Last Minute Gift Ideas - Holiday 2016

Inevitably, every Christmas I forget someone on my holiday gift list. I shop early for nieces and nephews, my kids remind me daily to shop for them, and I pretty much remember anyone related to me. But when it comes to teachers, neighbors, and miscellaneous other friends, I always manage to have a blindspot until a week before Christmas. Then I start entertaining unrealistic ideas of baking or crafting. This year, not only am I checking my list twice, I'm buying back up gifts and have several other ideas I know I can get last minute without it looking like I did.

I thought I'd share a list of last minute gift ideas with my bloggers too, as a gift to you!

A Stitch Fix Gift Card

At first glance gift cards can come across as generic and last minute, but a Stitch Fix gift card is to a woman like Chuck E. Cheese tokens are to kids (there's another last minute gift idea, too!) When I think about gift buying, I consider my favorite things. Many people when talking about Stitch Fix describe it like "Christmas morning". It's Santa, for adults!

When you give the Stitch Fix experience to someone, you're really gifting a personal stylist. For anyone who hasn't already tried it, the concept is fun and exciting, and if they've tried it already then they are likely already obsessed.

Since the gift card is just a code, you can buy it last minute and tuck a printout in a pretty little box, or even an old Stitch Fix box if you have 1 or 7 laying around.

If you buy a gift card or decide to treat yourself, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link: click here

Subscription Boxes for a year

This sounds redundant, and Stitch Fix IS somewhat of a subscription box (you can schedule regular fixes). But this idea is like giving a magazine subscription to someone, only it's a box full of something they are interested in. Here are a few of my favorites:

For the cook: Mary's Secret Ingredients
This is a curated culinary box full of foodie goodness like ready to eat treats, seasonings, kitchen tools and recipe ideas.

For the geek: Loot Crate
This is ideal for those hard to shop for guys, but not exclusively. They have different categories to pick from like Marvel, Gaming, Sanrio and J.K Rowling's Wizard World. If you have a fan in your life, this is perfection.

For the naturalist: Etsy Subscription Boxes
This is for the friend who always smells like candles or the cousin who loves to make things. There's a subscription box for just about anything you can imagine on Etsy, from soap of the month club to sew-alongs. You can even subscribe to pie of the month!

Shop Local

I'm not talking about running to Walgreens at the last minute (been there, done that). Rather, I was thinking about those hard working small business owners in direct sales and makers who, like me, are all stocked up on merchandise and ready to help you put together a personalized gift.

I've got you covered for a pair of earrings or wrap bracelet for your sister-in-law, or a nail polish set for your child's Kindergarten teacher. I'll even wrap them for you. 

If you are in Orange County, California I have several contacts who would be happy to put together a makeup gift set (erinlovesmakeup.com), an ornament filled with nail wraps (https://kristieg.jamberry.com/us/en/) or unique planter filled with succulents (www.facebook.com/succulentsbybeverly).

Even if your direct sales friends are out of stock or live far away, most online businesses have fairly reasonable ship dates for receiving items in time for Christmas. I just visited a friends Scentsy website (https://ssiemers.scentsy.us/) and right there on the front page it says you have until Dec. 19th to order!

Make a Donation to Charity

For the philanthropist, the do-gooder in your life. Chances are if you're friends on Facebook with someone you know what causes matter to them. Perhaps they just ran a marathon for awareness. Maybe they volunteer at a shelter. Donate in their name, this is a truly special gift.

Along these same lines, I'm buying ornaments for several teachers on my list this year, the proceeds benefit a friend who is in the process of adoption.

I know it'll warm their heart to hear this story: https://www.adopttogether.org/andersonadoptionadventure

Give the Gift of Time

I don't want to get all sappy, but the older I get the more I appreciate time spent with the people I care about. Even if you decide to buy a few books for your child's playmate/family (Usborne Books) or fill a stocking with Perfectly Posh (https://www.perfectlyposh.com/Getposhedwithjackie/), when you give a gift to someone tuck a card inside with a coupon for a lunch date or make plans to have coffee over the Christmas break. Invite them to your church and share a pew this Christmas. Invite them over to watch a Christmas movie together.

In case I forget to write again before the year's end (boy is life busy these days) I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

As a small token of my appreciation please enjoy this coupon code for 25% off my entire Chloe + Isabel boutique good through the 8th! Coupon Code: FFHOL16