Another couple ideas that came to me for gifts:

I love the amaryllis bulbs that are available almost anywhere. They are often not expensive, easy to ship, and produce really beautiful blooms in the middle of winter. Same for paper white narcissus. Also lily bulbs to be planted for spring and summer bloom (when you can plant may depend on where you live.)

There are some nice gifts available online from animal rescue sites and fair trade sites where people in less developed countries are paid fairly for their work. A place to start is www.theanimalrescuesite.com. You can also click there to help provide food for homeless pets and those affected by hurricane Sandy, for free.