Jose-Andres Alegria We’ve all been there. The mad dash for last-minute gifts that only popped into your head the day before Christmas Eve may be more adrenaline-inducing than black Friday shopping. Or maybe you’re a huge procrastinator like me and just wait for the last minute to feel something. Whatever your reason may be for last-minute Christmas shopping, hopefully, I can help you out.
Last Minute Christmas Shopping Ideas
Kitchen
We all have people in our lives who love to be in the kitchen, whether it’s cooking fancy meals for themselves or giant meals to feed the family army. But, regardless of the reason, some people don’t view being in the kitchen as a chore. They genuinely enjoy it.
- Cast Iron Skillet – Owning a cast iron is a must for someone who loves to cook. Relatively inexpensive in comparison to almost anything in a kitchen, cast irons are one of the most versatile tools any home chef could want. This is a great last-minute gift for the chef of the family. And if they already have one, buy them one that is a different size.
- Mixing Bowls – I don’t know if it’s because I grew up in a huge family, but there were never enough mixing bowls. At any given point, someone is marinating meat, assembling salads, mixing dessert batters, or washing rice. There are always mixing bowls used and never enough to go around for the chaos in our kitchen. I know it sounds like a boring gift, but this is what you get for shopping last minute. (Make sure to get mixing bowls with lids.)
- Spoon Rest – I want one of these so bad, but it’s one of those kitchen/home things that I just always forget to buy myself. Every time I find myself cooking, I find myself looking for a place to put my sauce-covered spoon or mixing utensil. It’s annoying to fold up a paper towel and place a dirty spoon on top. A spoon rest might be small and insignificant in the grand scheme of gifts, but it’s such a useful everyday item that it won’t go unappreciated.
Clothing
- A new winter jacket – Maybe it’s because I’m from the south and had no idea what good winter gear was when I first moved to Chicago, but the best gift I have gotten to date was a Levi Denim fleece lined winter jacket. It is my favorite jacket to wear when it’s freezing out. See, I hate being hot, and nothing drives me more nuts than bundling up for the winter and walking into someone’s home or a store where the heater is at 80 degrees. Just because it is 30 degrees outside does not mean it has to be hot as a furnace inside. So getting a good winter jacket lets me wear a t-shirt underneath, and now I don’t have to worry about getting a heatstroke if I go to the mall.
- SOCKS – Good socks are a necessity, or so I’ve learned since moving to Portland. I got away with wearing regular no-show socks in Chicago because I avoided being outside for extended periods. Still, now that I live in Downtown Portland, I find myself walking everywhere. And with the perpetual rainfall, my extremities get cold, fast. Thick socks that will keep you warm regardless of stepping in a puddle are probably my greatest personal investment right after my raincoat. My favorite socks so far are Dr. Martens Marl Socks. I love these soo much. They are thick enough to keep me warm but not too thick where I have to cram my foot into a shoe that is now too small.
- A gift card to their favorite retail store – Giving someone gift cards and money is the easy way out, but sometimes they are the best present someone can receive. In college, I used my Barnes and Noble gift cards on top of my employee discount to pay for all the books I had to read for class. (the struggles of getting an English degree). Gifting money to someone is boring but so practical.
Miscellaneous
- Bath Bomb – Bath bombs only work if the person takes baths as a form of self-care. But if they do, this is an easy go-to gift for them. Most of those fancy skincare/bath time retail stores sell bath bomb bundles that you can gift to someone. But the real reason I have this on my list is to show you possibly the funniest bath bomb ever. You can thank me later.
- Mechanical Keyboard – Why did mechanical keyboard land on my list in the world? Because people, like me, use keyboards for hours on end every day, and there is no better way to treat that person than to upgrade their keyboard. I could go on a long tangent about mechanical keyboards and how expensive making custom ones can get but if you are looking for a relatively inexpensive keyboard that is still good quality, then look no further than Ducky. (make sure to get Cherry MX Red Switches)
At the End of the Day
Christmas shopping can get expensive and stressful quickly, especially if you leave it for the last minute. And you can forget about saving any kind of money if you need to pay for express shipping, but it’s worth it in the end. At least, I hope it is.
Good luck with any last-minute shopping, and Happy Holidays!!!
And check out these 5 gifts for those hard-to-gift people.
