And, if you’re feeling a little bit guilty about giving a gift last-minute or late, try not to sweat it. The old “It’s the thought that counts” saying totally applies in these situations. “As long as the gifts are thoughtful and appropriate for the giftee, that is what matters,” says Jodi RR Smith, an etiquette consultant at Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting. We researched and tested dozens of last-minute Christmas gifts, carefully considering shipping and delivery times, budget, function, and personalization, to find the best gifts you’ll actually want to give (and your loved ones actually want to receive). From classic Christmas gift options for the family, like a gorgeous silk robe from Fisher’s Finery to last-minute gifts for co-workers (think: Yankee Candle French Vanilla Scented), we narrowed down the best gifts to make shopping on a time crunch a little less chaotic. One of our home testers was pleasantly surprised that she didn’t hear the diffuser while it was in use—“I’ve had other diffusers that are fairly noisy, and while that can serve as a sort of white noise when you’re drifting off to sleep, it’s nice to be able to run the diffuser silently,” she explains. Price at time of publish: $182 Price at time of publish: $13 Price at time of publish: $27 Price at time of publish: $34 Price at time of publish: $25+ Price at time of publish: $268 Price at time of publish: $100+ Price at time of publish: $70 Price at time of publish: $22 Price at time of publish: $298 Price at time of publish: $83 Price at time of publish: $50+ Price at time of publish: $48 Price at time of publish: $17 Price at time of publish: $37 Price at time of publish: $20 Price at time of publish: $26 Price at time of publish: $100 Price at time of publish: $60 Price at time of publish: $380 Price at time of publish: $45 Price at time of publish: $60 Price at time of publish: $159 Price at time of publish: $210 Price at time of publish: $15 Price at time of publish: $19 Price at time of publish: $36 Price at time of publish: $20 Price at time of publish: $40 Price at time of publish: $30 Price at time of publish: $139 Price at time of publish: $81 Price at time of publish: $23+ Price at time of publish: Varies Price at time of publish: $40 Price at time of publish: $49+ Price at time of publish: $20 Price at time of publish: $60+ Price at time of publish: $130 Price at time of publish: $70 Price at time of publish: $15 Price at time of publish: $25 Price at time of publish: $99 Price at time of publish: $37 Price at time of publish: $25 Price at time of publish: $50
Budget
Price is another important thing to consider when shopping for a Christmas gift, including last-minute gifts. Whether you forgot to shop or missed someone on your list (we’ve all been there!), don’t allow your guilt of last-minute holiday shopping to speak for the price. Instead, carefully consider what your gift budget is and stick to it. Thoughtfulness will always outweigh the price, anyways.
Personalization
You probably don’t have time to add custom personalization to a last-minute Christmas gift, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still make it personal. “Shopping around someone’s hobbies or interests creates a natural connection,” says Yamamoto.
Function
Yamamoto also recommends keeping function at the forefront, as it’s important to select a gift that someone will actually use. Instead of rushing to find any gift, give your purchase some extra thought and consider whether or not the receiver can use it.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was written by Julia Fields, a lifestyle writer for The Spruce covering all things surrounding toys, gifts, and the holidays. She’s also covered similar topics in other roles, including toy reviews, product roundups, crafts, and more.
