Tick-tock, tick-tock, it’s almost Christmas Eve. For those who crave the adrenaline thrill of last minute shopping, this is your moment. You are aware, are you not, that you are fooling no one with your big box drug store gift package. Everyone knows when you shopped and how much thought went into it. We are certainly not going to criticize you for participating in your annual holiday shopping thrill sport. Thrill junkies gotta get their thrills. But we put together a list of last minute gifts you can scoop up on the fly that don’t look the least bit last minute.
A Pancake Breakfast
Pop into your local supermarket and grab a fancy box of pancake mix and a bottle of real maple syrup. Wrapped in tissue in a gift bag, it’s a thoughtful gift the recipient will enjoy long after the holiday is a memory.
A Seasonal Plant that is not a Poinsettia
Poinsettias are very nice, but despite the fact they are still beautiful the day after Christmas, they are somehow old hat, yesterday’s news. Amaryllis, on the other hand, have a joyful bloom that lasts well into January. Amaryllis start from a honking big bulb that puts up leaves and flower stalks that grow measurable every day, opening up multiple blooms that are va-va-va-voom.
You can find amaryllis at supermarkets, hardware stores and garden centers. Some come in boxes with potting mix and a flower pot; peek inside those boxes to make sure the bulb is just starting to grow and is not well up and contorted from pushing against the top of the box.
Bulbs are also sold loose. All you need to get it growing is a thrift store glass vase with tall sides that the bulb will fit in it, some stones or some glass marbles. Amaryllis as well as paper white narcissus will happily grow in a vase with water up to their bases.
An Unseasonal Plant
Who doesn’t love a low care succulent or cactus? Check your supermarket, garden center or big box hardware store for good choices. Popping it into a vintage pot makes it even better, you might get lucky and score something awesome at your local thrift.
A Gift Certificate for a Luxury
Most people don’t treat themselves as often as they should. A well-considered gift certificate for a something that the recipient might not take time for like a massage, a pedicure, a bike tune up, a ski tune up, a car detailing or car wash, an audible book subscription, a crossword puzzle app subscription, a spring cleaning inside the house or out in the yard, anything unexpected that you can be confident the recipient will enjoy makes the list of last minute gifts that don’t look it.
A Smorgasbord of Teas
For the tea drinker in your life, a small assortment of interesting teas would be a welcome gift. It’s too late to order for a specialty tea seller, but lucky you, supermarkets carry a nice selection of teas these days, pick some interesting flavors or varieties to put in a gift bag under the tree.
It’s not too late to drop in at your local coffee roaster and get a couple bags of beans for the coffee drinkers on your list.
A Bundle of Reads
Thrift stores always have a robust selection of both fiction and non-fiction books. Libraries also often have sale racks of books they’ve received as donations. For the price of one new hardcover, you can treat a reader to a whole gift bag full of books that will last them weeks. You’ll can find classics as well as contemporary titles in both places. Don’t forget about lovely vintage books, either.
A Big Night In
Treat someone special to some tasty snacks, a luscious libation and perhaps a cozy throw. Of course, we favor a hand crocheted or knit afghan from a thrift store, provided you have time to give it a wash, but if time constraints are tightening, and they usually are when you are looking for last minute gifts, a new throw would be less charismatic but equally appreciated.
A Banquet for the Birds
Bird feeders come in all sizes and types, from large enough to hang from a tree to small enough to suction cup onto a window. As long as you don’t have outdoor cats, a bird feeder and a bag of seed can attract your local chickadees and titmice to provide perky entertainment. If an actual feeder isn’t to your liking, there are molded seed treat that last a few days and are equally fun to watch the birds enjoy.
Awesome Socks
They aren’t a splashy gift, but there is nothing in the world better than a great pair of socks. Outdoor outfitters in particular stock nice quality wool and/or acrylic socks that will last for years, unlike the big box discount store socks the let your toes poke out in a matter of weeks.
Farmer’s Market Bounty
If you are lucky enough to have a farm store or farmer’s market nearby, support your local economy and fill a gift bag with jams and crusty bread and pickles and honey and whatever bounty they stock. You will never go wrong with farm fresh.
That’s our last minute gifts wrap up! Now get out there–time is fleeting!
