Best Last-Minute Christmas Gifts Everyone Will Love

It’s the final count-down. We are officially in Christmas week and it’s making me all giggly and sweaty. I thought I was pretty good about shipping off gifts early this year, but without a doubt there’s always one or two that don’t work out or a person I completely forgot about. Hence the giggling and sweating.

For that one last gift you completely spaced, try one of these non-giftcard, one-errand-only gifts.

Local shop merch

You can’t go wrong with a mug from a favorite local coffee shop or a shirt from that sandwich place they’re obsessed with. Most of these places have their kiosks decked out with gift ideas this year, which makes last-minute shopping super easy. Latte? Check. Last-minute shopping? Double-check.

Something You Made

I know you read that and rolled your eyes, but before you scroll away: making a gift doesn’t always mean breaking out the modge-podge. There are TONS of gift ideas you can make yourself that aren’t “crafty” and don’t require a license to operate a hot glue gun. Some of my favorites:

• A letter for every occasion: write a series of heartfelt letters for your person. Label the envelopes things like “when you’re having a rough day”, “when you’re feeling unsure of yourself”, “when you’re faced with a tough decision”, etc.

• Compilation of your family’s recipes: reach out to your mom, your uncle, your grandma, and your great-aunt Sue for their best-kept Thanksgiving and everyday recipes, then type them up and organize them in a binder. Sentimental and useful with minimal work? That’s what we’re about.

• Family wall calendar: use a photo service to create a 2021 calendar with pictures of the family on every month.

• Something edible: you can’t go wrong with bags of muffin bites or puppy chow.

Books!

Your local bookstore can always use a little more love. For the memoir queen, try Educated by Tara Westover. This true story is an eye-opening, page-turning account of a young woman growing up in a home shut off from most of society. That means no school, no doctors, and- even in cases of emergency- no hospitals. Tara is clever and writes like she’s speaking to a friend.

A good book pick for the dude in your life is one of Eric’s favorites: When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi. Kalanithi is diagnosed with terminal cancer at the height of his neurosurgery career. This book is his fight to understand what life should be about.

Another always-amazing choice for anyone is The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories, by Marina Keegan. I read this one at least once a year because it’s just so good. Keegan’s writing style flows and keeps you interested for hours.

Last one: if your person hasn’t read Room, by Emma Donahue, they should. You’ve aspects of family, thriller, kidnap, and way more. Even better: it’s written from the perspective of a little one, which is a SUPER interesting way to get into a plot, as your understanding is limited by his knowledge and experience.

Something for the house

I don’t know about you, but I am STOKED every time I unwrap a new decorative canvas, sculpture, or candle for the house. A new favorite of mine are plants: hard-to-kill Philodendrons, cacti, and even grow-your-own kits for herbs and small veggies brighten up a room in no time.

Something you can do together

I think the Christmas gift we’re all looking for is connection, honestly. You can give a gift that will foster that connection. Board games are a lost art this year has taught us all to appreciate. Puzzles are a project multiple people can work on together and can be set on a table somewhere, left out to complete. If you’re into video games, get an interactive one like Zelda or, dare I say it, Dance Dance Revolution. Or, if you’re into crafting, rock a crafting kit: candles, candy, macrame hangings, and paint (or color) by numbers are all accomplish-able in a pair.

What’s your go-to for last-minute gifts?? Help a girl out.