Last Minute Gift Ideas or Christmas is WHEN?

If you’re like me, you looked at your calendar yesterday and realized that Christmas is a WEEK away. I sat down on the couch and put my head in my hands, realizing I have nothing for my husband. Zip.

I thought about my options, and because I like to share, would like to give readers at Mad Mike’s America a few ideas for last minute holiday gifts.

1) Gift certificates. We are being encouraged to shop locally this year, sort of an “up yours” to corporate America, and I can’t think of a better way to do this than with gift certificates. Local hair salons, restaurants, or, in my case, our local hardware store. My husband loves to tinker, so a $25 gift card from the hardware store will be much appreciated.

2) Socks. Yes, I know, ick. BUT-people go through socks like crazy. If you’d like to give socks with an attitude, Christopher Moore is selling “F*** Stockings”, aptly named after the favorite epithet of his hero, Pocket, in Moore’s brilliantly funny retelling of “King Lear”, entitled “Fool”.

3) Pajamas. For either men or women. Winter is here, sort of, and flannel = happiness. Want to go all out? L.L. Bean has magnificent sleepwear, a little pricey, but shipping is often free and you will have them by Christmas.

4) Gift cards for online games. Our son plays Wizard101, and his big stocking stuffer is going to be a gift card for in game money, some sort of weird mount he can ride all over the place, clothing and a house. World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings and other online games offer gift cards. You typically cannot purchase these online, but check the game’s website for details.

5) Baked goods. YES! My husband works all day, which gives me ample time to bake things and hide them. The catch is remembering where I hid them. Don’t ask. Make sure the recipe is for a sturdy cookie or bar, bag them, pack them, and ship them priority mail. 3-4 days later, someone will be enjoying your homemade treat, thinking you are the best person in the world. You can bake something each day for a week’s worth of holiday happiness, thus rendering your housemates speechless at your talent and love.

6) Gifts for pets. Catnip for kitties, chew toys (make sure they’re safe) for dogs. I am ordering two giant catnip mice from Wellcat.com later today, my dear friends Tom and Ruth Roy’s home based business. These things are HUGE and Ruth uses only pure catnip, no filler or sawdust. Princess will be flying high for the holidays. For the puppy in your life, you can’t go wrong with a bone. Make sure they do not eat the shards, and be prepared for a mess, but watching their face as they crunch into that deliciousness makes up for the slobber and cement-like coating left on their fur.

7) The last gift idea is free, and may be the most appreciated one on the list. It is the gift of time. I spend a lot of my day on the computer researching, watching Republican debate clips, writing The Bachmann Diaries and other articles and sharing my work with others. All so eventually, my writing can pay for our son’s college education. Or at least a tank of gas. But, I have days when I don’t spend a lot of time with my husband. Our son gets home from school, does his homework and disappears into what we call “the man cave”, AKA the basement. Why not set aside a few days over the holiday break for family time? Have a game night, break out the change jar and play a little poker, watch a goofy or sentimental holiday movie all cuddled together on the couch. Go for a walk and look at holiday decorations. Play a little Wii tennis. Be together. Showing someone how much they are loved trumps a nicely wrapped gift any day.

Have a wonderful holiday, try and stay calm, and do not put yourself into debt trying to find last minute gifts. Stick to your budget, and remember-things from the heart mean so much more than things from the store.

If you have any last minute ideas, please let us know!

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