Quick & Easy Last Minute Holiday Gifts (No Giftcards here!)

Did you just have someone pop up on your gift list? Get invited to a Holiday Party and need a hostess gift? Forget one of the many people who help make your life easier? Or did you just get behind? Either way you need a gift and you need it fast. Here are some quick and easy ideas to get you started.

Homemade Goodies

If you have already been baking these season this is super simple. All you need is some cute containers from either a dollar store or craft store and you have a gift. No containers? Plastic wrap and a ribbon works great too.

If you want to make something super simple and easy try these sweet, sugary nuts from Better Homes and Gardens – it is in their big red and white cookbook too. My mom and I made these this weekend and they are super easy and highly addictive.

Easy Wine Gifts

Sure, it is easy to just bring a bottle of wine, but that is so vanilla. Spice it up a little by pairing a bottle of wine with …

• Salty savory yummies - Cheese and crackers, cheese straws, nuts, and snack mix are a few great options.
• Chocolate – Grab a box of some of the yummy pre-packaged chocolates that are out in stores everywhere right now (truffles, cordials, or other such goodness)
• Some stemless wine glasses and a corkscrew
• A chick flick and the promise of spending some time with a gal pal to share the bottle
  

Coffee or Cocoa Winners

Do you have someone who can’t get enough of their caffeine fix? If they don’t like coffee most of these ideas will work with Cocoa too. You can actually make your own “cocoa” mix simply by duplicating the dry ingredients on the side of the can either in mass or individual cup quantities. Again – it is easy to just pick up some ground coffee but what is more fun is to pair it with …

• Chocolate covered pretzels or graham crackers (again – easy to make yourself - or the Keebler Chocolate Graham Crackers wrap up real nice too!)
• Travel Mug – I love these eco friendly ones!
• A set of mugs and a calendar with dates penciled in for the two of you to share a cup

The Gift of Time!

Some times this is the most valuable gift of all. Some ideas for you include:

• A bath set and the offer to take a mom’s kids for the day so she can have a spa day
• Same idea different twist – offer to babysit for your favorite couple (bonus points - agree to take the kids for the whole night so they can have a date night complete with breakfast the next morning before they have to pick up the kids)
• Offer up your skills to help with yard work or a house project – sometimes others may not have the know how or the tools to be able to do the things you can
• Cook up a batch of freezer meals for a new momma and deliver them wrapped in foil and a bow
• Volunteer to be a pet sitter or pet walker for your traveler on the go or busy workaholic
• Are you a scrapbook junkie - create a “fill in the blanks” scrapbook for your favorite bride to be, new mom, or proud grandma

Have some others?? Share em in the comments below!