There is still time- not much, mind you- to find and purchase nice gifts.
After a very late Thanksgiving, the calendar is racing toward December 25th. Let's say you still need to find a present or three... presents for people so hard to shop for that you've been subconsciously procrastinating, hoping the right gift will suddenly materialize. You repeatedly told yourself that "you'll know it when you see it," right? Well, it's too late for that now... and so your Grumpy Old Mansplainer is here with some random suggestions--
Avoid the mall until January, when everything is WAY on sale.
SHOP ONLINE
You will save many frustrating hours, but you'll need to take precautions to dissuade porch pirates. FedEx and UPS both have arrangements for having your package(s) held at nearby stores. (FedEx does this for free, while UPS charges a modest fee.)
May God bless the UPS and Fedex drivers-- true industrial athletes who work long hours
in frequently difficult conditions... and make last-minute shopping possible.
AVOID BUYING CLOTHING.
Even if you know someone's size, one company's XL might differ considerably from another's... and returns on mail-order stuff takes way too much time and energy.
SHOPPING FOR A PERSNICKETY PAIN IN THE BUTT
Two Words-- G-I-F-T C-E-R-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-E. If you don't know what they want, you can still figure out where they probably shop. For instance, the self-styled gourmet chef on your list would surely love a gift certificate for Williams-Sonoma even if they'd never spend their own money there. The outdoor sports enthusiast would similarly welcome a gift certificate for Cabela’s... and the wine lover might likely prefer to choose his or her own bottles with a pre-paid card to their favorite local emporium. What's additionally great about gift certificates is that buying and delivering them can often be accomplished entirely online.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, THINK VERMONT.
For better or worse, no other state says "Christmas" quite like Vermont.
Thanks to HALLMARK, Vermont equals Christmas, and vice-versa. We could certainly do a lot worse.
SO-- need an actual Christmas gift rather than a gift certificate?
The Vermont Country Store offers a cozy New England General Store atmosphere with a convenient online presence-- a winning concept! They offer a wide variety of sensible and cool stuff-- cooking and dining ware, edible treats, New England-specific stuff, size non-specific clothing (like hats & mittens) and much more.
And finally, if all else REALLY fails and you absolutely MUST go to the Mall in person, here's my favorite shopping tip for saving time and money--
Right before you walk in, put a pebble in your shoe.
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