'Tis officially the season for gift-giving. For us, it’s 31 days of gift giving; for a month, we’ll be providing gift ideas for everyone on your list—from your hard-to-please parents to your ’90s-loving BFF and even your spoiled pet. Filled with creative picks that got our pulses racing, our Unwrapped holiday gift guides will make Christmas shopping a breeze this holiday season.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, you’re freaking the fuck out because... as diligent as you’ve been about buying presents, you forgot about that one faithful person in your life. What, is that not how the song goes?
Your options are slim. Do you suck it up, head to your local mall, and risk sitting in traffic longer than you’ll spend in the actual store? Re-gift something you already received, in very poor taste? Give in to guilt and admit you didn’t get them anything? No, you click through the following slideshow, find a printer, some paper, and feign ignorance when someone accuses you of forgetting about them.
Printing gifts on paper? How vintage! Everything’s transferred via email nowadays, but nothing’s appealing about forwarding a confirmation over. Present your print-out in a card or envelope or box, which will help conceal the last-minute nature of it just slightly. Plus, physically opening something in person is always more satisfying than opening something virtually.
Click through for our suggestions.
Broadway tickets
As much as you want to conceal it from your friend/family member, you did technically forget about them. There is quite literally no better way to make it up to them than by getting your hands on one of the most popular plays out right now. You owe them that much. If that seems completely unrealistic, "The Color Purple" is also going off Broadway next month and is absolutely superb.
An Instagram calendar
This one might take a little more time and creativity, but it's totally doable. Take your friend/family member's 12 best Instagram shots and turn them into a calendar. There are sites that can do it for you, but seeing as you're short on time, doing it yourself is kind of your only option. Hope you have Photoshop!
Workout gift card
Print out an e-gift card to your friend or family member's favorite workout class of choice (or pay for their membership to the gym for a year). Then, follow up every couple of weeks to see if they've used it yet. It's both thoughtful and motivational!
Print-out art
Has your loved one just moved into a new apartment? Are they need of some art to decorate the walls? The Visual Pixie shop on Etsy allows you to print out graphics from their selection of designs. Where you're going to get the frame is another story.
VisualPixie, Stay While Art Print, $6.40, available at Etsy.
Concert tickets
There are a ton of great artists going on tour soon. Pick up two tickets to see your friend's favorite musician and feel free to heavily hint that you love them as well. If you're lucky, they just might string you along. One for them, one for you.
Life planner
Everyone needs one and nobody wants to pay for it. Etsy has a version you can print out and easily gift or keep for yourself to fulfill your annual resolution of getting your shit together. First step: Make a list of people to get presents for, and check it twice.
EasyLifePlanners, Life Planner, $24.99, available at Etsy.
Recipe cards
Print these cute recipe cards and fill them out with your favorite dishes. You can even go around to other family members or friends to have them contribute—time permitting.
SabrisStudio Printable Recipe Card, $5, available at Etsy.
Party decorations
This is for that friend who's been wanting to throw a party for a while. Or, maybe you offer to organize the party for them if it's not already on the calendar (to make sure the decorations get some play). All you have to do is download, print, and assemble. Oh, and did we mention it's free?
Uncommon Goods, Printable Party Kit, available at Uncommon Goods.
Amazon gift card
Amazon gives buyers the option to print out their gift card, making them the perfect site to splurge on something as generic as an Amazon gift card at the very last minute. That, and they basically have everything one could need.
A handwritten letter
Letters are a lost art. It might sound gimmicky, but a personalized note is the perfect way to tell that special someone how much you care about them and appreciate their presence in your life. Or, use the opportunity to apologize profusely for screwing up. Better start perfecting your handwriting now.
Check out more of our Unwrapped gift guides here.
