Need a last-minute gift for an office party, a beloved friend, neighbor, coworker, or anyone else on your gift list, and for any occasion? Here are seven great ideas that won’t take much time and certainly won’t break the bank.
Give an Experience
Think about fun activities you could do with different people on your list: dinner for a friend, reading night and snacks with the grandkids, and movie night with the grandparents, complete with snacks. How about tickets to a local zoo, a day trip on Amtrak? Write a description of the experience your recipient will receive, noting the day, time, and all the details.Give a Treasure
Consider passing on an heirloom or family treasure to the next generation as a gift. Write a paragraph or two explaining the history or significance of the heirloom to go along with the gift. You will be preserving family history but not spending a dime. But here is the tricky part: Unless a person has expressed a particular love or desire for said heirloom and special treasure, do not assume your gesture will be appreciated.The Gift of Compassion
If you want your gift to say how much you care, then find a way to show you care about what matters most to your recipient. Idea: Honor your recipient by gifting a third-world family with a flock of geese, a goat, or a couple of chickens to help that family become self-reliant through WorldVision (donate.worldvision.org/giftcatalog). In just minutes you can place your order online and print the gift card describing what you gave in your recipient’s name.Give What You Do Best
Often the most meaningful gifts are those that cost no money at all. A gift from the heart is a gift of time and talent. Do you cook, clean, babysit, garden, sew, drive, or shop? Create a gift certificate and make what you do the gift that you give.Pro Tip: Follow up within a few days to set the exact time your certificate will be redeemed. Your recipient may be too embarrassed to remind you to make good on your gift.
