The holidays, no matter how you sell them, are fun time. We just all have to discover what benefits us and our beloved's best. Time is a slippery mistress. it's fleeting and we only have seconds to spare. How do you find the best gift in seconds?
Redditor u/debbies_a_whore wanted to talk about all the ways we make gifts happen... even in the home stretch... by asking.... What last minute gift for Christmas is always a winner?
MOTHERLODE!!!
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One year when my grandmother's memory was slipping but she was still doing crossword puzzles I found the MOTHERLODE at a bookstore. They had two different editions of phonebook-thick crossword puzzles on clearance for $2 each. I bought the whole stack of them and cycled through them for years. They kept her happy for years - when she'd finish book A I'd supply her with book B, and then a fresh copy of book A again and so on. Because her memory wasn't as sharp she'd forget she'd already done the book. Kind of sad but kind of sweet at the same time. crayongrrl
The Touch.
Massage voucher. Most adults don't really need physical things. The ones who do either buy it themselves (if they can afford it, ofc) or they would ask for it, which would make the gift not so much a last minute one. option43
A Literary Giving....
One of the best gifts I've ever received was a big box of thrifted books. I am a big reader of trashy romance novels and I go through them pretty fast. They paid like $5 for this box of books and it gave me like 3 months of reading material. I was super happy! paramourns
Chips Away....
I feel like snacks for stocking stuffers are always a win with me. If my wife is reading this please give me bbq Pringles please for my stocking. CarminesCarbine
If you buy them for yourself, you're just a weak-willed chip addict. If somebody gives them as a gift, you're morally obligated to eat the entire can in one sitting as a display of gratitude. drh0tdog
Who's Asking?
Depends on who you're shopping for.
Like, my broke college friends love getting gift cards to things like GrubHub and Uber Eats.
My mom friends enjoy those gift baskets that come with bath bombs lotions and stuff or a new, fluffy robe
Also if you have the spare time and want parent friends to really love you, a handmade coupon for a free night of babysitting so they can go to a movie or just get dinner, or even stay home and just sleep lol
If all else fails, an Amazon gift card. LividAtmosphere
So Soft....
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Super soft blanket. beregond23
As I love super soft blankets... I transitioned to weighted blankets.... best sleep ever. PrinceLewd808
Custom Made....
I made custom coasters one year for my entire family.
Step 1- Go to Home Depot get free floor samples(already perfect coaster size)
Step 2- Use a wood-burning tool to put initials into them.
Step 3- Give as a gift.
I did this several years ago and whenever I visit I still see the coasters out.
About 2 hours of burning and $0 spent and I had a heartfelt gift for everyone. justa_flesh_wound
$$$$
Cold hard cash baby. cuhcuh416
Well, when a cash man and a cash woman love each other very much, the cash man puts a deposit into the cash woman's bank. Over time, it accrues interest, and when said interest becomes valuable enough, a brand-new cash baby is born, usually in a tax haven of some variety. RamsesThePigeon
A Big One!
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I just want a big Toblerone bar every year and I never frigging get one. FloptimusCrime8
Not sure what's considered a big toblerone but now that I'm a teenager a toblerone is the only thing I get for Christmas from my parents. I LOVE toblerones. ABlankHoodie
Tamales....
This has been a rough year for me. Funds are tight so I am making 100 dozen tamales to give to my family and friends this year. And for my Christmas grandchildren's birthdays I am making them their favorite cake. Hummingbird. I know every one will be happy as I am always being asked to make these items for them throughout the year. MsHTownSmoker61
Tickets Giveaway...
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Tickets to something that person would enjoy, whether it's a play, musical, concert, dinner theater experience, live podcast, comedy show, sporting event, movie, museum, art show, historic place tour or tour of something else. It's easy to get (just buying tickets/passes to something) but also very personal & meaningful. It can also range from being a cheap gift (like movie tickets) to more expensive (like a Broadway show) depending on your price range and closeness to that person. chessie_hchessie_h
Droned....
Last year I was at Microcenter buying someone a drone, and they have bins of 32GB flash drives at the checkout counter for $3. I bought 15 and put them in everyone's stockings. People loved it. BelowDeck
USB is Out!
Last year i put hundreds of the best rock music on a USB for my dad to listen to in the car. It was the night before Christmas. He uses it everyday still. TheBrotherhoods
Shop vac.....
Shop vac. Eminently practical and it sucks having to buy one for yourself. The giftee will laugh and then you'll get a text or a call like a month after saying it's the best thing they've ever gotten. UYScutiPuffJrUYScutiPuffJr
I like my gifts to be practical, no matter who's getting them.
I like my gifts to be practical, no matter who's getting them.
- Small, bright keychain lights like the Photon Micro or the Olight IE3 EOS.
- Small Swiss Army knives like the Swiss Army Classic.
- Awesome socks like Smartwool or Darn Tough or Fox River.
- High quality beanie from Outdoor Research, Arcteryx, Smartwool, Sealskinz.
- Space pens and a small, quality pocket notebook.
- Coffee Travel mugs from Contigo.
- Small car emergency kits, everyone needs them and literally no one has them.
- Powerbanks
- If you live some place it snows: A good snow scraper, because again, for some reason, everyone has some piece of junk from a gas station.
- Magnetic charging cables. Seriously. I give these all the time and they're a huge hit, especially for iPhone users who seem to be constantly breaking either their cord or the charge port. I like the NetDot and Volta.
- Small, quality multi-tool from Gerber, Leatherman or SOG. These are especially popular with women that get them from us.
If the gifts aren't for office randos or distant cousins I see every 10 years, I'll make themed sets, like a small light, a power bank and the magnetic charging cables or beanie, socks, travel mug.
You can spend 20-50 or more on high quality, practical gifts or you can spend the same on a breadmaker that'll get used once.
College Life....
One year I went to my grandmas house and snapped a few pictures of the old albums. Went home, made some collages out of the pictures, made them into magnets. (I did this at home with what I have, but a mail order place can do it too) I didn't know if people would like them but several people cried when I gave them out. They all compared pictures and still have them up.
I figured I'd add it here for anyone curious, this is one of the collages I tried to have the collage feature the person it was intended for, this one is heavy on my mom in her cat-eye glasses and on the back of the motorbike, and my lovely aunt sitting front. in_the_wind_
$5 Win!!
A card with $5 in it and a super sweet message from my grandpa about how proud of me he is.
Happened to me when I was 12. My grandpa had just passed away and he had already made cards for everyone. I still have the card and the $5. aurarasburst
Homemade cookies.......
Homemade cookies. One year I was particularly broke and decided to make everyone Xmas biscuits. Felt a bit stingy as I didn't really spend anything on it (had all the flour, eggs, spices etc already at home and only had to buy a single chocolate bar to make choco chips) but people LOVED it and now ask me for them each year. I usually personalize the flavors or ice the person's name/something they like on them. For one friend (who loves warm cookies) I gifted a log of cookie dough and cooking instructions, that went down pretty well. ididitforcheese
Happy New Year!
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If they're drinkers, a nice bottle of Champagne. New Year's is right around the corner, and that way they'll have a nice bottle of bubbly to enjoy their night with. Oldpenguinhunter
I miss people being sane. Though that maybe election cycle issues not COVID. We'll never know.
I thought I was Alone...
Black Friday Nbc GIF by SuperstoreGiphy"Being able to grocery shop after 11 pm."
Reading_Rainboner
"Hell yes. I miss the days where the Walmart across the street was open 24 hours."
Small_Tax_9432
let's just go...
"I miss spontaneity... everything now seems to have a barrier of difficulty."
iidosee
"I live very close to Disneyland so I have an annual pass. My friends and I would just go there after work and hang out and grab a bite to eat."
"Now, we have to reserve a day to go. And most of the time, the days are at 'full' capacity so we couldn't even reserve. I don't want to schedule to hang out at Disneyland for a couple hours for July. So yeah, I definitely miss the 'lets go eat at Disneyland tonight?' texts."
mymymissmai
Not til 24-25
"Functioning global supply chains. Ah, the product you want has got microchips in it? 9 month wait."
richard-king
"Minimum, I'd been saying for a while now that I wouldn't expect a true return to normalcy in terms of electronics prices till 2024-2025. Although Crypto crashing through the floor really took some of the pressure off graphics cards which I really appreciate."
statiiic
WTF?!?!
"How affordable everything was!"
Disastrous_Hour_6776
"Yep. Today I was bagging up my things at the grocery store and I heard the cashier say to the lady behind me 'thats $78.12.' She had -- 2 boxes of Kellogg's corn flakes, a carton of 12 eggs, milk, strawberries, raspberries, blue berries, a small cheese cake, English muffins, coffee, and a small whole frozen chicken that could maybe feed 3 people if the meat portioning was small."
SnowyInuk
Sushi
sushi GIFGiphy"My favorite sushi place. It was good quality, close by, kid-friendly, and not too expensive."
InannasPocket
All of this... it was a simpler time.
NASTY
Janet Jackson Reaction GIFGiphy"As a retail worker, just how f**king NASTY some people have gotten."
DmitriPetrov*itch
"They applauded you for being an essential worker but won’t vote for policies that’ll raise minimum wage while insisting a wage cap for heavily paid employees."
sketchysketchist
CHANGES your DNA...
"Some of the people closest to me became very bitter and petty over the last 2 years. So many people have the 'crazy eyes' now."
__--__7
"So true and holidays with the family is like who has the biggest tinfoil hat building contest. How many jumps does your brain have to go through to think that the Covid vaccine CHANGES your DNA into the patented DNA so that the government now controls your body."
"So like vaccinated people now have a singular DNA set. I feel like I still have a chunk of my brain just broken off due to that comment alone. I was also told by same family member that I could never donate blood again due to the vaccine. I guess it is so my patented DNA doesn't affect people?? FYI my vaccinated butt just donated today fine and multiple other times after the vaccine."
tyreka13
Homeward Bound
"House prices."
adrianinked
"I'm resigned to never thinking I have a chance on owning property where I live. I'm 30 and just can't imagine it anymore. And I don't want to live anywhere else so, whatever."
Osdab2daf
"That didn’t happen because of the pandemic. That was already happening regardless."
CH11DW
Oh Mickey
"All Day Breakfast at McDonalds."
hutch2522
"It was honestly hell to do, and not very popular. ITs margins aren't anywhere dinner and lunch specials. ON top of that, the temperatures are such that They require its own grill, meaning that if you have 2 grills in shop, you are down 50% of lunch capacity."
Freyas_Follower
Way back when...
Season 5 Friends Tv Show GIF by FriendsGiphy"Hanging out with friends. And I mean waaaaaay before Covid. Like 2006 back when I had some friends."
LoocsinatasYT
I miss the old days. Maybe we'll get back there.
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I'm waffling between G-O-D and nothing. So please give me some education.
911
Role Playing Reaction GIF by Hyper RPGGiphy"We need to look out for each other because help isn't coming."
cknipe
Peace Out
"More than 2 decades ago, a priest was giving a sermon in my church and he said 'our faith requires you to believe without question. Why call it faith if you have to ask questions?' I haven't returned to church. Not until my wedding day but you know what I mean."
asiangontear
Delusion
"When I was young I used to think that after death you would have access to a PC that you could see absolutely anything about your life. Stats, any question you had no matter how obscure, replays of moments, perspectives of others in relation to you. No matter what you wanted to know, if it was relatable to you, you could see it. I know it's silly, but as time goes on I just want it to be real, and I don't think I'd have any issue allowing myself to fall into that delusion."
eggwardpenisglands
I think nothing happens...
"Realistically, I think nothing happens. We literally experience nothing after death. Same thing that we experience before birth. We don't exist, so it's nothing. I think the tenant that we should follow while living is to try to be happy and healthy while minimizing the damage we do to each other."
"What I would LIKE to happen after death is whatever you believe in, exists. I think Christians should get to go to heaven if they truly believe in it, Hindus and Buddhists get reincarnated, and everyone else also gets to experience what they believe they will experience."
"'I would still experience Nothing. Maybe it's one of those things where at the moment of death their brain makes them experience what feels like an infinitely long moment in time where they experience their afterlife. I just think it would be neat for everybody."
Better_Meat_
Shrug
Happy GIFGiphy"Best advice I received from a dear senior on their way out. 'You win some, you lose some' shrug. Nothing divine, life is that simple and wonderful, accept it and move on."
Tune_Kindly
It all sounds pretty simple. Why are people so up in arms about Atheists?
Whatever
Bored Episode 15 GIF by The SimpsonsGiphy"I believe in a universe that doesn't care, and people that do."
imCIK
Cool with Empty
"Nothing. [Serious]."
rumblingtummy29
"I feel this way about death. When I was 5, my grandfather died and my cousin simple said, he is dead, that means you are gone forever. Everything ends up dying, even plants and animals. I'm now in my 40's and still have this simplistic view of life and death. People think I'm ambivalent to life and death but it's just what it is."
thepigfish82
puppet-masters...
"I think a lot of religious people struggle with the fact that we are all just swirling units of chaos. There is no grand plan or great orchestrator. I think that’s why people who are prone to religion are also susceptible to things like Q anon and the Cabal and all that. They REALLY want to believe that there is some almighty puppet-master who determines all of humanity’s fate."
Lngtmelrker
“we’re living in a society!”
"Just be a kind and empathetic person not because you’re worried about some cosmic justice, but because it’s the right thing to do. If there is some being that created us there’s no way they actually care about believing in it or adhering to some rules from over 2000 years ago."
"Also a big thing for me is that I find the idea that you need religion or the Bible in order to have morals and ethics pretty dumb. It’s pretty f**king clear that most evangelicals have neither. But my main thing is being a good person simply because, as George Costanza once said we’re living in a society!' If you’re only a good person in order to make it to heaven you probably aren’t actually a good and moral person."
conservative_genius
That's All
Circle Of Life Loop GIFGiphy"You're born. You live. You die. That's it. After you die you cease to exist, the same as before you were born."
serefina
Believe what you want. We're all here together. So let's focus there.
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I feel like this article can go on forever. Let's get some highlights.
Wasted Time
Nbc Im Done GIF by SuperstoreGiphy"Meetings that could and should have been an email."
Sirena609
Lotto People
"Getting stuck behind people playing the lottery at a corner store."
thenuggetlover
"I also used to work in a gas station and you’re SO right. I f**king hated the lottery people. Especially since my store had a small staff and there was usually only one of us working at a time, which meant that I couldn’t get any of my other work done as long as they were there."
"And you’re right, it’s also pretty sad to watch. I had one lady who used to come in every day and spent hundreds and HUNDREDS of dollars on scratch tickets. One day, she won $200 after spending probably around $600 and she was so excited and saying she can 'finally pay her bills.'"
i-am-your-god-now
Aware...
"No situational awareness. Job, home, shopping, driving. Think for one minute and go about. OBSERVE!!"
Dizzy-Foundation8122
"My mom is one of those people who leave the shopping cart in the middle of the damn aisle and proceed to walk twenty feet away. After correcting her a million times to no effect I just walk away now so people don’t know I’m with her."
OutrageousEvent
Shut Up!
"Endless barking in the middle of the night, I love animals but that sh*t I can't stand."
Acceptable-Lemon2924
"Endless barking in general drives me up a wall. One of my friends dogs was barking almost an entire gaming session the other day. I wanted to reach through the computer and smack him for letting it go on."
bangersnmash13
Kindness
customer service waiter GIFGiphy"People being mean to service workers, especially if the workers are very young."'
scaryboilednoodles
All of these things. I hate them all.
Admit It
Admit It Tell The Truth GIF by TV LandGiphy"People who never accept fault when they mess something up. Like, why blame a million people when it was clearly you who did it???"
Quirky-Area-8978
From Above
"My upstairs neighbors."
lutzow89
"I had terrible neighbors at my previous apartment. It was a one person studio for students, but her boyfriend was clearly living with her illegally and he was loud."
"One night we knocked n the door at 3 AM because of the loud music and an unknown girl opened the door. I just thought they were having a little party. But the next door I saw the girl living there come home with a suitcase after having been away for the weekend... Her BF was cheating on her in her own apartment."
Th3_Accountant
Move Away
"People who sit directly next to me at the airport, movie theater, any other place where you can choose a seat when there is PLENTY of other seating."
BacardiPardy33
"I can’t YES this enough and the ones who can’t park for crap so they park so close you can’t open doors on one side of the car or the ones who park directly behind when you pulled through so the door won’t open to load groceries."
BacardiPardy33
It's Over
"People who try to restart old drama. Like I'm done with you, just leave me alone."
Tired_Potatos
"Yep, half the reason I've basically quit playing one of my favorite online video games. People keep bringing old crap up or sh*tting on on someone who used to be our friend. I got tired of it so I just ejected the game out of me."
CaucasianHumus
AHHHHH!!!
move leading GIFGiphy"People walking too slow in front of me with no way to get around them. It’s even worse if it’s a couple or group taking up the whole sidewalk. HAVE SOME SPATIAL AWARENESS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!"
_-v0x-_
Life in general pisses me off. I'm easy.
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