Okay, so it’s confession time: this is not the blog post I had planned for today. But as you know, I like to write about real life, and right now in my real life, I am scrambling to finish my Christmas shopping. I hope you’re not in the same boat, but if you are, I compiled this list of last-minute Christmas gifts for everyone on your (and my) list.
Why I’m looking for last-minute Christmas gifts
So normally, I’m Miss Organized. Every other year, I would be done with my shopping, have the gifts wrapped, and be sipping hot cocoa in my beautifully decorated house. But this year, I’m only about halfway done with my shopping, nothing is wrapped, and my house is only about three-quarters decorated. I am chugging hot cocoa to help manage the stress, though!
Why on Earth did I do this to myself? Well, the answer is that I’m a new(ish) mom. And if you didn’t already know, mom life is crazy town. My son was born in December of 2017, and because I knew he was coming, we were almost 100 percent done with everything before he arrived.
But this year was a little different. As you know, when you have a small child, it takes fifty-seven billion times longer to get anything done. Always. So needless to say, it’s an adjustment.
Baby birthday
And on top of the normal holiday craziness, we had a new December birthday. Little Man’s birthday is December 10, and before he was born, we decided we would do our darnedest not let his birthday get lumped into Christmas.
So I did no Christmas decorating before his birthday party. Nada. Not a single wreath or light. We chose to completely focus on his birthday, and I’m genuinely glad we did. The party was fantastic and special, and he had a great time.
But now that we finished the birthday fun, I realized I had two weeks left before Christmas to get things done. Consequently, my house is a disaster as I run around trying to take down the party decorations while simultaneously throw up the Christmas decorations. It. Is. A. Hot. Mess.
I did a little bit of online shopping for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but as I took a moment to evaluate where we stand, I realized I still have a ton to do! So in the process of trying to talk myself off the ledge, I compiled this list of last-minute Christmas gifts in case you’re a bit frantic like I am.
Many of these items can be found on Amazon, and if you have Amazon Prime, you can still get your items by Christmas with free, two-day shipping. And if you don’t have it yet, they have free, 30-day trial. You can try it out now for Christmas, and then cancel later if you decide you don’t like it. We’ve had it for three years, and I can tell you, it’s so worth it.
Last-minute Christmas gifts for babies and young kids
This is one area that I’m actually pretty okay on. I bought most of Little Man’s gifts on Cyber Monday, so I don’t really need to do much else. But if you need some ideas, I found these.
Target One Spot
What mom doesn’t love the Target One Spot? You can find so many amazing goodies, and they all generally range from one to ten dollars. And it works out perfectly because it’s right at the front of the store and you don’t even have to go inside any further. I’m generally not allowed venture all the way into Target by myself, so this is perfect.
I was there yesterday looking for something else, and I happened upon a cute wooden alphabet block set in a little wagon. For five dollars! Even though I didn’t really need to get Little Man another gift, I couldn’t pass it up. I love wooden toys, and bonus points if it’s educational!
Target One Spot also has cute toy kits, puzzles, small stuffed animals, and electronics accessories. If you are looking for last-minute Christmas gifts for babies and kids, this is your place.
Flappy the Elephant
Okay, Little Man got this adorable guy for Christmas last year, and I just about died. Flappy the Elephant is seriously adorable! He sings and his ears flap in time to the music. How cute is that?! Little Man loves his Flappy so much he has another one at his grandpa’s house.
Cloth Books
I was an avid reader as a child, and I want to instill that in my son, as well. For the little reader in your life, check out these adorable cloth books. Perfect for little hands, you’ll love them too because you can throw them in the wash when they get grimy.
Last-minute Christmas gifts for your husband
If you are at a loss as to what to get your hubby for Christmas, check out my post about nine gifts for your husband. But if you don’t have time for any of those, here are a few easy ones.
Socks and underwear
Okay, I know it’s not super thoughtful, but I swear my husband loves to get these things. He’s kind of particular about the kind of socks he gets, but these black Hanes no-shows are always a winner.
iTunes gift cards
I’m not a Apple person (gasp!), but my hubby loves his iPhone. I know that an App Store and iTunes gift card is always a winner because he loves adding music to listen to while he works out. You can even by the three-pack of $10 cards at Target or Walmart and split them up for gifting to others.
Last-minute Christmas gifts for the ladies
There are so many women to shop for! Moms, mothers-in-law, sisters, friends, coworkers; the list is endless! But luckily, I have a few things you can’t go wrong with for the lovely ladies in your life:
Framed photos of the kids
Obviously, only do this one if it’s appropriate. My mom loves to get photos of Little Man as gifts, but I probably wouldn’t give one to, say, a coworker. You can print photos of basically any size at Walgreens, and you can even send them straight from your phone. Many Walgreens stores have same-day pick-up with photos, so they are perfect for last-minute Christmas gifts.
Self-care gift cards
Some people view gift-cards as a cop-out, but almost everyone I know loves getting them. I especially enjoy gift cards to places I wouldn’t normally spend money on myself. Give the gift of self-care and pampering with a gift card to a spa, or even to Ulta or Sephora.
Kindle Unlimited subscription
Do you have a reader on your list? How about gifting her a Kindle Unlimited subscription? She can choose from over one million books and enjoy it all year long on any device.
DIY spa sets
If she doesn’t really like going to a spa (let’s face it, sometimes I just don’t want a stranger to see my gross toes), DIY spa sets make great last-minute Christmas gifts. For a quick-and-easy foot soak, add a few drops of essential oils to a cup of Epsom salt. Place in a glass jar with a lid and you’re done!
Last-minute Christmas gifts for the gents
Why are guys so hard to shop for? I have two brothers, and I never know what to get them. But this year, I found some pretty cool items.
YETI travel mug
If you’ve ever owned a YETI mug, you know they are the best. I personally love the seafoam green color many of the styles come in, but I chose to go with a navy blue for guy gifts. I got two mugs like these navy blue YETI coffee mugs for my brother and father-in-law.
Scarves and hats
These items are perfect for the outdoor guy in your life, and they aren’t hard to find. If you don’t know his favorite colors, go for blacks and grays. Other great guy-colors include navy blue, hunter green, and burgundy.
Gift cards
As stated above, guys are hard to shop for, so gift cards are great last-minute Christmas gifts. Get a gift card to his favorite restaurant, sportsman store, or even Amazon.
Stocking stuffers
For some reason, I always forget about stocking stuffers until the very last minute. I know some families but really nice gifts in their stockings, but we kind of treat them as bonus gifts. The last few years, my husband and I have shopped the dollar store for our stocking stuffers.
We fill our stockings with fun stuff, but also some necessities like toothbrushes, deodorant, razors, etc. Sometimes we add a favorite candy bar or small bag of chips, pens (we both love a good pen), small journals, and even a fun/silly coffee mug.
You can really go crazy at the dollar store, and I always think my bill is going to be huge. But when they ring everything up, I’m always pleasantly surprised at how little I actually spend!
Don’t stress!
I know it’s getting super close, but please try not to stress too much, mama. Do you feel a little better? I definitely do after writing all that down. Now I kind of feel like I have a plan! I hope these last-minute Christmas gifts are hits with your loved ones. Remember not to stress too much and enjoy this season with your family!
What are your favorite last-minute Christmas gifts? Let us know in the comments!
