5 Super Last Minute Gift Ideas for Less than $20

December 22, 2009 by Christine Rochelle

It’s two days before Christmas. Have you finished your shopping? Don’t stress. There are plenty of last minute gifts that you can give to your family and friends without losing any money (or blood) in the Herald Square chaos. And no, you won’t see gift cards on this list.

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words – Between the invention of digital cameras and social networking sites, chances are you rarely print off any photographs. Mix that with the fact that you’re too old to make your yearly visit to the Sears Photography Studio, and we’re sure your parents have very few photographs of you lying around the house. Grab a friend and head to your favorite spot in the city. Snap a few shots of yourself and dust off that photo paper to print it right at home. Stick it in a frame you can get at a local drugstore and suddenly you have the best gift a parent could ever ask for.

Bake Up A Storm – A great gift to give to friends and co-workers is a bag of baked goods. When we’re living at home it seems like the amount of holiday baked goods is out of control, but now that you’re in NYC with a kitchen the size of a shoebox we’re going to bet there hasn’t been a whole lot of baking going on. Homemade foods in general are greatly appreciated by any city dweller, so if you want to go the healthy route cook your friends your favorite dish and send it over in a festive tupperware.

I.O.U. – Most can agree that when it comes to a large group of friends it is always more enjoyable to spend a night out rather than swapping cheap gifts. Head to your laptop and whip up a fancy certificate, or an “I Owe You” for your friends. Make a date for late January to go out to dinner to escape to suburbia for the weekend. Once the holidays are over and you’re looking to catch your breath in 2010, you’ll be glad you set this date.

Theme Gift Baskets – A homemade gift basket gives off a great presence on the gift table, and other party goers will think you spent a lot of time putting it together. Whether for a friend or for a holiday swap party, a themed gift basket can be thrown together with just one lap around a nearby Duane Reade or WalGreens. For the ladies, pick a theme like “relaxation” and throw in low-ticket items like comfy socks and candles. Be careful, because this could get pricy if you don’t watch what you put in the basket. Keep your basket small so that the items are overflowing and don’t hesitate to top it off with your favorite candies.

Collages – This might take some time but if you have an hour or two and a stack of magazines you can make it happen. Your closest friends deserve something special, so how about a middle-school style collage? Rip out your favorite headlines from any old magazine laying around and make a goofy collage that incorporates photos, movie stubs, or train tickets. Guys, I know crafting is the last thing you want to do, but trust that a Bed, Bath & Beyond gift card won’t cut it with your female friends.

Now that you have your gift shopping done, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the festivities! When 2010 rolls around, we just have one suggestion for a New Year’s Resolution: Start your holiday shopping in November.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!