From D.I.Y. TO “I.O.U”, here is a round-up of the best and cheapest gift last-minute ideas out there.
For just about anyone:
A “Gift Bucket”…
Stock it with personalised little surprises according to the person’s taste and personality. You can find the lanterns or buckets at most supermarkets/ gardening/ homeware stores for as little as 5 bucks.
The recipient will be so impressed with the idea and presentation that they probably won’t even mind if it’s filled with useless crap! Yay!
For your friend who just moved into a new house:
These DIY Candlelit Houses
This clever and easier-than-it-looks idea from Fellow Fellow only requires some cutouts of pretty houses, scotch tape and battery-operated tea-lights.
(Or a housewarming bucket)
But try to fill this one with useful stuff for the hardware shop.
For the Fashionista’s Boudoir:
Designer Flowers
If you can get your hands on some really good fake flowers and add some yellow food coloring to the water, you can get the same effect as the first photograph.
Tutorial, including the downloadable Chanel label sticker for printing on Styling my Everyday
For your other half:
Printable Breakfast in Bed tickets
For Family & Friends inviting you over for Christmas Dinner:
Bread in a Bottle
Look up a good recipe for bread/ cake or cookies, buy the ingredients and stick ’em in a jar! Voila! Oh, and decorate a sticky label with some hand-drawn doodles. The jar could be a recycled juice bottle! For a little more detail, here are directions.
For the kids:
Build them a fort while they’re sleeping
For the one that loves to cook:
A Window Box Herb Garden
You can find a tutorial here.
Homemade Cranberry and Lime Vodka
Here’s the recipe / tutorial. If you don’t have any bottles like this somewhere in the pantry, they are easy to find at homeware stores.
For the gal pal that always listens to your problems:
Hot Chocolate for Adults
Because she deserves it after listening to all your sh*t!
For the wino:
Mulled Wine Kit
If they can’t bothered to mull, at least you gave them wine.
(Okay that was the last alcohol one)
For your best friend:
A Victorian Puzzle Purse
Here’s the tutorial to this exact puzzle purse pictured above, and a more comprehensive tutorial below…
And give them a Key to something special …
Here’s what you do. Find an old (preferably antique) key and hide it in a Victorian Puzzle purse (see above), or if you’re short on time, a small attractive box. Print out this message and fold it inside with the key. And voilà! Your Christmas emergency is sorted!
The Messy Nessy Keyholder subscription is available to gift?
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- Full access to a library of Travel Guide eBooks + an A-Z Destination Directory at your disposal
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- A room full of puppies. Jk … (for now).
So if someone you love also loves to travel, send them a little something to look forward to, with a Keyholder Gift Membership.
Wishing you a delightful Christmas morning filled with friends, family and way too much eggnog.
