Last Minute Gifts and Cards
If you're anything like me, you're a busy parent with a 120 page to-do list at any given time. You have to worry about clubs and parties and football matches and ballet classes and playdates, the last thing you need is the old last minute panic about cards and gifts.
As an official member of the ADHD mum club (a mum with ADHD), I can confirm that it is possible to sort out a last minute gift without resorting to regifting unwanted Christmas gifts of handing over the contents of your fridge.
Choosing the Perfect Last Minute Gift
Last minute doesn't have to mean not thoughtful. It is completely possible to find the perfect present for someone, even when you are on a strict (imminent) deadline. Here are the things you should always consider when choosing a gift (even a last-minute one):
- Interests and hobbies - what do they love? Are they mad about trains/plants/cats/stationery/retro gaming? What floats their boat? Anything relevant to their specific interests is going to be appreciated way more than a generic smelly set.
- Colours and patterns - Are they a pretty pastels person, or would they prefer a neutral colour palette? Do they love bold patterns and animal prints, stripes or florals? These are all clues to help you choose a gift they'll genuinely love.
- Style - as above, but diving a bit deeper. Think about what their vibe is- perhaps they are a vintage lover, or maybe they are obsessed with all things whimsical.
- Significance - In-jokes and core memories are gold when it comes to choosing a perfect thoughtful gift. Dig deep- is there anything you remember them mentioning in the past- a favourite book, author, movie, band, designer or game? If you can find something they've mentioned wanting in the past, you are onto a winner.
- Quality - Last minute gifts should be as high-quality as well-planned-out gifts. Check shop reviews before you order, take a look at the brand's social media accounts to get an idea of how customers feel about them.
Thoughtful Last Minute Gifts
Of course, the amount of time you've got to play with will determine which of these options you choose, so I've arranged them by length of time.
If you have 3 days+ to source a gift:
Last Minute Stationery Gifts
You could treat them to some whimsical stationery from our collection here. Just be sure to choose the appropriate delivery option at checkout so it arrives in time. We offer next day special delivery and Royal Mail tracked 24 and 48. I highly recommend our pens (they are gorgeous to write with and they come in a really cool gift box)
Or you could create a self-care hamper.
Head to your local supermarket (or better still, independent high street shops for supporting small vibes) and get some sort of basket or storage container (prettier is better), and some self-care bits and bobs to put inside.
If I were creating a self-care hamper, I'd fill it with a selection from this list:
- Candles
- Reed diffuser
- Face mask
- Hand cream
- Bubble bath
- Chocolates
- A plant
- Sweets
- Fancy tea
- Posh coffee
- Hot chocolate
- Alcohol (if appropriate)
A lower-budget version of this is to buy a pretty jar and fill it with sweets, finish it with a ribbon and make a label if you're feeling fancy.
If you have less than 24 hours to sort a gift:
If you're reading this and need a last minute gift for tomorrow (or today), you need something printable, or something you can create DIY-style, ideally without having to leave the house.
Printable Gift Cards and Vouchers
You can often order online gift cards for websites, so you could treat them to an online gift voucher for a lovely local shop, spa, restaurant or café. Usually these can be ordered and paid for online, and you will get a printable gift voucher or email with a code.
Printable Wall Art
Printable wall art is another option and works well if you have a decent printer at home. Check out Etsy for a whole new world of printable wall art. Just be careful to select artwork created by real artists rather than AI-generated prints so that you can continue to support genuine human artists. Quick ways to tell that art is made by a real human artist is to look for a consistent style throughout their shop (if they have several different styles, this is a red flag for me), look for work in progress images and take a peek at their social media.
Printable DIY Gift Vouchers
If you want to offer something more personal, like your babysitting services, a girls' night out, breakfast in bed, a night of dancing, a cooked meal or a trip to a favourite picnic spot, you might want to make your own gift voucher. We've got these free printable gift voucher templates for you to download, print and fill in the details with whatever you're offering. Get your free printable gift voucher templates here. Bonus points for printing it on coloured paper.
Last Minute Greetings Cards, But Make it Special
Did you know that we offer same day dispatch and next day delivery?
If you order a laser cut greetings card today (yes, even a personalised one), in theory, you could have the card in your hands tomorrow (as long as you order early enough that we can get it made before the post is collected and you select next day delivery when you order). If you need something urgently, it's always worth dropping us a quick call to let us know so that we can rush it through for you.
We can even print a custom message inside our laser cut greetings cards at no extra cost.
If time is really not your friend, we can even send the card directly to the recipient on your behalf. Simply choose and personalise your design, add a free printed message inside and change the delivery name and address from your own to the recipient's details. We'll make sure it gets sent without any paperwork and just in the cream envelope. They'll have no idea that you ordered last minute!
Take a look at our laser cut greetings cards online here - order before 1pm for same day dispatch, or get in touch to request urgent delivery.
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