If you don’t have to give a gift until after Christmas, then you have PLENTY of time and we have TWENTY-THREE days of awesome gift-ideas. Browse the entire 2015 Gift Guide here. But for you last minute shoppers who just don’t want to hit the mall….
Bekah suggests:
FOOD. You know that restaurant in town or in your closest city you have been dying to try? Chances are your friends have been dying too, so strut in there, am ex in hand and lay down $50 or $100 (or less, whatever, you can just pay for 1 of their drinks) and get them a gift certificate.
Better yet, pair it with a RESERVATION. If it’s a couple friend, pick a Saturday a few months out and make a date night for the 4 of you. You can always cancel or reschedule. If it’s a parent friend, get them a reservation and tell them you’ll watch their kids. If you’re feeling extra giving, brave the liquor store on Christmas Eve and pair the gift certificate with a nice bottle of wine or champagne.
Jamie’s idea:
I feel a bit pathetic suggesting this, but married friends, think of your single friends this holiday season and make a point to contact them and schedule some hangout time. Always being the one to reach out gets old REAL QUICK. Having you reach out with dates in mind would be the best gift of all! (Plus if you could avoid the whole, “I need to check with [insert Husband name here] first”, it would save single friends an eyeroll.)
Me addressing all my married friends.
Nikki’s selling:
LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL!! Have a coffee or tea fiend on your list? Head to a local coffee/tea shop and grab them a bag of microbatch roasted beans, or a tin of a tea variety the store owner recommends. Maybe throw in a little accouterment to go with it: a cute mug or tea cup, a ceramic pour over, or a tea leaf infuser or ball.
Ok, so they’re not into micro batches or tea leaves? Still, stay local and get them a gift certificate to the new, hot restaurant in town! I would be so psyched to get a gift certificate or even a reservation at a hard to get into restaurant. Offer to watch their kids if they have them, or pay for their Uber to top off the best gift everrrrrr.
Beth likes:
Theatre tickets!!!! And not the local movie theater, but actual play house tickets. If my Carharrt-wearing, wood-working, blue collar husband can love going to see Doubt at our local theatre, then anyone can. Throw in a reservation at a local restaurant for the same night as the tickets, and give them some g—damned culture in the new year.
Laura recommend:
You know that friend/family member/co-worker/boss/random person somehow attached to your life that you feel you should probably buy a gift for but have absolutely no idea what to buy them and now you’ve procrastinated until Christmas Eve and a gift card to Amazon is looking like a real thing that might happen? Well, how about buying them a flock of ducks. Or some honeybees. Or go totally crazy with it and buy them a llama. People LOVE llamas.
The beauty of this gift is the low maintenance of the honeybees, the llama, and even the adorable flock of ducks. You see when you purchase these gifts through heifer.org the animals go the help communities in developing countries. This charity was started to help end hunger and poverty around the world. The animals are used to help grow crops, help maintain a renewable food source, and also provide education to the people of the communities as they how to not only care for their flocks, but also how to provide veterinary care as well. Heifer International has been around for more than 70 years. This is truly a gift that will keep on giving.
Also, it’s tax deductible as well. See, keeps on giving.
Good luck out there! And Merry Christmas Eve! Or Merry Thursday if you’re a non-celebrating type. XO
