Six Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Any Occasion

While some savvy individuals may have a small box stowed in a closet full of gifts to give on the fly, or when they've forgotten a special occasion, you may not be that type of planner. While that's a great idea to build for future instances, you may be in search of a last-minute gift right now. Maybe you're having a hard time finding a thoughtful gift for the person who has everything. Whatever the reason you're on the hunt for a present in a pinch, let's look at some of the best last-minute gift ideas that will work for any occasion. 

Go Big or Go Home 

If you're shopping for that special someone in your life, especially if it's last-minute - or worse, late, you might as well go big or go home. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, so you can never go wrong with a classic set of diamond stud earrings. Maybe you messed up and need a last-minute apology present - tennis bracelets are back in vogue, as well as chunky gold chain necklaces. Either way, you can never go wrong with an extravagant piece of jewelry to show someone how much you care. 

Another "go big or go home" item you can gift someone with is a vehicle. Mainly if you know, they've needed a new car, or they're just getting their driver's license. A new car is an incredibly generous gift and could be life-changing for the recipient. Maybe it's you that's wanted a new car, and you could give them your gently used vehicle and splurge on the car you've been wanting. 

Experience Gifts  

Giving the gift of an experience is easy to come up with last-minute as it takes no in-person shopping or very much time online either. Say the person you are shopping for has always wanted a hot air balloon ride - call and book it! Perhaps they've always wanted to go skydiving - a couple of clicks on your laptop, and it's booked. If the recipient doesn't mind waiting a couple of days or weeks, you can even splurge on a getaway as a last-minute gift. We all need a vacation, and chances are, if you're booking a holiday for someone, you're close enough that you'll be their travel companion as well!

Consumables Are Always a Winner 

Whether the person you're shopping for is a foodie, a minimalist, or you really can't think of what to get them, consumables are always a winner. You can go in many directions for consumables - food, beverages, savory or sweet. If you know the person well enough to know their taste, that can narrow things down enough for you to quickly pop in and out of a shop to grab their gift. You can never go wrong with a bottle of wine. Maybe your significant other loved the Valentines' Day chocolate you got; grabbing them a few truffles from the same brand or making a basket with several options is another idea. Consumable presents are great because they're sustainable and everyone loves to indulge occasionally.  

Subscription Services 

In the same way, that experience gifts take just a few clicks of a button, and subscription services are excellent for the last-minute shopper in the same sense. Of course, it does take a little more decision-making on your end as to what subscription would benefit the recipient the most. While this gift is a great last-minute present, make sure you fill out a card and present it to the recipient so they know what you got them and why you think they'd enjoy it. As there are subscriptions for virtually everything someone can be enthusiastic about - from cat toys, wine, or clothing - you can surely come up with something the person you're shopping for would be thrilled to get packages from on a monthly or quarterly basis.  

Suppose the person you're shopping for a subscription doesn't have any hobbies. In that case, you that comes to mind, but they're a busy parent or professional, consider paying the annual fees to some meal delivery services like Grubhub or Doordash. You can also include a gift card to these platforms, so the first several meals are on you!

Giving Your Time 

Maybe you're searching for a last-minute gift, and nothing is hitting the mark for you. These days, we're all pulled in so many different directions it seems that we don't have enough hours in the day. If you have the time in your schedule, consider just spending time with your friend or family member you're looking to celebrate. Even if the last-minute gift was "just because," why not call them up and see if they'd like to get together and reconnect "just because." The world more than ever needs love and connection right now, so the gift of time costs you nothing but could mean everything. 

Donations to Charity 

We all have people in our lives that whenever we ask them what they want for a holiday or birthday, their reply is, "You don't need to get me anything." For those people in our lives, consider donating to a charity or non-profit in their name. Please take into consideration the things that they are passionate about. Even easier if they've volunteered for an organization that makes a difference in the past. The great thing about the donation gift idea is you can give as little or as much as you're able to. The important part is that you gave it all. Letting the person know that you donated to one or two organizations in their name is all the gift they'll need. 

Finding yourself in the conundrum of gift shopping in the eleventh hour never feels good. Hopefully, the ideas mentioned above help you out of this bind, but remember the stash of gifts in a box referenced initially? That's never a bad idea for occasions like these. Happy shopping!