Last-minute Christmas gifts that feel a little more special
Here are some last-minute Christmas gift ideas that feel special and personal. Photo: Getty
Christmas is practically here and there always seems to be someone we’ve forgotten to grab a present for.
It may have slipped your mind as work started to wind down or the thought of braving the shopping centre was too traumatic.
It is almost definitely too late to get something delivered online, so unless you want to give an IOU, you need to get creative.
But regardless of your reason (or excuse), there’s still time to get your loved ones something that is thoughtful and accessible, and in some cases you don’t even need to go to the shops.
Here are a few ideas for (extremely) last-minute Christmas gifts, that won’t seem like an afterthought.
Presents to buy from your couch
Thanks to the Internet, you don’t even need to leave home to buy a present and while it might be too late to order something, there are still other options.
Subscriptions are the gift that keeps on giving, literally. You can get subscriptions for just about anything these days.
If they love chocolate, get them a chocolate subscription box, such as one from Bean Bar You, or Cocoa Box, but there would be plenty more out there.
You could get a cheese subscription box, or even a coffee or tea option. Everyone has their vice, play into it.
Perhaps you want to get them something that can’t be devoured as soon as it arrives. The basic essentials in life are often overlooked, but there are subscription services which can make them a little more fun.
Awesome Socks Club supports local artists and donates to charity, plus for under $15 per month, you can have socks sent out to someone you love.
Knobby has three, six and 12 month subscription plans, and a fresh pair of underwear is sent out every month.
If the person you’re giving a gift to is more into the little luxuries they perhaps wouldn’t want to buy themselves, then maybe go with a flower subscription.
Hello Blooms offers weekly, fortnightly or monthly subscriptions, and you can choose whether the flowers are wrapped or in a jar.
Out of the ordinary Christmas gift vouchers
Gift vouchers are a great gift if you’re buying for someone who is a bit picky, but sometimes they can feel a bit impersonal.
Consider maybe giving them a gift voucher for an experience instead of a voucher for something material this Christmas
If someone you know loves travel, then give them a Mystery Flights Gift Voucher, which can be sent directly to their inbox and they then have three years to use it.
Zoos Victoria, which has multiple zoos, including Melbourne Zoo and relationships with Sydney’s Taronga Zoo could be worth looking into.
With Zoos Victoria, you can gift a membership and vouchers are available for Taronga.
Make something yourself or give them something to nurture
Nothing says thoughtful like something you have spent time on yourself, but it doesn’t need to be difficult.
If you know how to knit or crochet, perhaps you could whip up something quick, like a set of coasters or a card holder.
If you’re a baker, make them something delicious and festive, perhaps sourcing an unusual vessel, like a nice serving bowl, to put the baked goods in.
@tom.smallwood Christmas Crack 🎄🎅🏻 Ingredients – salada (saltine) – 1 cup butter (226g) – 1 cup brown sugar (213g) – 1 block (180g) Milk chocolate – 1 tsp flakey salt 1. Lay out saladas on a lined baking sheet making sure to fill the tray as much as possible 2. Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil for around about 30 seconds. Whisk until it comes together and is smooth. 3. Pour caramel on top of the saladas and roughly spread. It doesn’t have to be perfect because it will even out more in the oven 4. Bake in the oven at 180°C for about 5 minutes. We want the caramel to bubble up before we take it out 5. Chop up a block of chocolate whilst the tray is in the oven. Once it comes out, sprinkle the chocolate on top and the residual heat will melt the chocolate. 6. Spread it out evenly and leave to set in the fridge to fully set, I said 15 mins in the video but it’s more like an hour or 2 (everybody makes mistakes- miley Cyrus) #christmascrack #cracktivities #christmasfood #easybaking #baking #simplebaking #easyrecipes #foodie #explorefood
Maybe you feel like another one of the options in this article isn’t enough on its own, so make a card.
Fold a piece of paper in half, maybe trim it down a bit and decorate the front. If you’re stuck for inspiration on simple designs, turn to Pinterest or even TikTok and try to have a little bit of fun with it.
@planwithines this is a real “trust the process” one but man it looks so good 🥰🎄✨ #diychristmasdecor #diychristmasgifts #diychristmascards #Christmascard #ChristmasCards #diychristmascrafts #diychristmas #drawingtutorial
Maybe they have a bit of a green thumb, if that’s the case then why not head to your local nursery and pick out a plant for them to look after.
It’s worth speaking to the people who work at the nursery to find something that is manageable, but also this might not be the best gift for someone heading away for holidays.
Source second-hand
If you’re stuck for cash, head to your local secondhand shop, where you will find a bargain.
Head to where all the photo frames are hiding – ignore what is in the photo frame, chances are whatever it is, it is hideous – just look at the frames and buy one.
You can then find a photo of you and the recipient, or maybe just them and their family, or their pet – whatever you think they will love and print it out.
Photo printing services are available at Officeworks and Kmart, but there might be local businesses around you that also offer them.
Gift some pictures frames filled with sweet memories this Christmas.
Maybe you can’t find the perfect photo – that’s totally fine. One year, I wrote my mum a heartfelt letter and put that in a frame and she still has it proudly displayed.
Maybe you can’t find a frame, but a nice mug catches your eye. If someone you love has a thing for coffee and tea then this could be perfect.
Get a mug, then fill it with tea bags, sweets you baked yourself, random little knick-knacks (which can also be found at a secondhand store!), anything really and wrap that up.
By filling it up with small things you know they will love, you’re showing that you really do understand and appreciate them, so you should get extra brownie points.
