10 Last Minute Birthday Gift Ideas Your Friend Will Be Sure to Love

Running behind on birthday shopping for your friend? These 10 last minute gifts are the solution you need

Birthdays are one of those special occasions that are oh so fun to celebrate and signify the passing of another year, growing older, and becoming more mature. Whether you’re a big fan of birthdays or you prefer to ignore the fact that you’re aging, birthdays offer a fresh start to your year and are a great reminder of how we grow as people. 

But birthdays can also be stressful, particularly if you are shopping for someone and you don’t know what to get them. And even more stressful; when you’re shopping for a friend you really love but just can’t seem to figure out what to get them. It can be hard to find the perfect gift, and sometimes this can lead to you gift shopping at the last minute and scrambling for that amazing gift idea that you know your friend will love. 

But just because you’re shopping last minute doesn’t mean you care any less or that your gift won’t be just as amazing. This is where a gift card can really come in handy. Whether you couldn’t decide on what to get your friend, you live further away from them, or you simply ran out of time, a gift card can really save the day. 

Gift cards make great gift ideas and can be more personal than you might think. Gift cards can not only be bought for pretty much anywhere that your friend loves, but they’re a gift you know your friend will use and love. Whether you live close or far away, you can always give a gift card for your friend’s special day.

GiftYa makes it easy to give your friend a gift card because you can text or email the gift card right to your friend. Everything is digital now, so why not change how you give gift cards too? We’ve gathered 10 gift cards we think would make the perfect last minute birthday gift for any friend. 

1. Dunkin’ Donuts

A great last minute gift idea for the coffee-obsessed friend 

Text or email a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card from GiftYa

Dunkin’ Donuts is the perfect gift card for any friend who loves coffee. Or, if your friend isn’t a big coffee drinker but could still use a pick-me-up every now and then, Dunkin’ has plenty of coffee and caffeine options to choose from. Dunkin’ also carries a variety of breakfast items on their menu so you can treat your friend to a tasty breakfast for their birthday. Or, your friend can save it for a bad day to cheer them up! 

Text or email a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card from GiftYa

2. Amazon

A gift card for any friend who loves to online shop 

Text or email an Amazon gift card from GiftYa  

Amazon is one of those online stores that you can get pretty much anything you can think of. Amazon carries almost everything imaginable, they offer quick shipping, and they deliver pretty much anywhere. Whether your friend is an avid online shopper or you just don’t know what to get them, an Amazon gift card is a good idea because they can pick their own gift and have it delivered right to their door. 

Text or email an Amazon gift card from GiftYa

3. Sheetz

A gas card makes a great last minute birthday gift idea 

Text or email a Sheetz gift card from GiftYa  

Not only is a Sheetz gift card a thoughtful gift (let’s face it, gas is crazy expensive), but it is also a gift card that you can be sure your friend will like and will actually use. Everyone can use a little help with gas, and a gift card can make their day the next time they go to fill up their tank. A Sheetz gift card is also great because they offer food, beverages, and snacks for purchase inside so your friend can enjoy free gas and a treat. 

Text or email a Sheetz gift card from GiftYa

4. Yankee Candle

A gift card for any friend who loves a tasty smelling candle 

Text or email a Yankee Candle gift card from GiftYa 

Everyone has a friend who is candle obsessed and always seems to be burning one whenever you visit. And can you blame them? There are so many different candle scents out there from ones that smell like a Christmas tree to ones that combine scents you wouldn’t think would smell good together but somehow they work. For any friend who loves a good smelling candle, get them a Yankee Candle gift card. 

Text or email a Yankee Candle gift card from GiftYa

5. Target

A last minute gift idea that keeps on giving 

Text or email a Target gift card from GiftYa 

Who doesn’t love a good Target run? Target has so much to offer and going to the store is an experience all in itself, complete with a tasty coffee drink and hours spent roaming the aisles waiting for Target to tell you what you didn’t even know you needed. Whether your friend loves taking a Target trip or you’re simply looking for a gift card to help them out with groceries and any necessities they might need, a Target gift card is always a fun last minute gift idea. 

Text or email a Target gift card from GiftYa

6. Lowe’s

A gift for the home improvement buff 

Text or email a Lowe’s gift card from GiftYa 

For the friend who is the crafty, do-it-yourself kind of person in your friend group, a Lowe’s gift card is a great birthday gift idea. With a Lowe’s gift card you can help support them with whatever crazy home improvement they are currently working on, or help them save for their next big renovation. Lowe’s has everything your handyman friend might need for their next big project and makes a great birthday gift. 

Text or email a Lowe’s gift card from GiftYa

7. Ulta Beauty

The perfect gift card for the aspiring makeup artist 

Text or email an Ulta Beauty gift card from GiftYa

An Ulta gift card makes a good gift idea for any friend that is an aspiring makeup artist, loves to be creative with their look, enjoys trying new hair trends, or is just always looking into buying the newest beauty item that is trending at the moment. Ulta not only carries makeup items but they also carry a variety of hair care and personal care items. Your friend can also use their gift card to get one of the salon services done at the store too! 

Text or email an Ulta Beauty gift card from GiftYa

8. Olive Garden

Treat your friend to a birthday dinner out

Text or email an Olive Garden gift card from GiftYa

Everyone loves a good unlimited breadsticks and salad combo, emphasis on the breadsticks. So why not treat your friend to a meal you can be sure they will really enjoy for their birthday this year? You can either accompany them to eat or give them the gift card to use later; we’re sure they’ll love it either way. An Olive Garden gift card can also be used to place an order online so your friend doesn’t even have to go out for dinner, they can enjoy it from the comfort of their own home. 

Text or email an Olive Garden gift card from GiftYa

9. Famous Footwear

A gift card for the friend who loves their shoes 

Text or email a Famous Footwear gift card from GiftYa 

Everyone knows a friend who has an affinity for shoes. Whether your friend obsesses over a gorgeous heeled sandal or is always wanting the newest sneaker drop, Famous Footwear is a good place to find any style shoe that your friend might want. With a Famous FOotwear gift card you can treat your friend to a new pair of kicks on you. A Famous Footwear gift card can be used both in store or online, so there’s even more options to choose from. 

Text or email a Famous Footwear gift card from GiftYa

10. Personalized Visa Gift Card from Gift Card Granny

A gift card your friend can use almost anywhere 

A Visa gift card is one of those gift cards that makes a perfect gift for anyone because it can be used pretty much anywhere. A Visa gift card is usually accepted anywhere that takes a normal VIsa credit card, so this gift card can be used at your friend’s favorite places. And even better, you can customize this Visa gift card with a photo of you and your friend, making it an even more personalized gift that you know they’ll love and use. 

When you buy your Visa gift card from Gift Card Granny you can not only customize it to make it that much more meaningful to your friend, but you can also save money when you buy through the Gift Card Granny site. When you shop gift cards with Gift Card Granny you can actually save money with cash back on your purchases, making this gift even more special because your friend will love it and you’ll save some money too! 

Head to Gift Card Granny and get a Personalized Visa gift card for your friend to use anywhere and everywhere. 

Gift cards make the perfect gift idea for any last minute gift. 

Trying to find a special gift for your friend that really shows them how much you love them can be stressful. Where do you even start looking and how do you know when you find that gift you know is the one? With so many options out there, you might find yourself running out of time to get a great gift before their special day.

If you find yourself searching last minute for that one gift you know your friend will love for their birthday, then consider getting them a gift card. Any of the gift cards on this list would make a great gift idea and even better is that gift cards can be bought last minute, will be loved by the friend receiving it, and can be purchased for a variety of places. 

There are gift cards out there for pretty much everywhere, so you can get your friend a gift card to their favorite place. This will ensure they love it and will actually use it. Gift cards also make a good gift idea even if you aren’t shopping last minute, because they’re able to be used so universally. 

So use this list as a guide to help get you started picking a last minute birthday gift for your friend. And with GiftYa, you can actually text or email your friend their birthday gift card. So whether you live close by or far away from each other, you can send them a gift card to use for their special day. 

Let us know in the comments which gift card is your favorite; we love hearing from you! Or, if you think we missed one that should be on this list tell us about it! Then head to the Gift Ya site to search the many different gift card options available to find one you know your friend will love. 

Trae Bodge

Trae Bodge is the shopping expert here at GiftYa. Trae helps people find the best deals and ideas on popular new items to purchase.

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