Last minute gift ideas for all budgets

Posted by Kayce Sebree on

We know holiday shopping can be stressful, physically and on your bank account, so whether you've been busy or it's simply a "whoops" moment... here's a guide to the presents you can gift (very) last minute on any budget.

Gifts for when you're broke:

DIY planter: Everyone has #plantgoals, so grab a cute succulent and with only a few materials, a lot of which you may already have around the house, and some patience with your painting skills, you have an adorable gift for everyone. Here's a great blog post with 60 different ideas for you.

Music: For a new user, Spotify has a promotion for 3/mths for .99 cents. Give the gift of music to someone (we know, most people do, BUT one of us in the office really will be gifting this to someone who still thinks CD's are a thing). Make it cute by creating a few playlists for them and wrap it in a CD case with a note (then spend an hour showing them how to use it #technologyishard).

Heartfelt picture: Make a collage for your friend, or print out a photo you love of you and your mom and write a heartfelt note on the back. Not only will she love it but it'll be on her mantel/desk/bedside table to appreciate all year long, not just the holidays. 

IOU's: "I owe you's" can be given to anyone on your list... a coupon to make dinner, for a massage, to clean the house, plan the next date, watch their dog, etc. 

Letter: Grab some beautiful stationery, and get to writing. Write all the reasons you love them or maybe write a cute story about how you met, or all the things you want to do with them this next year. You're literally gifting something priceless, your love (awwww). 

Homemade: It's relatively easy to learn how to make your own candles or bath bombs or heck everyone loves cookies. Grab a few ingredients and re-purpose a container you have at home and you got a great gift. Head to pinterest for a plethora of ideas! 

Get creative: Write someone a poem, or record a song for your dad and put it on his itunes, make a scrapbook, paint something, make a "Guess Who" board game with your friends or family's faces (again, pinterest that, looks so fun). Here's our favorite idea, "easy" watercolor portraits, even for those not as skilled artistically it looks like you may be able to follow. 

Gifts on a budget:

Personalized gift basket: These can be fun, fast and relatively inexpensive. For example, a date basket for your bf/gf that includes tickets to a movie/concert/activity, their favorite candy, gift card for dinner at their favorite place, put in a cheap film camera to get cute shots on your date, etc. etc.. Obviously, tailor this to whoever you need to gift. 

Monthly subscriptions: We love this idea, it's the gift that keeps on giving. There's a monthly club out there for any interest. Sock club for your dad or bf, wine clubs for mom or bff, fresh veggie clubs, worldly food subscriptions, workout clothes...the list goes on. 

Gift their favorite cocktail: Pick up ingredients to make their favorite cocktail, for example, if your gift receiver loves hot toddys, grab whisky/lemon/honey/black tea/cinnamon sticks/mug/etc. add a note and boom..personalized, quick and guaranteed to be a hit.

For the caffeine lover: Most of us have really horrible office coffee (sorry Verb, you're included in this) and yet we force ourselves to drink it because, hey, we're all tired. Gift delicious coffee beans, a french press and a mug so that they can have the materials to make coffee at their desk (and think of you each day they enjoy their caffeine induced happiness). 

For the beauty lover: Stop by your local salon and give the gift that keeps on giving. For example Verb Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner will keep your bff's hair looking beautiful all year long. Also, any beauty lover in the fam will always appreciate a gift card to Sephora (aka. where half her savings go). Put it in a card and add her favorite bottle of wine and viola! Easy, practical and exciting all in one. 

Honestly, the list goes on in the beauty category.. take her to get a manicure/pedicure, gift DryBar blowouts, a year supply of bobby pins (we all need that), a subscription to a beauty box like Ipsy or Birchbox, giftcard for a facial... this category could really be it's own blog post. 

Gifts if you're ballin ($$$):

Basically here is a list of the things we'd like someone else to pay for if it were possible:

Gift a rent check, pay off their credit card debt,  gift us (uhh, oops, them) airline miles, Netflix/Amazon/Hulu/HBO monthly subscriptions, any of those food box subscriptions that shows up at your door, a staycation in a fancy hotel, unlimited Uber rides, a significant other who can cook, a puppy.... the list goes on but you should probably stop reading this and get to (realistically) gifting!

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