Last Minute Gift Idea

A good friend gave me this lovely bee skep ornament this year. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Last Minute Gift idea

Ever since early December, the emails and calls have been coming in from last minute shoppers wanting help with their gift giving. Maybe this year more than in previous years we want our gift giving to be comforting and hopeful.

So what to give if you have put off buying something to the last week before Christmas, or need to pick something up for someone at the last minute?

One of my all-time favorite gifts, whether you put off getting it until the last few days of Christmas or not, are Christmas tree ornaments. Especially ones that have a special meaning to the receiver.

It may be a little challenging to order it online at this point so look to your local retailers for possibilities. Antique and thrift stores usually have a nice interesting selection, as do pharmacies, home and garden centers and pet shops.

For a newlywed couple, give them a half dozen ornaments that mark the beginning of their lives together: a house ornament is a good place to start.

For that relative with a new baby, first baby’s Christmas ornament is a favorite addition to any tree. One of my friends gave her son one ornament a year that represented something special that year as he was growing up. When he finally married, he had a nice collection of ornaments for his first Christmas tree as a married couple.

Don’t forget the pets, an ornament marking who they are can become a favorite.

To make this a family activity and gift, shatterproof tree ornaments are readily available at most retailers. Let kids decorate them with magic markers, glitter and their own designs. This would work well for your own family Christmas tree.

Remember to date the ornaments on the bottom before giving so the receiver will have a little help later remembering what year the personalized ornament joined the others.

And as far as the bee skep ornament, it was a gift from a good friend and beekeeper. And I can personally attest to it as a gift, I love it!

Charlotte

Last Minute Shopping

Last minute gift ideas don’t always come in gift-wrapped boxes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Last Minute Shopping

The call came in late last night, a male customer clearly exasperated with Christmas gift expectations.

Four daughters. One doting aunt. I waited to hear about a wife but there was no mention so I took him to be a single Dad.

At this point in the season, with five days until Christmas, I understood some of his frustration so I made the current suggestion of 4 gifts per person:

Something they want,

Something they need,

Something to wear,

Something to read.

There was silence at the other end. Oh, he said, that’s good “that gives me a place to start.”

Then we headed into each category for suggestions. He had the first one covered for the daughters but not the aunt. How about a framed photo of the four girls, does she have one? He liked that idea; he said the girls would have fun setting up the photo shoot. Framed photos are always a good choice!

In terms of what they “needed,” he made it clear he was a good provider. I suggested writing each of them a letter explaining what each meant to him and the good wishes he had for them as they grow up. It was something he could slip in their stockings and I guaranteed it would be something they would cherish. He loved that idea. It was something he “could make” for them.

We both groaned at the “what to wear” one although I said a good pair of winter gloves and a scarf for each qualified. “Sold” he said.

The reading list was frankly the toughest one but we sorted out favorite likes and hobbies that he now can use to shop online for books to match.

The relief in his voice was palpable. “So you make money doing this” he asked.

I laughed. No, I said, but hopefully the next time he needed a personalized birthday gift he would think of us.

He thanked me again, said he was going to “double check” his list and hung up, off to shop online for books, he said.

He will make it. Merry Christmas!

Charlotte