After promising yourself you wouldn’t leave your Christmas shopping until the last minute, here you are. But don’t worry, not all Christmas gifts need to be physically delivered. We’ve found 10 quick and easy 'no delivery' Christmas presents for your loved ones to beat the December 25 deadline.
These presents don’t need to be shipped, so whether the person you are buying for is a book lover, a gamer or a binge-watcher, there’s a range of gift ideas below to suit a range of budgets, and better yet, you won’t look guilty of a last minute Christmas buy.
Disney Plus
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Disney Plus has something for everyone and can keep the family happy all year round. You’ll get access to Disney’s entire library, along with movies and TV shows from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic.
Disney Plus also includes Star, which adds more adult-oriented shows and movies to its collection. This is a streaming service that’s growing beyond its niche for Marvel fanatics and childhood nostalgia, and it’s available for AU$13.99 a month, or AU$139.99 a year.
Read our full Disney Plus review
Binge
Binge is the home of HBO in Australia. It’s where you’ll find classics such as The Wire and The Sopranos, and more recent hits including House of the Dragon, Succession and much, much more.
But there’s more to Binge than HBO – there’s also mega film franchises including Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and loads more. A 14-day free trial is available, after which you can get started from AU$10 a month.
Read our full Binge review
Kayo Sports
If your loved one is a sports fanatic, then Kayo is the gift that keeps on giving. With access to over 50 sports live and on demand, Kayo has your last-minute Christmas gift sorted.
The 'one' package gives you a single screen to stream from, and costs AU$25 a month (following a seven-day free trial). The basic tier will get you two simultaneous streams for AU$27.50 a month, while the premium package gets you three for AU$35 a month, keeping practically everyone in the house happy.
Read our full Kayo Sports review
BritBox
BritBox is certainly niche, but it won’t disappoint those who love British TV. The streaming service brings together classic British programming and newer content – though we have found that new British releases tend to be delayed in arriving on BritBox.
BritBox’s range of content includes every Doctor Who season and special, newer shows like Luther, All Creatures Great and Small, and the binge-worthy police procedural, Line of Duty.
It’s a relatively new service that isn’t as streamlined in use (and the app is only available on select smart TVs at present) but a monthly subscription will only set you back AU$8.99. You can also sign up for an entire year for AU$89.99.
Read our full BritBox review
Readly
Readly gets you thousands of magazines at your fingertips for a small monthly subscription fee, and we think it’s excellent value at just AU$11.99 a month. We’ve found the service very easy to use, and while you’ll be giving up the feel of flicking through pages, it’s at a killer price that can’t be beat (and you get your first month free as well).
Alternatively, if you want the real deal, you can head to techmags.com.au and subscribe to any of our sister publications, including APC, Australian Guitar, ProPhoto and so much more, in all their glossy glory.
Read our full Readly review
Xbox Game Pass
There’s one sure way to please any Xbox gamer, and it’s with a Game Pass subscription. A membership will unlock over 100 game titles from the Xbox library, ready to play on Microsoft’s console or PC.
You’ll also be among the first to get access to the latest releases from Xbox Game Studios on the day they come out, which is very nice indeed. Prices for either console or PC start at AU$10.95 a month, while an Ultimate subscription gets you access to both console and PC for AU$15.95 a month.
Right now, you can get your first month of Xbox Game Pass (PC) or Game Pass Ultimate for just AU$1.
Read our full Xbox Game Pass review
PlayStation Plus
If the gamer in your life has a PS4 (or do we dare say, a PS5) a PlayStation Plus membership will allow them to play both PS4 and PS5 games online. You can add new games to your collection every month, and if you subscribe to PlayStation Plus Extra, you’ll get access to hundreds of games in the Game Catalogue.
There are three tiers available on the PlayStation Store: Essential, Extra and Deluxe. A 12-month subscription to the Essential tier costs AU$79.95, while the Extra plan jumps up to AU$134.95 for an annual subscription, and a 12-month Deluxe subscription will cost you AU$154.95.
Go to PlayStation Store to sign up now
Kindle Unlimited or Kobo Plus
Kindle and Kobo are the two biggest ereaders out there, and both come with their own ebook subscription services.
In fact, you don’t even need a Kindle or a Kobo to access their libraries, as you’re able to download either service’s app on a smartphone or tablet to get access to hundreds of thousands of ebooks.
You can get a 30-day free trial of Kindle Unlimited (then AU$13.99 ongoing) or Kobo Plus for AU$13.99 a month.
Audible
If your loved one is an avid reader but doesn’t have the time to curl up with a good book, gift them with a subscription to audiobooks instead. Not only do famous voices bring books to life, there’s a plethora of exclusive podcasts available too. You only need the free Audible app on your smartphone or tablet to get started, and after your first two months free, a subscription is AU$16.45 a month.
Magazine subscriptions
If your loved one enjoys reading something physical, consider signing them up for a magazine subscription as a last-minute gift idea. We’ve got to shout out a few of our expert colleagues, who also write for various tech, gaming, photography, AV and guitar magazines in Australia. Take a look at all the titles our colleagues are writing in at techmags.com.au.
Red Balloon experiences
If there’s anything good about waiting until the last minute to buy your Christmas presents, it’s that you can take advantage of some excellent sales. That’s exactly what’s happening over on Red Balloon, where there’s up to 30% off selected experiences. There’s something for everyone here, from skydiving for the thrill seekers, cooking classes for the foodies and pamper packages for anyone who just wants to relax.
• Buy a Red Balloon experience
Adrenaline experiences
Now, while we love streaming from the comfort of home, Adrenaline is the place to go if you want to give a gift they’ll be talking about for years to come. Adrenaline is an Australian adventure experiences site, and it’s the place to go if your idea of a great gift is to go skydiving, hot air ballooning or a few laps around the track in a V8. While the site is full of blood-pumping experiences, there’s also horse riding and snorkel tours for those that prefer a slower pace.
• Buy an Adrenaline experience
Groupon
Similar to Red Balloon and Adrenaline, Groupon is another site where you can buy experiences for your loved ones, and almost always at a discounted rate. Groupon casts the net much wider though, as you’re able to buy anything from five-star hotel stays to dancing classes, tequila tastings, ghost tours and movie passes for the whole family. If you’re utterly stumped on what to buy this Christmas, Groupon is a good shout.
• Buy an experience on Groupon
Amazon gift cards
If you’ve through our list and nothing feels quite right, then your safest bet is probably a gift card. Sure, it’s a little impersonal, but a gift card gives them the gift of choice, and they’re bound to find something they like on Amazon, and isn’t that what really matters?
It’s possible for Amazon to mail you a physical gift card, but with the date closing in, we think it’s best to go for an egift card, which can be sent to their inbox straight away, or scheduled to arrive just in time for Christmas lunch. Just click on the link below and you’ll be taken straight to Amazon’s gift card landing page.
