Your guide to giving NFTs this holiday season
2021 was a significant year for the NFT space – the market passed $40 billion, Beeple’s historic $69.3 million sale made headlines, and we were introduced to Bored Apes. NFTs quickly became more mainstream, even appearing on SNL.
Given this fame, it’s no surprise that 2021 was also the year of the NFT gift. In fact, CNBC reported that millennials and Gen Z planned to spend “thousands on cryptocurrency, NFTs and metaverse lands” as holiday gifts that year. Major news outlets, from The Washington Post to Bloomberg, shared the stories of those who intended to give NFTs or had them on their wish lists that holiday season.
It’s too early to tell if the 2022 holiday season will result in an even bigger year for NFT gifts, but if you’re interested in making an NFT gift, we’re here to help. From asset-backed luxury spirit NFTs on BlockBar.com to virtual t-shirts and trading cards, there’s something out there for everyone on your list.
How to give an NFT as a gift
Giving an NFT as a gift isn’t quite as simple as buying an item, wrapping it up and putting it under the tree, but it can still be done in three easy steps:
- Create a digital wallet. Before you get or give an NFT, you need a place to store it – i.e. a crypto wallet. Popular software (hot) wallets include MetaMask, WalletConnect and Rainbow Wallet, while hardware (cold) wallets include Ledger and Trezor.
- Buy NFT. There are many marketplaces to choose from, including OpenSea, SuperRare and Rarible – to name a few. Make sure you budget to cover the cost of both the NFT and any associated gas taxes.
- Send your gift. To send an NFT, you need the recipient’s public wallet address. Once sent, don’t forget to confirm receipt with a tool like Etherscan.
Your NFT gift guide
Now that you know how to gift an NFT, it’s time to choose one for your recipient. Your options are seemingly endless, so here are some ideas to get you started.
For the luxury spirit lover in your life
If you’re truly looking for the gift that keeps on giving, look no further than a luxury spirit NFT from BlockBar which will increase in value over time. BlockBar’s gifting service allows bottle owners to send these exclusive bottles to anyone in the world. All you need is the recipient’s email – no wallet address required. Gifts in the NFT space usually come at a price due to gas taxes, but BlockBar’s service costs zero.
“BlockBar simplifies gifting, meaning you no longer have to worry about addresses, shipping or logistics. You can purchase a bottle or eGift card at blockbar.com, transfer ownership to a loved one via email, and they can decide to either ‘burn’ the NFT to redeem the physical bottle, resell the NFT on our marketplace, or purchase an exclusive bottle with the eGift card,” explains Dov Falic, Co-Founder and CEO of BlockBar.
Founded in October 2021, BlockBar is the world’s first DTC NFT marketplace for luxury wine and spirits. Their goal is to make collecting luxury spirits more safe, seamless and accessible. BlockBar has celebrated nearly 30 drops in 2022. These releases are great for those looking to give something unique this holiday season.
When you buy a luxury wine or spirit NFT from the BlockBar marketplace, it’s the equivalent of a fully insured physical bottle. But because it is extremely difficult and expensive to properly store these high-end bottles, you can choose BlockBar to keep them safe in their secure, climate-controlled facility in Singapore.
In the meantime, the NFT acts as a digital certificate of ownership and authenticity. It can be resold on BlockBar’s secondary marketplace, given to another party, or redeemed for the physical bottle at any time. Also, because BlockBar works exclusively with brand owners (such as LVMH, Diageo, Bacardi, Pernod Ricard, Sazerac and William Grant & Sons), not third parties or private collectors, buyers can rest assured that the bottles they purchase are 100 percent authentic.
BlockBar also emphasizes the importance of community. The company brings together the broader luxury spirits community while allowing brands to elevate experiences tailored for the holders of their most valued products.
To facilitate this connection, all BlockBar NFT owners can receive campaign details from brands for which they hold NFTs. It is then the responsibility of the brands to interact with the holders as they see fit through unique experiences such as private distillery tours, exclusive content, discounts, access to future drops and more.
According to Blockbar’s Chief of Staff, Max Album, these experiences allow luxury wine and spirits collectors to connect with brand owners long after the point of sale.
“It’s the first time brands can be practical in the community experience, no matter how many times the bottle may change hands and in any part of the world,” he said. “Community is at the heart of everything we do at BlockBar, especially with all of our partner brands.”
Ready for a gift with BlockBar? The marketplace is stocked with tequila, whiskey and even wine. But two of their latest releases – Royal Salute 27-Year Old Single Cask Finish and Hennessy Paradis Golden Edition Cognac NFT – is made to celebrate.
BlockBar’s Royal Salute NFT
In November, Royal Salute launched an exclusive NFT at BlockBar, Royal Salute 27 Year Old Single Cask Finish Scotch Whisky. This special release of just 315 flags is priced at $965 per bottle, and the physical bottles will be stored by BlockBar indefinitely unless owners choose to redeem them. The bottles remain safe and secure, while owners can display their beautiful NFT in a virtual bar or gallery. This is the first time Royal Salute has released an expression solely as an NFT.
“Although Royal Salute is steeped in history and heritage, as a brand we are always looking to the future, finding new ways to connect with those who are as passionate about whiskey as we are, whether in the physical world or the metaverse, ” said Mathieu Deslandes, Royal Salute Global Marketing Director in a press release shared with nft now.
Not only will the recipients enjoy the bottle itself, but two owners will also have the opportunity to enjoy a VIP trip to Strathisla Distillery for two, including one night’s accommodation in Scotland.
BlockBar’s Hennessy Paradis NFT
In September 2022, BlockBar teamed up with Hennessy to release 500 limited edition bottles of Hennessy Paradis Golden Edition cognac.
Crafted using the maison’s finest and most precious eaux-de-vie, these Hennessy Paradis exclusive golden bottles are accompanied by NFT artwork from acclaimed LA-based stylist and jewelry designer Veneda Carter. Widely known for her extensive and tasteful use of gold in her work, Carter’s participation truly sets this release apart from any other luxury spirit on the market, says Album.
“This release has some amazing elements involved like the never before released Golden Decanter and incredibly rare digital artwork, all exclusive to BlockBar,” he said in an interview with nft now. “We are extremely grateful to be working again with the amazing team at Hennessy.”
The result is a beautiful piece of art that can be proudly displayed in a virtual bar or gallery or redeemed for the physical product.
A BlockBar gift card
Not sure if your friend prefers Dewar’s or Johnnie Walker? Give them the opportunity to choose with a limited edition BlockBar eGift card. Send a special message to a loved one or personalize it with a company logo through BlockBar’s new dedicated Corporate Gifting Division.
When you’re not sure where to start
With so many marketplaces, artists, and creators out there, it can be challenging to know where to start when looking for an NFT gift. LTD.INC is a great place to start. It is a highly curated platform that partners with iconic artists, creators and brands to launch ultra-rare physical and digital NFT collections and experiences. Each physical product (artwork, exclusive photos, t-shirts, etc.) is linked to NFTs for proof of authenticity in the chain.
The limited editions on LTD.INC are designed to exist in real life, on the blockchain and in the metaverse, bridging the gap between the physical and virtual economy. They deliver fantastic collections and experiences that span art, culture and blockchain technology.
For the sports fanatic
If you have a tech-savvy sports fanatic in your life, an NFT from NBA Top Shot is the perfect gift. The platform presents itself as a place where basketball lovers can celebrate, relive and collect the best plays they have ever seen. It offers officially licensed unique digital items called Moment™ NFTs, tokenized clips of unforgettable NBA and WNBA games for fans to purchase and enjoy. It is truly a next generation collectible for the biggest basketball fans.
On the platform, you can safely buy and sell Moment™ NFTs in seconds with protected transactions, verified collectors and guaranteed authenticity. You can also connect with a global community of fans and athletes like never before.
For the friend who has an extensive collection
If your friend has an impressive NFT collection they want to show off, consider offering them a creative way to display their art. Infinite Objects specializes in “video prints.” In other words, they take short video clips of friends, family, pets, etc., and place them in a beautiful frame that usually contains a photograph. The result looks like something from a sci-fi movie; a physically animated GIF you can display on your wall or bedside table.
That in itself would be a pretty cool gift. But you can also take it one step further and let Infinite Objects bring digital collectibles to life with a frame to display an NFT.
These authenticated prints allow you to showcase your favorite NFTs in an immutable design object uniquely customized to reference your NFT on the blockchain. Each authenticated NFT printout from Infinite Objects has a unique QR code on the back that links directly to the token on chain so you can prove your ownership at any time. And if you ever sell the NFT on the secondary market, you can still display the image in the frame since it’s just a physical copy, not the token itself.
For your NFT-curious loved one
You can’t send someone an NFT if they don’t have a wallet – so why not start by giving them a gift? A hardware wallet does not actually store your NFTs, which are always on the blockchain. Instead, it stores the private keys used to access your digital assets. It is a secure physical device that isolates these private keys offline in cold storage. This way, if your computer or smartphone is compromised, your private keys are not at risk. It’s like taking the key to a safe and keeping it in a separate safe.
Ledger Nano X and Nano S Plus are two of the most popular hardware wallets on the market today. They protect crypto, NFTs and tokens from hackers with a CC EAL5+ certified secure chip. This industry-leading security lets you manage your NFTs wherever you go without worry, and the Nano X even has Bluetooth connectivity so you can sync it with apps on your phone for easier access and control.
NFTs are without a doubt an excellent gift. They don’t need to be wrapped, they’re almost impossible to lose, and each one is as unique as the recipient. In addition, they are a great way to introduce friends and family who may not be familiar with the technology of the Web3 site. Whichever NFT you choose to gift, know that you are giving the recipient more than just digital art or a virtual object – you are offering them an opportunity to build community and find their place in an evolving space that defines the future.
