Most people are done with their shopping. If you aren’t, here are some tips to get that last-minute present without stressing yourself out.
Send electronic gift certificates or gift cards.
Another option is an online gift certificate that gets sent out via e-mail.
Many retailers offer them now, and their convenience to you is unparalleled, as long as you feel reasonably comfortable that your recipient won’t mistake your electronic gift for spam.
Some retailers allow the certificates to be used only on their Web sites, not in their stores, so make sure the person on the receiving end is comfortable shopping online.
You often have until around noon Dec. 24 to order the e-gift cards and guarantee their timely arrival.
If that doesn’t appeal to you, buy real, plastic gift cards.
Everybody from the drugstore to the electronics store to the coffee shop is offering gift cards these days, so you have plenty of opportunities to look thoughtful by tailoring your gift-card purchases to certain individuals.
Don’t want to just hand them a card? Wrap it inside a mug or put it in the arms of a small stuffed animal.
If it’s already too late for you for online shopping, you can make the trek to some of your local stores and, if you plan ahead, you can breeze right through your list.
Shopping on Christmas Eve isn’t as bad as it sounds, as most of the crowds in the stores and malls are gone.
