The holidays can be a stressful time.
Time is a slippery mistress.
It's fleeting and sometimes we only have minutes to spare.
How do you find the best gift in minutes?
Redditor debbies_a_who wanted to talk about all the ways we make gifts happen even in the home stretch by asking:
"What last minute gift for Christmas is always a winner?"
MOTHERLODE!!!
One year when my grandmother's memory was slipping but she was still doing crossword puzzles I found the MOTHERLODE at a bookstore. They had two different editions of phonebook-thick crossword puzzles on clearance for $2 each.
I bought the whole stack of them and cycled through them for years. They kept her happy for years - when she'd finish book A I'd supply her with book B, and then a fresh copy of book A again and so on.
Because her memory wasn't as sharp she'd forget she'd already done the book. Kind of sad but kind of sweet at the same time. crayongrrl
The Touch.
Massage voucher. Most adults don't really need physical things. The ones who do either buy it themselves (if they can afford it, ofc) or they would ask for it, which would make the gift not so much a last minute one. option43
A Literary Giving....
One of the best gifts I've ever received was a big box of thrifted books. I am a big reader of trashy romance novels and I go through them pretty fast. They paid like $5 for this box of books and it gave me like 3 months of reading material. I was super happy! paramourns
Chips Away....
I feel like snacks for stocking stuffers are always a win with me. If my wife is reading this please give me bbq Pringles please for my stocking. CarminesCarbine
If you buy them for yourself, you're just a weak-willed chip addict. If somebody gives them as a gift, you're morally obligated to eat the entire can in one sitting as a display of gratitude. drh0tdog
Who's Asking?
Depends on who you're shopping for.
Like, my broke college friends love getting gift cards to things like GrubHub and Uber Eats.
My mom friends enjoy those gift baskets that come with bath bombs lotions and stuff or a new, fluffy robe
Also if you have the spare time and want parent friends to really love you, a handmade coupon for a free night of babysitting so they can go to a movie or just get dinner, or even stay home and just sleep lol
If all else fails, an Amazon gift card. LividAtmosphere
So Soft....
Super soft blanket. beregond23
As I love super soft blankets... I transitioned to weighted blankets.... best sleep ever. PrinceLewd808
GiphyCustom Made....
I made custom coasters one year for my entire family.
Step 1- Go to Home Depot get free floor samples(already perfect coaster size)
Step 2- Use a wood-burning tool to put initials into them.
Step 3- Give as a gift.
I did this several years ago and whenever I visit I still see the coasters out.
About 2 hours of burning and $0 spent and I had a heartfelt gift for everyone. justa_flesh_wound
$$$$
Cold hard cash baby. cuhcuh416
Well, when a cash man and a cash woman love each other very much, the cash man puts a deposit into the cash woman's bank. Over time, it accrues interest, and when said interest becomes valuable enough, a brand-new cash baby is born, usually in a tax haven of some variety. RamsesThePigeon
A Big One!
I just want a big Toblerone bar every year and I never frigging get one. FloptimusCrime8
Not sure what's considered a big toblerone but now that I'm a teenager a toblerone is the only thing I get for Christmas from my parents. I LOVE toblerones. ABlankHoodie
GiphyTamales....
This has been a rough year for me. Funds are tight so I am making 100 dozen tamales to give to my family and friends this year. And for my Christmas grandchildren's birthdays I am making them their favorite cake. Hummingbird. I know every one will be happy as I am always being asked to make these items for them throughout the year. MsHTownSmoker61
Tickets Giveaway...
Tickets to something that person would enjoy, whether it's a play, musical, concert, dinner theater experience, live podcast, comedy show, sporting event, movie, museum, art show, historic place tour or tour of something else.
It's easy to get (just buying tickets/passes to something) but also very personal & meaningful. It can also range from being a cheap gift (like movie tickets) to more expensive (like a Broadway show) depending on your price range and closeness to that person. chessie_hchessie_h
Droned....
Last year I was at Microcenter buying someone a drone, and they have bins of 32GB flash drives at the checkout counter for $3. I bought 15 and put them in everyone's stockings. People loved it. BelowDeck
USB is Out!
Last year i put hundreds of the best rock music on a USB for my dad to listen to in the car. It was the night before Christmas. He uses it everyday still. TheBrotherhoods
Shop vac.....
Shop vac. Eminently practical and it sucks having to buy one for yourself. The giftee will laugh and then you'll get a text or a call like a month after saying it's the best thing they've ever gotten. UYScutiPuffJrUYScutiPuffJr
I like my gifts to be practical...
I like my gifts to be practical, no matter who's getting them.
- Small, bright keychain lights like the Photon Micro or the Olight IE3 EOS.
- Small Swiss Army knives like the Swiss Army Classic.
- Awesome socks like Smartwool or Darn Tough or Fox River.
- High quality beanie from Outdoor Research, Arcteryx, Smartwool, Sealskinz.
- Space pens and a small, quality pocket notebook.
- Coffee Travel mugs from Contigo.
- Small car emergency kits, everyone needs them and literally no one has them.
- Powerbanks
- If you live some place it snows: A good snow scraper, because again, for some reason, everyone has some piece of junk from a gas station.
- Magnetic charging cables. Seriously. I give these all the time and they're a huge hit, especially for iPhone users who seem to be constantly breaking either their cord or the charge port. I like the NetDot and Volta.
- Small, quality multi-tool from Gerber, Leatherman or SOG. These are especially popular with women that get them from us.
If the gifts aren't for office randos or distant cousins I see every 10 years, I'll make themed sets, like a small light, a power bank and the magnetic charging cables or beanie, socks, travel mug.
You can spend 20-50 or more on high quality, practical gifts or you can spend the same on a breadmaker that'll get used once.
College Life....
One year I went to my grandmas house and snapped a few pictures of the old albums. Went home, made some collages out of the pictures, made them into magnets. (I did this at home with what I have, but a mail order place can do it too) I didn't know if people would like them but several people cried when I gave them out. They all compared pictures and still have them up.
I figured I'd add it here for anyone curious, this is one of the collages I tried to have the collage feature the person it was intended for, this one is heavy on my mom in her cat-eye glasses and on the back of the motorbike, and my lovely aunt sitting front. in_the_wind_
$5 Win!!
A card with $5 in it and a super sweet message from my grandpa about how proud of me he is.
Happened to me when I was 12. My grandpa had just passed away and he had already made cards for everyone. I still have the card and the $5. aurarasburst
Homemade cookies.......
Homemade cookies. One year I was particularly broke and decided to make everyone Xmas biscuits. Felt a bit stingy as I didn't really spend anything on it (had all the flour, eggs, spices etc already at home and only had to buy a single chocolate bar to make choco chips) but people LOVED it and now ask me for them each year. I usually personalize the flavors or ice the person's name/something they like on them. For one friend (who loves warm cookies) I gifted a log of cookie dough and cooking instructions, that went down pretty well. ididitforcheese
Happy New Year!
If they're drinkers, a nice bottle of Champagne. New Year's is right around the corner, and that way they'll have a nice bottle of bubbly to enjoy their night with. Oldpenguinhunter
GiphyHopefully you don't find yourself in a bind, but if you do at least now you have some ideas.
