LAST-MINUTE GIFT IDEAS
LAST-MINUTE GIFT IDEAS
Hello! Have you ever had a cringe-worthy gift exchange with a person you met while volunteering in your child’s school cafeteria every other Thursday? And someone disrupts the balance of the relationship by presenting you with a neatly wrapped gift? Here are a few last-minute gift ideas to avoid those awkward moments!
GIFT IDEAS
Oh, what fun it is when you have no gift for those awkward gift exchanges.
Most of us have experienced these moments (maybe more than once) so this year I got you covered with some simple, affordable gift suggestions that will look like you are on your a-game.
These are easy gift ideas to avoid those awkward moments. And the best part is the gift ideas work for gifts planned in advance!
On a side note, if you have a funny no-gift-on-arrival story please share it in the comments!
GIFT SUGGESTIONS FOR YEAR ROUND GIFT GIVING
CANDLES
- Buy the candles that everyone knows you spent at least $24 dollars (even though we all buy them in bulk when they are on sale. But I take it a step further and purchase candles with a cute gift box. Candles just need a gift tag. If you purchase Bath & Body candles online they ship in a ship-safe gift box which dresses up the 40% clearance candles stacked at the store’s entrance in the mall.
- Anthropologie’s Capri Blue candles are a staple in my gift cabinet.
BAKED GOODS
Baked goods are tricky because it’s hard to store a baked good in the back seat of your car next to your reusable bags and Amazon return packages.
A good friend told me about Grandma’s coffee cake. My Grandma’s of New England Coffee Cake is a great gift. I admit when I opened the box the coffee cake resembled the density of a fruit cake. But … it tastes amazing and can be stored in the freezer for almost a year. It is a staple in my garage freezer.
If you live in the Denver metro area you can find them here.
WREATHS
For $20 you can purchase a fresh balsam wreath at your local nursery, Home Depot, Costco or grocery store. What I love about a wreath is everyone has a front door and wreaths make a great centerpiece as well.
Tip: Spritz your live wreath with water to keep it fresh.
COOKBOOKS
Cookbooks are a perfect last-minute gift. Cookbooks are rising rising to the top of my list for hostess and birthday gifts.
Why? Because even cooks like me I still appreciate and enjoy flipping through the beautiful pages.
This popular 72-year-old grandma’s cookbook is on my list!
Here are a few of my other favorite cookbooks.
DISHTOWELS
I borrowed this idea from my mom. A few years ago my mom gave me a set of these dish towels as a hostess gift. I love them. If you want to take this up a notch my preppy empty nester friend wraps a new dishtowel around a bottle of wine.
Thank you for stopping by today. I would love it if you subscribed to the Weekend Edit below. Or pin this idea for others to find on Pinterest.
MY FAVORITE COOKBOOKS (MAKE GREAT GIFTS)
Great ideas, Laura, thank you. Your cranberry lemonade spritzer was a hit at Thanksgiving, too!
Great gift ideas, Laura! I’m already planning to send a coffee cake to my SIL for Christmas Day!
Hi Laura,
I really appreciate any and all gift ideas now. I’ve made the dive into Christmas and I’m busy with gift buying and wrapping as I go. I’m with you, I’ve missed the cue on the gift exchange a couple of times. I find that few feel bad about it, but I want to be prepared this year.
Karen B.
I keep a supply of See’s candy on hand, both median and individual sized, I doll up the wrapped box with festive ribbon and sprigs of green. Everyone loves See’s candy.
HI Ella,
I love this idea! Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas! laura in Colorado