VIRTUAL GIFTS for Valentine Day: Present is just a Symbol, but Money is Real
VIRTUAL GIFTS for Valentine Day: Present is just a Symbol, but Money is Real

It might be a little too late to get something shipped to your lover by Valentine's Day during a quarantine Covid-19, but you can still get one of these great virtual gifts for that special someone.

E-gift cards - the Special Virtual Present for Valentine Day

When all else fails, there is still a E-gift card. Here are some of our favorites:

Brooklinen: E-gift cards with value options from $5-$500.

Buck Mason: Physical or digital gift cards with value options from $25-$1000.

Buffy: Digital gift cards with value options from $50-$250.

Columbia: Customizable physical or digital gift cards with value options from $25-$500.

Huckberry: Virtual gift cards with value options from $25-$500.

Milk Bar: Digital gift cards with value options from $25-$500.

Outdoor Voices: Physical or digital gift cards with value options from $25-$300.

Parachute: Offers digital gift cards from $50-$500.

Sur La Table: Physical or digital gift cards with value options from $10-$500.

The Sill: Digital gift cards with value options from $25-$500.

Best ways to celebrate during a Covid-19 pandemic

While many of last season’s big holidays canceled, Valentine’s Day is one that doesn’t necessarily require getting nixed. That’s because this holiday can be all about couples, “regardless of whether they live together or are still seeing each other — this is a holiday that can be celebrated”. All couples should make an effort to treat the day special.

Despite Covid-19 restrictions, you can certainly still create a memorable Valentine’s Day experience. Here are some gift ideas (Source: NBC News):

*If your partner might like it, give a gift of lingerie or sexy bedroom wear. This can help set the scene for a steamy evening.

*Get a romantic game — such as An Enchanting Evening — to learn more about your relationship goals and each other’s sexual desires.

*Buy some luxury bath items to can pamper each other in the shower or during a bath.

*Get a sex guide book and read parts of it together to surface and discuss your likes and dislikes.

The Gift of Space for Valentine Day

When couples are suddenly on top of each other due to Covid-19 restrictions, a way to celebrate can be the gift of alone time. When a relationship is secure, both partners can feel good giving each other space. If you and your partner have been working remotely 24/7 together for the past year, be secure enough to give them some space to do an activity they love on their own. Here are some gift ideas from NBCNews:

*Art supplies, bubble baths or new books can all encourage and incentivize the gift of alone time.

*Give your partner a “day off,” arranging for you (and your kids if you have them) to allow them solitude for a whole day.

*Elevate their work from home setup or at-home life otherwise, some specific examples: An ergonomic chair, new houseplant for a desk, comfortable fleece slippers, noise cancelling headphones, white noise generator or a laptop stand.

Best Valentine Day Gifts distanced Couples

Long distance relationships can be challenging under any circumstance but appear to have only gotten harder during the pandemic, according to Crosby. “If you are away from your loved one this year, make some extra special virtual time together,” she suggested. “We have come such a long way with technology, you and your partner can take advantage of it.” Here are some gift ideas to fit the recommended approach (NBCNews):

  • Wiley suggested a remotely-operated “toy” to add some spice during phone calls and Zoom “chats.”
  • Consider books, stories or poems you could read to each other.
  • Wiley also recommended the distanced game Skin Deep Long Term Couples Edition to play from afar that “helps long term couples continue to explore each other and interests, and builds on that connection, which can get lost the longer you’ve been together.”

Kuaishou, ex-Googler turns virtual gifts into a $61 billion business

The ByteDance Ltd. rival has become the biggest livestreaming platform for virtual gifts, with more paying monthly users than any other in the world. The firm, which takes a cut of the tips fans give to performers, raised $5.4 billion in Hong Kong in the biggest internet initial public offering since Uber Technologies Inc. in 2019, terms for the deal obtained by Bloomberg show, acccoding to JapanTimes.

That is poised to create at least four billionaires with a combined fortune valued at $15 billion, based on the ownership disclosed in Kuaishou’s prospectus. Co-founders Su Hua and Cheng Yixiao will each be worth more than $5.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Kuaishou, which means “fast hand,” is one of China’s biggest internet success stories of the past decade, part of a generation of startups that thrived with backing from Tencent Holdings Ltd. Along with TikTok parent ByteDance, the outfit pioneered the livestreaming and bite-sized video format that’s since been adopted around the world by the likes of Facebook Inc.

Su, a native of China’s central Hunan province, studied computer programming at the prestigious Tsinghua University before joining Google in Beijing in 2006. There, he earned about $23,000 annually, eight times the country’s average salary back then.

The 38-year-old quit Google during the global financial crisis to start his own video-advertising venture, which didn’t come to fruition. After a short stint with Baidu Inc., he got acquainted with Cheng in 2011 and they soon decided to pair up. In 2013, the duo transformed the Kuaishou app from a GIF-maker to the social-video platform it is today, initially gaining popularity with its videos of life in rural China.

With the rise of ByteDance’s Douyin, the Chinese twin app of TikTok, Kuaishou broadened its appeal, luring influencers backed by talent agencies and pop stars like Taiwan’s Jay Chou. Along the way, it sped up monetization by creating ad slots and in-app stores for brands and merchants.

While virtual gift purchases are still its bread and butter — they make up almost two-thirds of its revenue — the company is delving deeper into higher-margin businesses like e-commerce and online gaming. Its sales rose almost 50% to 40.7 billion yuan in the first nine months of last year, according to the IPO prospectus.

Viewers spend an average of almost 90 minutes on Kuaishou every day, and about a quarter of monthly users churn out content as well. While that robust engagement differentiates Kuaishou from rival livestreaming platforms such as Joyy Inc. and Momo Inc., the recent launch of a short-video feed by Tencent’s super-app WeChat has brought competition to another level.
24 Special Valentine Gifts for your Wife 24 Special Valentine Gifts for your Wife

While flower deliveries, gourmet chocolates, and teddy bears are lauded as romantic go-to's, think outside the box this year with these unique Valentine's Day gifts ...
24 Special Valentine Gifts for your Husband 24 Special Valentine Gifts for your Husband

Even if gift-giving is your love language, there's a chance you still find it difficult to find the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your beloved ...
The 10 Most Popular Valentine Day Gifts The 10 Most Popular Valentine Day Gifts

It's already time for Valentine's Day to consider buying your special someone a little special something. If you haven't had any ideas yet, check out ...