $100, with an additional delivery fee of $15. At the moment, Harvest Bites online delivers to select Sydney suburbs, so click here to find eligible delivery areas.
As the weather warms up, give someone a cool treat from Gelato Messina. Products range from tubs of gelato to cakes, and are available for delivery from Gelato Messina stores in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory. Orders must be a minimum of $10, and there is an additional delivery fee of $5.
For something sweet, check out Meltdown Artisan‘s chocolate creations. Handmade in Sydney from sustainably grown cocoa, you can gift uniquely flavoured chocolate blocks (think chilli pineapple or pandan coconut lychee) and luxurious bonbons and truffles. There’s also a vegan range and DIY kits, for someone who would appreciate any excuse to bake. Delivery is Australia-wide.
Drink
For many people, a post-work or post-study drink is the preferred way to unwind at the end of the week. But when you are working or studying from home during a lockdown, the small luxury of trying a new beverage is not always available.
Cocktail Porter offers cocktail kits, with prices ranging from $70 to over $150. Whether it’s a whiskey sour or a pink grapefruit margarita, the cocktail kits contain all the ingredients for your friend to make their own fun at home. If you’re not sure exactly what someone will be in the mood for, a gift card will let them choose for themselves.
A fun non-alcoholic gift can be found at Bubble Tea Club. A basic milk tea kit includes black tea bags, creamer, fructose, paper straws, and optional tapioca pearls. The packs are reasonably priced, from 10 serves for $29.95 to 365 serves for $800, and flavours range from matcha to passionfruit. For the complete bubble tea experience, you can also purchase a reusable bubble tea cup and straw.
Homewares
With working and studying from home an increasingly regular part of people’s lives in Australia, comfort has become a top priority when it comes to everyday clothes. Your loved one could reach peak comfort levels with an Oodie, an incredible invention somewhere between a blanket and hoodie. Perfect for cold winter days or cool summer nights, Oodies come in a range of bright colours and patterns sure to put a smile on your friend’s face.
On the rare occasions people are let out during lockdowns, masks are usually mandatory. While wearing masks is great for protecting you and other people from COVID-19, mask-induced acne breakouts can be a common problem. The Body Shop has an amazing skincare range that could help. Many of the brand’s products are available as pre-packed gift sets. For personalised gifts, you can simply add a gift bag or box to your online shopping cart, select the items you would like to send inside it, and The Body Shop will deliver the package.
