Last minute panic? Relax, The Present Queen’s got you covered
This lovely lady hardly needs an introduction, so without further ado, I’ll pass you onto my lovely mate, the wondrous and all-knowing Presents Queen who’s going to kiss it all better:
I know, it’s amazing isn’t it? Why did no one warn you that Christmas was on December 25th this year?
And that it’s not very far away now, and that with every passing hour, yet another online retailer’s last guaranteed before Christmas delivery deadline passes. And still you’ve not done anything. And Christmas Eve is upon you.
Perhaps you fancy Christmas Day, out in the cold, on your own.
If not, then all is not lost. All you need are your PC, your internet connection, a printer and a few other peripherals of your choice.
Oh, and don’t forget your credit card! Here goes:
1) Head on over to iTunes. Now, anyone can go on there, download the latest top selling boy band/girl band/rock compilation. But to get more brownie points take a few moments to create your own iMix of tunes that mean something to both of you, or that follow some sort of theme. Perhaps memories of a special holiday, or songs from films that your other half loves, or from their teens obsessed by New Romantics. Buy the mix, burn the CD, even print the artwork. It shows some effort on your behalf, which always helps.
2) Magazine subscriptions are always a good standby, and they are the gift that keeps on giving through out the year. I like Great Magazines, as the range is great, plus they also have printable cards when you’ve selected the gift, and e-cards. A lot of the magazines also offer free gifts when you sign someone up, so a double bonus! There are plenty of choices for all sorts of interests, and there’s even a Gift Finder to give you some suggestions if you’re not sure. Can’t find the one you’re looking for? Try Magscriber for other magazines, but no printable cards. Even better, slip out quick to the garage and see if you can get the current copy of the magazine and then attach the printable card to it.
http://www.greatmagazines.co.uk
3) Travel tickets. Not necessarily cheap but certainly guaranteed to keep you out of the Christmas doghouse. With the age of the e-ticket firmly with us for pretty much all travel, then printing one of these out has to be acceptable. You could add in a few images from Google Images perhaps of the destination, and maybe an IOU for a guide book. Or, if you’ve still got some blank CDs, then you can now download walking tours and cultural guides to different locations from iTunes or Amazon. Depending on where you’ve booked for, and your corner shop, you might even be able to get something produced in that country. Hopefully wine.
4) In a similar vein, concert or theatre tickets can be done in the same way, and you can even go back to the download idea to add something else to this, like a greatest hit mix or a soundtrack.
5) Go ethical, even at the last minute. Practical Presents offer an e-card option, and you can even select the gift card and a bookmark to still be delivered, just slightly later than the traditional gift giving day. You can buy everything from goats to trees, teacher training to school meals. Obviously not to arrive through the post, but to go somewhere where they are really needed.
http://www.practicalpresents.co.uk
6) Now, there’s bound to be an off-licence or garage shop open late enough for even the most last minute shopper. We’re not suggesting that a bottle of Lambrusco is going to do the trick, but how about renting a row of vines for them, and wrapping the joining certificate round the best bottle of wine you can get from the offie? WineShare does offer gift options, but if you’ve missed that, buy the basic package for now. Your loved one will get their own row of vines, which they can purchase the wine from when it is ready. You can make a trip of it and go and collect from the vineyard, or have them delivered to your own front door. You can also try Buy A Gift or Vintage Wine Gifts as other alternatives. Oh, and if it’s a posh garage and you can get a bottle of olive oil then consider sponsoring an olive tree with Nudo, and they’ll deliver the harvest to your door at least once a year.
http://www.vintagewinegifts.co.uk
7) It could be them, if you treat them to a Lottery ticket. You can now buy online, and you
can buy up to 8 weeks ahead, for the main lottery draws, including the EuroMillions. It could be the best Christmas present they ever get from you. Or it might just stretch to two pints and a packet of crisps!
http://www.national-lottery.co.uk
8) Never complain there’s nothing on the telly again, by signing them up for a DVD rental service like LoveFILM. You can compile a list of all the films you think they’d like to see, or see again, and pay the year’s subscription for them. You can either print off the list, or let them discover it for themselves. If they really like surprises then they can wait for each film to pop through the letterbox!
9) Most gift experiences will let you print out the details when you pay for them now. So
(I would use either Virgin Experiences, Red Letter Days or Buy A Gift if you want to provide a link to a gift experience provider)
10) Socks might not be the most exciting thing, but they are practical, and most men always seem to need them! Sock Rush will rush your loved one 4 pairs of socks, 4 times a year. They are all black, they can be long or short, and the short ones can have coloured toes if you or he fancy something a bit racy. It’s a novel way to get something that’s not that exciting!
Well, that’s my top ten, which mean you can solve your present crisis from the comfort of your own home. If you’re still not inspired, then have a read of this article from The Times, which shows you the real adrenalin packed way to do the last minute thing. Be warned, it involves crowds and hurtling round in your car, and the risk of still getting the cold shoulder! Good luck!
So there you have it, Christmas for slackers all wrapped up - thanks lovely girl. And remember, if all else fails you can always send one of Tesco’s Greener Living e-cards. I promised my lovely mate Matt I’d remind everyone to send one (he wants us all to save the planet). Every cards earns 5p for the Woodland Trust too.
2 Responses to “Last minute panic? Relax, The Present Queen’s got you covered”
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Last day of work thank goodness. Have a good one. Take care.xx