Money Bouquet
Money is the standard solution for last minute gifts, or last-second-I-totally-forgot gifts. Since money is actually a really great gift, it works out every time. You can disguise the fact that you almost dropped the ball by doing some “quick” origami and making a nice arrangement.
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Lottery tickets are a great gift you can pick up at your local convenience store, that come with a serious upside. If they win big you may get a piece of the action. Lottery tickets are often things that people won't buy for themselves, believing that they never win anything, but who could help but get their hopes up when you present them with a dozen chances to strike it rich and travel the world in a super yacht?
Here’s a gift you can give at the very last minute that will leave them feeling like they owe you one. Offer to do someone’s chores or yard work for an entire work day. Go all out and let them see you bust your hump. They deserve it, and so do you - you almost forgot to get them a gift after all.
So you’re on the way to go pick them up, and realize you totally forgot to get them a gift. Seems like a problem at first, and perhaps it is something you should work on, but there’s an easy solution. The night is on you! All expenses paid, do whatever the hell they want. Say you planned it. They might not believe you but they won’t care at all.
Back in the old days you were really rolling the dice when you chose a hotel. Either you called blindly after skimming the phone book or simply drove all night and hoped you saw a vacancy sign before you ran out of gas and got murdered by a vagrant. A hotels.com gift card is not just a way of picking up the tab for a night’s stay; it’s also the priceless gift of peace of mind.
Leaving gift shopping till the last minute is part of human nature it seems. Everyone does it, so don’t feel bad. The trick is finding something that doesn’t look like a last minute attempt. Luckily there are a ton of great subscription services you can order online right now, like a weekly delivery of fresh, locally grown produce. You’ll be doing them a favor in more ways than one, and each time a new delivery arrives they’ll think of you, and how you always give the most amazing gifts. You’re welcome.
Why just give money when you can pair it with the experience of spending a day together? Everyone has a list of things that they want to buy but can’t quite justify the expense. Cross a few things off that list by taking them on a shopping spree. If you need to have something for them to open or unwrap, just make a little gift card and let them pick a day that works for them.
Buy them a couple tickets to a great event or show as a little test. Will they give the extra ticket to you? You just gave them this very thoughtful gift, after all. Or do they keep them both. In which case, maybe they just get a box of chocolates from the drug store next time.
You might think you’re stressed about trying to find a last minute gift, but it’s probably nothing compared with how stressed they are every day. Help them relax and forget about their troubles with a day at their favorite spa. We hear they do some mighty fine anti-wrinkle treatments but maybe let them find that out for themselves…