Great Last-Minute Gifts

You still have plenty of time to give great gifts this Christmas.  And you don't need to spend a lot of money to do it.  Really!


Do a Dreaded Chore.   Choose something you kind of like to do, that they really hate to do.  Or choose something you both hate to do.  Either way, you are giving the gift of your help.

Clean out and wash the car.
Trim the rabbit's nails.
Back up the hard drive.
Repaint a room.  (Might want to ask about this one before you do it.)
Catch up on scrapbooking.  (Ask about this one, too)
Wash the cat box and change the litter.
Move something heavy.
Change all the sheets in the house and flip/rotate mattresses.
Wash, fold, iron, and put away all the laundry.
Split and stack firewood.
Clean the bathroom, including the tub/shower and washing the towels and bath mats.
Scan, label, and store old photos.  Give copies on CD or have photo books printed.
Do minor home repairs, like hanging pictures.
Pick up and store presents for their kid.  You don't have to purchase the presents--lots of places have in-store pickup if they order online--but transporting something bulky like a bicycle and hiding it in your garage would be mighty helpful this time of year.
Wrap all the presents they intend to give.  (Ask about this, too.)



Really Useful Things.  Practical gifts are excellent!  Don't feel like they're boring.  When I get a gift I can use, I feel like the giver actually stopped to consider that I need milk and eggs more than I need another mug filled with candy.

Gift certificates to the grocery store, home improvement store, or gas station.
Little things that are kind of expensive, like books of stamps, spices, or razor blades.
Big things that are kind of expensive and kind of a pain to carry, like boxes of diapers, jars for canning, kitty litter, or dog food.
Pre-cooked and frozen meals in the right quantity for their family, whether that's a giant pan of food for a large family, or a bunch of single-serve meals for a single person. (And pssst... just freeze a portion of dinner every night for about two weeks and you've got a lot of different single-serve meals to give!)
Gift Certificates to their favorite take-out place.  You may be far away, but you can still provide dinner.

Out and About.  These gifts involve some planning/coordination on the giver's part, which make them especially useful.  And if you get to spend time with them, that's an added bonus gift!

Take their kids to a movie so they can finish secret Christmas prep.
Take their shifts of the carpool for a while.
Introduce them to your favorite park, trail, beach, or mountain.
Take them on a surprise picnic (you do all the cooking and packing).
If you have a good sense of style, take them out and play makeover.  You don't have to do the buying, but you can help them choose clothing, a haircut, or new glasses.
If you have good technical knowledge them out and play tech consultant.  Again, you don't have to do the buying, but you can help them choose their new computer, camera, or AV system.
If you know a lot about cars, offer to be their moral support/chief haggler when they go car shopping.

Teach Them Something.  Share the gift of your time and talents.

How to knit socks.
How to make your famous pie crust.
How to do something new on the computer.
A new sport.
A new song.
A new board game
How to start a windowsill herb garden.
How to plan a fun cheap road trip.

I hope these help to get you started.   Merry Christmas!