Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
Last minute gifts that aren't a gift card
Whether you still need gifts because you haven’t had time to finish your shopping or you just don’t know what to buy, having last minute gifts to give can be tricky. Of course, you can always go for the ever-popular gift card or cash but what if you want something a bit more personal? Here are 8 ideas for last minute gifts that aren’t a gift card.
MoviePass.com
Okay, admittedly, this can be viewed as a type of gift card but when you can give the gift of viewing a movie in the theater every day for three months, six months or even an entire year, who cares about semantics? For only $9.95 per month, you can give someone a membership with MoviePass.com that allows them admission to one movie per day for the entire membership period. No restrictions. No blackout dates. And thousands of movie theaters participate across the country.
Bake a lot of their favorite homemade treats or foods.
If the choice isn’t something that can be frozen (like cookies) and then taken out a few at a time, you can also make a “coupon” booklet for one treat per month that you’ll make as they eat what you made last time and are ready for more.
Send flowers, chocolates, fruit baskets, cookies or similar gift selections.
Companies such as 1800Flowers.com, Cheryls.com, and HarryandDavid.com can still get your gift to your loved one even just before Christmas. There is a wide range of choices and what can be delivered depends upon the recipient’s location and the gift you choose. Coupons and cash back are available from Swagbucks.com.
Give in their name.
Hundreds of organizations accept donations in the name of another. Instead of a gift to them, giving to an organization they believe in can be a touching and easy last-minute option. You can support medical research, give a disadvantaged family a way to have some income, and much more.
Shipt.com
A perfect gift for busy professionals, older loved ones or, really, anyone who either doesn’t have the time or doesn’t like grocery shopping, Shipt.com delivers the groceries they need right to their door. Each delivery of groceries is selected and purchased by their shoppers and delivered to the recipient's door. You can cover the cost of the service by gifting them a subscription of six months for $49 or a year for $99.
Hire someone to perform a difficult chore or to repair something (or do it yourself).
This can range from deep-cleaning their home to servicing their vehicle to getting a furnace checkup. Having a task done for you that you’ve been meaning to complete can be a real blessing and last much longer than one dinner out at a local restaurant.
Online or on-location lessons or classes.
There are hundreds of choices for lessons from cooking to dancing to instruments. You can choose from local on-location lessons, such as a fun exercise class or even online courses, such as how to use various computer or smartphone features. Discount companies like Groupon.com offer good deals every day on lessons and classes.
Plan a whole day to spend together after the holidays are over.
Sometimes all people really want – and need – is time to reconnect. Give a handmade card that outlines what you have planned and that you’ll pick a day very soon to go. Plan from morning to evening with activities, favorite snacks or dinner locations, the works. But most importantly, plan a lot of time together to laugh, share and grow closer.
