The holidays are simultaneously the most stressful and most joyful time of the year. If you’re like my mom, you shop for Christmas gifts all year long so you don’t have to panic; if you’re like me, it’s December 21st and you’re trying to figure out how to get gifts for 15 people in the next two days before you go home for the holiday, all while still having to work and prepare your home for travel. Luckily for you reading this, I have this problem every Christmas and have acquired a list of easy and thoughtful last-minute gifts.
With all the time we’ve been spending in our homes the past two years, we deserve to have that space be comfortable and functional and the holidays are the perfect time to give that gift. One of my go-to gifts for any friend or family member is a really nice blanket and cozy slippers. People usually forget to buy them for themselves and who wouldn’t want a fuzzy blanket to curl up with on Christmas morning? Another go-to gift of mine is framed photos; people rarely print out their photos themselves anymore and it’s a gift that hasn’t failed me yet- this gift goes over especially well with parents and grandparents. To spice up the traditional framed photo, you could get your loved ones a smartframe pre-downloaded with multiple photos for them to filter through.
Stay Smart and Stay Home If you REALLY want to impress your family, give them the gift of not having to get off the couch! You could get them a Roomba for hands-free vacuuming and mopping or get them a gift certificate for a cleaning service in your area. You could get them a Ring doorbell so they can see who’s at the door without getting up; you can also use it to leave them fun video messages of you outside their door.
You could get them Philips Hue Smart Lights so they can pick the lighting they like, adjust the lights in any room, and turn the lights on and off without getting out of bed. You could also get them an Amazon Echo with Alexa or Google Home products so they can play music, order dinner, check the weather, and look up information without stopping whatever they’re doing. A bonus to giving these technological gifts is how much quality time you get to spend with your loved ones while you teach them how to set up and use their new devices!
Gift Basket Go-Tos Giving gifts can be a lot of pressure. One gift I like to give that always goes over well and seems really thoughtful are personalized gift baskets. A fun gift basket to get someone is a styrofoam cooler filled with fancy cheeses, meats, dips, crackers, and wine. The easiest way to make someone a gift basket is to go to Target, or store of your choosing, and walk around and pick up anything that reminds you of that person-and always get their favorite candies or snacks to use as filler in the basket. My go-to gift basket supplies are: socks, face masks, pens and journals, candles, beauty supplies, sports accessories, books, hats, toys and treats for pets, snacks, and gift cards.
Giftcards might be the easiest last-minute gift- you can tailor the giftcard to the person and who doesn’t like an excuse to go shopping for yourself? Personally, I like to give giftcards instead of cash for gifts because most people will save the cash or spend it on something they need while a giftcard forces them to go to a specific store and treat themselves to something fun. All that being said, giving someone just a giftcard can be kind of boring, but I have ways to make it a more fun present to open. A quick and easy way to jazz up a giftcard is to get a coffee mug, bonus points if the mug has their initial on it, or a jar and the person’s favorite candy; from there, just put the card in the mug and fill it with their favorite candy before tying it up in some ribbon and tissue paper!
If you want to personalize your gift card present even further- pick a theme!
If they’re a coffee lover, you could get a Starbucks card and put in a togo coffee mug with a pack of their favorite beans. If they’re a plant lover, you could get a giftcard to Home Depot and put it in a fun pot with some seeds and gardening gloves, or even stick it in a pre-potted plant. If they like shoes, you could get a Nike gift card and tie it to a pair of socks using laces.
For my final gift-giving tip, if time and money has run out this holiday season, make your presence the present and enjoy the time with your loved ones! Happy Holidays!
