‘Twas the night before Christmas and you realize you forgot to get someone a gift.
Of course we don’t want to pay outrageous shipping prices or rush to the mall in a last-minute gifts frenzy to try and find the perfect gift. There are other easier, better and much less stressful ways to fix this situation.
Shop online
This one seems obvious- you avoid crowds and lines, can shop online from work or home and can find exactly what you’re looking for (most of the time.) But many retailers have handy dates listed on their sites for when you can order gifts at the last possible minute and still get them before Christmas. Take advantage of these lists.
Remember the days of clipping coupons? Now you don’t have to physically bring them into stores and can get coupons from the comfort of your couch. Use Fetch to automatically find coupons for you at thousands of stores.
Get crafty
Making gifts is one of the easiest solutions. From granola or muffin mix in a cute, portable mason jar to lip balm or hand painted mugs, the list is endless for homemade gifts. Or you can check out Ten Thousand Villages for something unique and handmade that looks like you made it.
Hungry for gifts?
Speaking of granola and muffins, food gifts are another easy solution for last minute presents. Sam’s Club, Wolferman’s and Harry & David all participate in Free Shipping Day (Dec. 16!) You can also make a gift basket with homemade goods or items bought from a local grocery store, bakery or gift shop.
Pamper them
Not too many people spend money on something nice for themselves and instead use it on something they deem more practical. So go ahead and treat someone to a massage or full spa day, either that they can schedule or one you’ve scheduled for them after the holiday madness dies down.
Monthly beauty and fashion subscription boxes are another route to go, with places like Birchbox catering to both men and women and Cratejoy offering a wide variety of gifts and boxes to choose from. And for any pet owners out there, BarkBox is a great option!
Gift Cards
Think no one wants a gift card? Think again. The easiest, last-minute gifts out there, gift cards can be bought almost anywhere and let the gift receiver choose what exactly they want. Just make sure you pick one up from a store they actually shop at and check the expirations and any other limits.
