Just when we thought all was merry and bright, a surge of Omicron cases hit across the nation and changed so many people’s holiday plans from jolly gatherings to solo, quarantined activities—once again. It’s a sad thing, no doubt. But we can all make the most of it by coming up with some safe ways to celebrate. Among them: gifting your friends and family virtual presents that they’ll actually enjoy.

It might seem a little less heartfelt sending your uncle an online course over email, but given the circumstances, he’ll understand. Not to mention, the variety of classes these sites offer are truly vast.

From MasterClass subscriptions offering a selection of premium online classes taught by industry icons including David Lynch, Anna Wintour, and NBA star Stephen Curry to legit virtual cooking courses that will teach even the most culinary clueless among us how to bake a loaf of stellar sourdough bread or a full-blown holiday feast that’ll impress even your most judgmental relatives. Of course, for the recent college grads or perhaps those giftees on your list ready for a career change, there also plenty of practical business-focused options to sharpen up their office skills too. Because hey, there’s no harm in giving a gift that they’ll not only actually use, but also benefit from, right?

MasterClass

With a subscription to MasterClass, an online learning platform that offers lessons from industry leaders and bona fide celebrities, you take classes about acting, cooking, fashion design from A-listers like Natalie Portman, Steph Curry, Marc Jacobs and Anna Wintour from the comfort of home. A lot of people wouldn’t justify buying it for themselves, which makes it the perfect gift that’s totally procrastinator-friendly.

Right now, you can snag two memberships for the price of one ($15 a month). Doesn’t get much better than that.

Craftsy

Whether the giftee in question is a constant grafter always looking to sharpen up their creative endeavors or experiencing a severe case of quarantine-based boredom, Craftsy’s archive of online courses has something for everyone. From knitting to watercolor painting and even pastry-making, there’s something to suit anyone’s interests.

Airbnb Experiences

Sure, we often think of Airbnb when we’re looking to book a unique place to stay for an upcoming getaway, but did you know the home rental company also offers online “experiences” (a.k.a. immersive online courses). From drinking and drawing to astrology workshops, there’s something for everyone.

Udemy Cooking Classes

Udemy offers a HUGE selection of online courses, spanning from social media lessons to career planning and more, but our favorite area of their offerings is the virtual cooking courses. Whether you’re gifting a clueless-in-the-kitchen millennial or a bona fide chef looking to learn a new cuisine, Udemy’s catalog is chock-full of fun options.

Skillshare

Ideal for the fashion enthusiast or budding blogger on your holiday gifting list, Skillshare has a massive assortment of online courses to help students further their career, refine their interests, or learn more about a particular industry from the comfort of their own home. Our favorite class at the moment? Where Fashion Design begins, taught by “Project Runway: Season 2” finalist Daniel Vosovic.

from StyleCaster