My Very Favorite Gifts For Super Late Holiday Shoppers Because We're Busy, Yo

Sometimes good things come to those who wait (til the last minute)

Dec 21, 2023

Each year, I put together a lot of holiday gift guides. Good ones. Like, amazing ones. I will share them at the bottom here, should you want to find entire lists of gift ideas.

The thing is, while lots of people slow down in December, it’s my busy season. And this year…well, sheesh. So I find myself scrambling for gifts oh…say, today? -ish?

But aha! A silver lining!

With Christmas on Monday this year, we’ve been gifted with an entire weekend to ship, bake, make, order, or pick up locally. So friends, this one is for you. With a strong bias toward NYC because what can I say, that’s where I live and shop.

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My Very Favorite Gifts For Super Late Holiday Shoppers

Quite few of these are favorites culled down from my Ultimate Guide to Last-Minute Gift Ideas You Can Still Get On Time, published on Cool Mom Picks. Note that there are a few affiliate links in here because I’m borrowing from the site, but you know, that means like $.06 from your $100 purchase may help support independent writers. The spirit of giving!

Books. Always books!

These all mayyyy have been gifted to people in my own life.

My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand (Audiobook) • Why Design Matters by

Debbie Millman

• The History of Sketch Comedy by Keegan-Michael Key & Elle Key Radiant Rebellion by

Karen Walrond

• Now is Better by Stefan Sagmeister • Site Lines: Lost New York 1954-2022 by Jill Gill

If you can’t make delivery, it’s a sign to shop your local independent book stores. I’m a fan of Books are Magic, or finding gently used treasures at my local Housing Works.

A Delicious Delivery

Lots of places ship nationwide overnight or two-day to keep things fresh. My Dad and Amye just sent us the annual double babka gift pack from Zabars, and thanks to autocorrect, I thanked them for the chocolate bobcat, which will surely be what we call it from now on. (Here are more iconic NYC favorite foods that can be shipped.)

I’m a long-time fan of the women-owned eCreamery, because their ice creams are not only truly delicious, but the packs have the cutest holiday labels.

And all year long I send SugarWish cards to the kids or to colleagues just as a sweet surprise or a congratulations gift. It’s a perfect last minute holiday gift too and so easy.

Underrated Tip: Log onto GrubHub or Caviar or UberEats and have something delivered nearly anywhere, often within minutes! Use Drizly to deliver from liquor stores.

Something Handmade With Love (No, Not By Me Because You Wouldn’t Want That)

My new favorite bowl from Jessica Capone of Positive Pottery Co, which looks great with the gnomes Jon picked up for $1/each at IKEA this week, one for each kid. (Not homemade, obvs.)

In NYC there are so many great pop-up markets featuring independent artists; I wrote about a few wonderful makers I found from the FAD Markets in Brooklyn here — or try holiday market sin Union Square, Grand Central Terminal, Bryant Park, and Columbus Circle. If you’re a visitor to NYC, you’ll always find something cooler there than in a department store.

Oh - and if you’re in Brooklyn, we’ve found some great stuff at the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange on Montague St, like Claudia Pearson’s iconic tea towels. (Use one to wrap a bottle of something special…Bourbon perhaps?)

Subscription Gifts

There are soooo many cool subscription boxes I’ve personally had good luck with:

- Bouqs or Urban Stems monthly flower subscription (even for yourself!)
- Breo Box for well-curated gadgets and new tech (Jon looooved it)
- Mouth Foods subscriptions filled with gourmet indie brands
- Master Class lessons for the person who has everything
- The Calm App: I use it literally every day (or night to help me sleep)
- 1Password: Best practical gift ever, especially for college kids + grandparents
- A streaming service: my parents liked getting Apple TV+ to watch Ted Lasso)
- NY Times Digital Games Subscription - hey there, Wordle addicts!
- Pro Publica, Mother Jones, anyone keeping good independent journalism alive.
- Uhhhh… your favorite Substack would be very thoughtful.

Gift Cards…Beyond the Usual

Yes, the teens all want gift cards to the typical chain stores, but also consider your local coffee shops (Vineapple! Joe!), favorite local restaurants, neighborhood toy stores, you name it. And of course there’s always gift cards for their favorite gaming console. (And instant downloads make great last-minute gifts too.)

A Charitable Tribute Donation

Oof, there are so many people who can use our help right now, especially if we are blessed to have all we really need. Consider: World Central Kitchen, Donors Choose, Committee To Protect Journalists, Human Rights Campaign, Bend the Arc, The Nature Conservancy The Trevor Project, Women for Women Int’l, Kindness.org.

When my kids were young, each year I let them pick out a different species to “adopt at from the World Wildlife Fund” and in exchange they’d get a plush animal, certificates, and educational materials in the mail.

An Experience That Makes Memories

My favorite gift of all: Something we can all do together. A Broadway show, a night visiting the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights (which we promise to do every year and never do), an Elf Movie audience participation screening at Alamo Drafthouse, ice skating, a road trip to a nearby sledding hill, or just daring the midtown crowds to see The Tree.

A night playing Jackbox together — especially with the grandparents or the cousins Zooming in to join — is our favorite. (Highly recommend Party Pack 3, including the Tee K.O. t-shirt slogan competition if you want to cry all your makeup off.)

These days more than ever, I feel like I can count down the years that we’ll still have all four kids with us — let alone all the grandparents. Making memories means more than anything to me, and it doesn’t have to cost a thing.

I’m Walking Here

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