It’s not really time for last minute gift ideas until Amazon Prime can no longer bail you out.
Every year, I love coming up with a list of really fantastic gift ideas that don’t LOOK like you waited until the last possible moment to figure out a gift.
If you’re in that sticky spot, I hope this list will help you out!
15 Great Last Minute Gift Ideas
Watercolor Class
One of the very most popular things I’ve shared this holiday season was the Watercolor for Kids class that we got for Ani for Christmas (it’s on my list of what we’re really giving our girls this year). And the good news is that they have a Watercolor for GrownUps class too AND a lettering class. Buy it and they can take it whenever they’d like at their own pace! Plus, use the code JANSSEN15 gets you 15% off any of the classes.
Family Films with Sam
I cannot sing the praises of this course enough. I’d been making little videos before I took this course for blog projects, but never even considered making them of our family life or trips and now those are some of my MOST treasured possessions. My girls watch them all the time and Sam does such a great job teaching the fundamentals of making movies plus how to take much better footage and really make a magical little video. Truly, the best money you can spend. Also, it’d be a really fun gift for a teen so they can make their own little films. Use the code JANSSEN for $5 off.
Storyworth
Those people on your list who are IMPOSSIBLE to buy for? This is the gift for them. You buy a package for your recipient (a grandparent, parent, new mom or dad, etc), and for the next year, they get a weekly question from StoryWorth’s 600+ question bank (or you can write your own questions, if you’d rather!). They can email a response and then it’s sent to you and anyone else you’ve selected, where you can reply with comments or additional questions. At the end of the year, the whole series of stories is printed in a hardbound book that you can add photos to if you’d like. I wrote a whole post about it here, if you’d like more details (and there is a coupon code over there too!).
2020 Reading Log
Instant download AND free? How can you lose? This reading log is the perfect way for the reader (old or young!) in your life to keep track of what they read this coming year. Here’s how to print off a large scale version of it. Pair it with a book or a gift card to their favorite bookstore and you’re golden!
I Chart You
Have you seen these gorgeous modern genealogy charts? We bought one for my parents a couple of years ago and I loved it so much I just ordered one for our own home – I can’t wait to hang it up in our living room! You can do a couple (say, your parents) or an individual and 4 generations of ancestors. They are so beautiful and come in all sorts of colors. You can do it as a print (which won’t arrive in time) or a digital file that they can print off themselves at their leisure and frame.
Meal Plan
Especially as people try to get more organized in the new year, there’s nothing as useful as a meal plan. eMeals is one my mom has used that just keeps getting better – they have meal plans that are low-carb or vegetarian or gluten free so you can find something that fits no matter how you eat (and if you’re in the market to try it yourself, you can get a free trial here!).
Bookroo
I love love love this book subscription for children and I have to gush over it every year. It’s like Christmas each month when a box of wrapped books show up for my children. They have a board book subscription, a picture book subscription, and a chapter book subscription and their picks are always spot on. We’ve found so many new favorites I’ve never seen anywhere else! Use the code EVERYDAYBOOKROO for 15% off.
Book of the Month Club
My favorite book subscription for adults (I wrote a whole review here), in large part because, every month, they select five books from all the new releases, write a pithy little description of those five and you pick which hardcover you want delivered to your doorstep. It’s the perfect gift for anyone who loves books but is too tricky to actually pick a book for because they own everything or like very specific things.
Kiwi Crate
You know of my deep love for Kiwi Co crates – my girls LIVE for these monthly craft and project boxes that all revolve around STEAM topics (science, technology, engineering, art, and math). If I had to choose just ONE subscription, it’d probably be this one. Use the code AWESOME if you’re getting a subscription and you can get up to four free months!
Live Free From Clutter Course
If you know someone you want to give a gift to but they really don’t want or have space for ANYTHING else in their lives, this brilliant course is perfect (and I don’t know many people who are better teachers than Miranda). Basically its a guided shopping pause and practical minimalism course designed to create space for what matters most with weekly lessons and webinars that run from Jan 6-Feb 9. I am super excited about this one, plus you can use the code EVERYDAY50 for $50 off through Christmas.
Magazine Subscription
I love a magazine subscription and my girls also are thrilled when something shows up in the mail for them. My favorite magazine subscriptions for kids are here and Amazon has magazine subscriptions for amazing prices too.
FabFitFun Box
No one does a better product box than FabFitFun – every box has more than $200 worth of products in it from beloved brands and it’s under $50. Plus you can use the code WINTERFUN for 20% off. Maybe just give this to yourself. You probably deserve a last minute gift more than anyone on your list.
Kiva Gift Card
If you want a gift that does good in the world AND that you can order at midnight on Christmas Eve, the Kiva Gift Card is a perfect choice. They make microloans in communities around the world with amazing results and your recipient can choose where in the world to put that money.
Audible
The chances of this Last Minute Gift Ideas post not including Audible. Zero. I always recommend giving this gift with a list of recommended books because their library can be a little overwhelming. Here are some of my favorite non-fiction titles (especially good for men), my ten most recommended books, and 25 of my favorite audiobooks for a variety of ages! And my ten favorite audiobooks for adults here.
Coloring Subscription
My girls love to color and I was surprised to discover this winter that even Bart enjoys some good coloring. Two of my favorite coloring subscriptions are Color Happy and Raising Wonder.
Rocksbox
I’ve been a fan of Rocksbox for years – there are few things more fun than new jewelry and you can swap it in and out as much as you like, so you can wear something for a while and then change it out for something new and fresh. I wrote a whole review of it here and all these years later, I still love it just as much.
And if you have other favorite last minute gift ideas, I’d love to hear them! (And there are more ideas on last year’s last minute Christmas gift guide).
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What about a teen book club? Are there any out there?
Book of the Month club has a young adult version too! https://book-of-the-month.ixmz.net/03KeJ
Kyle’s teacher wanted him to start reading more non-fiction, so we got him a magazine subscription to National Geographic Kids, and we’re super excited for it!
Emeals is the best. I’ve used it for about a decade. Such a time and sanity saver.