I’m finding it hard to believe, but this weekend is the last weekend before Christmas! If you still have shopping left to do, don’t panic. Instead give these ideas a try to streamline your last-minute gift giving.
1. Pick a day and get ‘er done.
Jay and I used to do all of our Christmas shopping in a single day. It was a fun tradition that fell by the wayside as our kids’ wish lists started to include more items purchased online. But, if you’re in a shopping pinch, this is a terrific way to catch up in a single, accomplishment-packed day. Whether you decide to wrap up your shopping in a single day, or spread it out over the next several days, arm yourself with these holiday shopping tips to shop efficiently and stick to your budget.
2. Give cards or gift certificates.
Gift cards make a terrific gift because they give the gift recipient something to look forward to once the buzz of the holidays wears off. Consider simplify 101 gift certificates for your friend or family member who wants to simplify their life and get organized. (This is also a great idea to pass along to the last-minute shoppers in your life who are looking for gift ideas for you.) Or, consider giving gift cards to a friend or family member’s favorite restaurant, coffee shop, or boutique.
3. Shop Amazon.
Amazon has such a wide array of offerings that you could conceivably do all of your remaining shopping on their site. Best yet, with a free trial of Amazon Prime, you can get free, 2-day shipping—giving you the peace of mind that your gifts will arrive in time. If you have a friend who regularly shops on Amazon or who enjoys streaming movies or TV shows, you might consider giving Amazon Prime as a gift.
4. Give coupons and tickets.
Like gift cards, tickets for outings or events allow the holiday season to linger longer for your gift recipient. Plus, come January, it’s always fun to have something to look forward to. What does your friend or family member love to do? Chances are there’s an event they’d love to attend that aligns with their interests. Or make homemade coupons for outings like shopping trips (a great idea for a teenage girl), a trip to the zoo, or even services such as one free pass for cleaning your room or another chore.
5. Give food gifts.
A bottle of wine or olive oil, a favorite coffee blend, or a jar of hot chocolate makes a thoughtful gift that’s easy to personalize. If the gift is one of your own favorites, share that on the gift tag. This adds a nice personal touch to your gift.
What ideas do you have for last-minute gift giving? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below.
Ever since our 5 nephews have been teenagers and older, we have given them gift cards. Now they have families so the list has grown. This year, due to being in the process of choosing EVERYTHING to start to build our house, I didn’t get to shopping in time to order online. Even though gift cards are easy, their wish list involved stopping at several stores. So last night after dinner, my husband and I got in the car and took off. I drove him up to the front doors of the store and gave him quantity and amount. In a few minutes he was back in the car with the cards and we were off to the next store. I felt a little like a getaway driver, but it worked great. Call us DONE!
Nice! My nephews are getting gift cards as well. Congrats on being done.