The resourceful person’s gifting guide for family and friends this festive season

Gifting used to be hard, but never quite this tough. After going through a global pandemic, most folks have had their lifestyles shifted – some quite drastically as well. As everyone rediscovers new stay-home interests, finding that perfect gift might require a little snooping, but once you learn how your intended recipients spend their time, it becomes a piece of cake.

ALL THE MASTER CHEFS

The pandemic has brought out budding kitchen talents – from your lovely colleague to that university friend. You’ve tasted their creations, so perhaps it’s time to help them out with some thoughtful appliances – and picking out the right appliance can save them valuable time.

It can be something as handy as a motorised whisk, dicer or blender to help with food prep. For the folks you really want to splurge on, items like air fryers, bread makers or even that stylish designer mixer can really up their game. For the practical ones living alone, an induction cooker can save space, especially if they are renting a room.

To enjoy great deals on kitchen appliances, check out HSBC's credit card vouchers for the 12.12 sale, available on most major e-commerce apps. The deals mentioned below may be useful:

• S$10 off with minimum spend of S$100 with ezbuy on Saturdays (valid till Dec 25, 2021)
• S$10 off with minimum spend of S$100 with Taobao on Tuesdays  (valid till Dec 28, 2021)
• 8 per cent off with no minimum spend at Panasonic (valid till Jul 31, 2022)

BONDING OVER FEASTING

The festive season is not just about gift-shopping but also catching up with friends and loved ones. As an HSBC credit card holder with access to ENTERTAINER with HSBC, you get to enjoy a wide range of cuisines with dining benefits. The only problem could be deciding what to eat.

Whether it's meeting a colleague for a catch-up lunch with some local favourites or if you’re simply looking for a stay-home weekend while cooking up a sumptuous meal, check out these F&B deals that might spark some inspiration:

• One-for-one main menu item at Tonito (valid till Dec 30, 2021)
• One-for-one main course at Straits Chinese Nonya Restaurant (valid till Dec 30, 2021)
• One-for-one beer deals at Tiger Brewery (valid till Dec 30, 2021)

If you prefer to have delicious food delivered to your doorstep, look out for upcoming exciting offers here with your HSBC Credit Card, available from mid-December.

A SPOT OF INDULGENCE

With work-life boundaries blurring, you may want to gift your loved ones self-care treats such as staycations and massages. Imagine your recipient's joy when you arrange for a luxurious outing in the form of a fancy hotel stay or pampering spa.

If you’re looking to treat the gal pal, think along the lines of customised collagen or purifying facials and for the guys, restorative massages or back treatments to pamper them. Check out some indulgent deals here:

• 50 per cent off deals at Spa Infinity (valid till Dec 30, 2021)
• 50 per cent off shave/haircut at Splice Barbershop (valid till Dec 30, 2021)
• 50 per cent off deals at Pixie Nails Spa (valid till Dec 30, 2021)
• Signature spa journey for S$59 at Pablo Blau (valid till Dec 31, 2021)

With borders slowly re-opening, travel might soon be viable but if you’re looking to avoid the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) fuss, a staycation or a getaway cruise might just be the right gift for yourself or your family. With HSBC’s travel deals, you can arrange for the perfect family outing at exclusive rates with hotel and hospitality deals too:

• 15 per cent off prevailing best available rates at Andaz (valid till Dec 31, 2021)
• One-night stay in Deluxe Premier Room at S$260++ at Goodwood Park Hotel (valid till Dec 31, 2021)
• One-night stay in Classic Room or Grand Deluxe Room at S$288++/S$368++ at Capitol Kempinski (valid till Dec 29, 2021)
• One night free at Ascott’s serviced apartments and hotels and a complimentary one-year Ascott Star Rewards membership upgrade with your booking (valid till Jun 30, 2022)
• Complimentary luggage plus 5 per cent off bookings with Royal Caribbean

STORIES AS GIFTS

Some of the best gifts come with stories, especially if they’re bought overseas. If you are heading off on a VTL flight soon, it’s always a good idea to bring back a thoughtful souvenir as a gift. With planning for a VTL trip difficult enough as it is, one shouldn't have to deal with the added hassle of changing money at good rates and spending overseas with conversion fees.

With HSBC’s Everyday Global Account (EGA), such problems can be easily overcome without the need to worry about additional fees¹ as you spend while travelling. The multi-currency account grants you an HSBC Everyday Global Debit Card that gives you control of your spending by letting you save on exchange fees from 10 major currencies and also enjoy zero withdrawal fees¹ when you cash out at any HSBC ATM worldwide. 

When the exchange rates are attractive, you can do your conversions and store foreign currency early and quickly with your HSBC EGA via the HSBC Singapore App, so you get to save a little more without incurring high last-minute exchange fees.

If you’re not looking to travel anytime soon but have friends or loved ones abroad, you can transfer cash through HSBC Global Money Transfers (GMT) with your HSBC EGA, which lets you send like a local to over 20 countries/territories², all with just a few taps on the app.

Additionally, your HSBC credit card pairs nicely with the HSBC EGA as you get to earn 1 per cent cashback as you spend with your card through the HSBC Everyday+ Rewards Programme³. Stack up rewards as you shop and travel.

TOP IT UP THIS FESTIVE SEASON

• Spend a minimum of S$7,000 to receive a S$200 dining voucher from The Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore
• Spend a minimum of S$12,000 to enjoy a 2D1N staycation with breakfast for two at The Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore
• Spend S$15,000 and above, choose between the Dyson Micro 1.5kg cordless vacuum cleaner or the Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer in a stunning copper and nickel edition

Apply for the HSBC EGA now easily with MyInfo via SingPass and top up your account to receive up to S$100 worth of Lazada vouchers. Terms and conditions apply for all offers mentioned in the article.

¹ HSBC EGA & HSBC Everyday Global Debit Card T&Cs apply. (Source)

² HSBC Global Money Transfers T&C’s apply. Most transfers are fee-free but some intermediary banks may charge fees. (Source)

³ HSBC Everyday+ Rewards Programme’s T&Cs apply. (Source)

Deposit Insurance Scheme

Singapore dollar deposits of non-bank depositors are insured by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation, for up to S$75,000 in aggregate per depositor per Scheme member by law. Foreign currency deposits, dual currency investments, structured deposits and other investment products are not insured.

Information correct as at Dec 21