the procrastinator's gift guide

It's that crazy time of year; Christmas is this weekend! In my house, the Christmas-feeling has been pretty slow to come about...the outside lights and decorations have been up for a while, but we just bought our tree on Friday and put it up on Sunday. To be fair, we weren't procrastinating: my sister was away at college, and we couldn't pick out a tree without her! But now that she's home, Christmas prep had to get done fast or risk not getting done at all. On the theme of procrastination, working in retail has opened my eyes to how much some people put off their Christmas shopping (and see the opposite, the people who are done by December first!) Plus, if you hadn't noticed, I have a tendency towards a bit of procrastination myself...so why not wait until a few days before Christmas to write a gift guide?

So here you are, the Procrastinator's Gift Guide: what to get when you don't have much time to get it.


Love this blinged out wreath made by Projects for Your Nest...probably too late to make one, huh?

1. Baked goods

The season of giving is also the season of eating! Homemade treats are relatively inexpensive (depending on what you choose) and can generally be completed in an afternoon. As a bonus, you might have enough left over to have some holiday treats for yourself! I just made these peanut butter balls, which were a little labor intensive with all the rolling but super tasty...I made a second batch for a holiday party and added a pretzel stick in each one. It added a touch of salt to counteract the sweetness, made them easy and fun to eat, and upped the adorability quotient by at least 40%! Last year, these peppermint bark cookies were a big hit at our cookie exchange party. Baking something is a delicious and heartfelt way to show you care at the last minute.

2. Books

Give the gift of literature! A good book is a gift that's useful, entertaining, and can be the source of many conversations between the giver and recipient. Granted, this option does require you to know your intended recipient's taste in books fairly well, but there's nothing like giving a book you loved to someone that you know will love it too.

3. Hot drinks

You'd be pretty hard pressed to find someone who doesn't enjoy any hot drink during the wintertime. So whether it's coffee, tea, cocoa, or cider, grab a few packets, arrange in a cute mug, and instant gift! Delicious is almost always a good way to go when you're in a crush for time.

4. Gift cards

Yes, gift cards get a bad rap, but there's a reason they're a classic choice for the harried (and possibly confused) gift-giver. A gift card says "I know where you like to shop, but I'm sure you know what you need more than me." Personally, I have both enjoyed and been disappointed by gift cards, and they're a last resort in my own shopping adventures. But I know that if I honestly have no idea (or no time) to get someone the perfect gift, at least I can rest safe in the knowledge that they'll be able to treat themselves to something they've really been hoping for. (This is assuming that you give them a gift card to somewhere they actually shop, which is crucial.) Get a cute tin or holder for it to jazz the card up a bit!

None of the gift ideas seems quite enough? Mix and match! A new book and a gift card to Starbucks, or some fancy hot cocoa and cookies to enjoy it with: the possibilities are nigh endless. Even though you have mere days until Christmas, you still have time! Take heart procrastinators, because in the end, it's the thought that counts...unless you're getting me a gift card for Yankee Candle or something, because that's just not cool.