We Ask, You Answer: Last-Minute Christmas Suggestions

December 17 by | 16 comments | Polls | Tags: , ,
Question Mark

Every Monday, we pose a question for the lifehack.org community to answer.  The following Monday, I post my answer along with a selection (depending on how many there are) of your responses. The idea is to give you a chance to share your knowledge with the rest of the lifehack.org community — and to give you the opportunity to see what your fellow lifehack.org readers are doing!

This week’s question is:

  • It’s the last week before Christmas. What advice do you have for someone looking to find something for that one difficult person on their list, the one they’ve been putting off until now, it’s almost too late?

Let us know your answer in the comments.

Dustin M. Wax is a contributing editor and project manager at lifehack.org. He is also a freelance writer and university instructor in Las Vegas, NV, where he lives with his partner and three children. His personal site can be found at dustinwax.com.

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  • Bob

    Email Gift Cards! A number of national retailers have the option of emailing a gift card that can be printed out and used in a physical store, or the code can be used online or over the phone. Especially good for very last minute gifts, and also great for avoiding long-distance shipping charges. I’m currently living in the UK and using email gift certificates for a number of people back in the US this year.

  • http://www.thegirlinthecafe.com Ingrid

    Any Oxfam Unwrapped present will do.

  • http://www.LloydMorgan.co.uk Lloyd

    This year, I’m only sending two different gifts: collages and hampers.

    After moving house twice in 14 months, I’ve realised that I no longer want material possessions as gifts – especially if they’re rubbish in the first place!

    So for my mother and father I got them a hamper: wine, port, cheeses, crackers, etc… all displayed in a beautiful wicker hamper. In total I spent about £60 ($120) on each, filled with their absolute favourite consumables – something I know they’ll notice and appreciate.

    A slight deviation for my (now ex-)girlfriend was the above but with home-made massage vouchers and a ‘real’ one for a full day at a local beauty parlour.

    The photo collages for my friends were simply constructed using a nice photo frame, lots of small photos, some keep-sakes (ticket stubs, etc. of things we did together) and then some card cut into their name/initials.

    Simple, thoughtful, effective, and doesn’t take up much space! This is the first Christmas in a long time that I actually cannot wait to GIVE my presents to people.

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  • http://lifelessonsmilitarywife.blogspot.com/ Veteran Military Wife at Life Lessons of a Military Wife

    I agree with the first poster…last minute…giftcards that can be emailed. Instead of giving junk this year, how about giving food (restaurant gift cards)..everyone has to eat! Or how about gifting an experience? I’m talking manicures, pedicures, spa visits, movie or theatre passes/tickets or even a balloon ride or ride with a biplane (hold onto your hat). If you really want to make someone’s day, give them a weekend in their dream job (Vocation Vacation) or a ride in Zero Gravity!

  • http://fullfilth.blogspot.com/ faizal

    Minimalistic table lamp would be nice.

  • timgray

    Everyone loves a 50″ plasma TV. They are dirt cheap right now as well.

    Joking aside, no crap. People love to give crap, give someone a $40.00 block of 12 year old cheddar cheese or something else they would never buy for themselves but exposes them to some of the finer things in life they have not experienced. I gave a friend a $25.00 block of cave aged gruyere and she went nuts over it.

    Expose friends to things they will not seek out themselves. I am giving a boxed set of all Abney Park Cd’s to a family member, something that is incredibly different and good at the same time.

  • Neha

    1) Donate on their behalf. One place I have tried and felt really good about is Heifer International.

    http://www.heifer.org

    2) iTunes gift card – most people enjoy music.

    3) Spa certificate

  • Lauea

    I have been giving magazine subscriptions to two of my favourite magazines – Ode and The Week, people love them!

    Gift Cards/Punch Cards for yoga classes, dance classes,cooking classes, learning of any kind.

    Gift Certificates for massage/spa services or some special service that would be something the receiver might not buy for themself but you know they would like and use.

    I have also been making mixed CD’s for Chrsitmas for many years.

  • Lauea

    I have been giving magazine subscriptions to two of my favourite magazines – Ode and The Week, people love them!

    Gift Cards/Punch Cards for yoga classes, dance classes,cooking classes, learning of any kind.

    Gift Certificates for massage/spa services or some special service that would be something the receiver might not buy for themself but you know they would like and use.

    I have also been making mixed CD’s for Christmas for many years.

  • Marie

    I agree with donations in their name. If you’ve put off finding them THE perfect gift- chances there’s nothing they really need.

  • http://ohbuoyancy.net Reese

    I think it depends on why the person is “difficult.” If they’re difficult because they mean a lot to you and you want to get them something that shows it then you have to really think about it. Get creative, think about things they enjoy and gather inspiration from that. You could even make them something.

    If they’re “difficult,” just because you never know what to get them and you have to get them something, then gift cards along with a nice brioche or tie pin, is a good idea.

    Donations are good, sure, but not everyone receives them in the same manner. I think you have to know the person you’re giving them to enough to know what they’ll think about that type of gift.

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  • http://yahoo sgirlatl

    I like to give gift baskets with really good bath products inside. You can go to Bath and Body Works, for example, and get bath gel, hand soap, body splash, even nice shampoo and conditioner. I filled a basket with nice men’s products – shampoo, conditioner, shaving soap, bath gel, lotion – and my son loved it!