City Girl Gift Guide: Last-Minute Gifts
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that there are two kinds of Christmas gift shopper. Those who start in September and earlier (guilty as charged) and those who find themselves panicking in a department store on Christmas Eve. If you’re the latter, then fear not, for I have a round-up of beautiful festive last-minute gift ideas that should still arrive in time for Christmas. So grab a hot chocolate and let’s tick off the last of your Christmas shopping to-do list...
Gift Cards
Let’s get this one out of the way early as it’s probably the most obvious of the last minute gifts. So many retailers offer an email gift card service and most will offer a scheduled delivery date and time so you can set the gift card to arrive in time for Christmas morning or at a time when you know you’ll be speaking to your loved one for a slightly more personal touch. They really are a catch-all as a gift and you can go as generic or specific as you like. Don’t forget to check out any smaller, local business doing gift cards that you could support as well.
Festive Florals
Flowers are a great option to brighten up a loved one's home this Christmas and perfect for when you just don’t know what to buy for someone. Letterbox flowers from Bloom & Wild can, as the name suggests, simply be posted through the letterbox meaning you don’t have to worry about the recipient being in when they arrive. And even better, because the stems are cut when they’ve yet to bloom, these bouquets often last much longer than those you can buy from a shop.
Pictured above is the Festive Foliage Bouquet. £32 plus postage.
2021 Gifts
If you’ve got a friend who simply cannot wait to see the back of 2020 then I’ve got some beautiful stationery to get them excited for the new year.
Whether they’re into goal setting, list making or journaling there are very few people I know who wouldn’t love to receive a beautiful notebook as a gift. The one I’ve chosen for myself this year is pictured above from The Inspired Stories and it’s their Undated Daily Planner in Light Sage and can also be personalised. £23.50 plus postage. Their final date for ordering in time for Christmas is the 18th.
Or, if you’d like your gift to also do some good why not opt for this beautiful charity calendar which has been produced through the collective contribution of survivors supported by Greater Manchester Rape Crisis (GMRC) and the volunteers and staff privileged to work with them on their journey of recovery. £10 plus postage.
Charitable Gifts
Charity gifts not only do good through your donations but are also great sustainable gifts for those who don’t want the excess packaging that is abundant at Christmas.
The Good Gift Catalogue is a refreshing alternative to traditional gifting. Within the catalogue, you’ll find gifts such as a Day Trip to the Seaside for an underprivileged child, an eye test and pair of glasses for a child in a refugee camp and hot drinks for the homeless. All these gifts and many more are under £15 and each one comes with a keepsake card you can send to the recipient.
After a very difficult year for museums and galleries, why not show them some love and support by gifting a friend a National Art Pass? Just £45 for a whole year for under ’30s, the National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to over 240 museums, galleries, and historic places across the UK, as well as 50% off major exhibitions.
If your buying for an animal lover then WWF has launched a limited collection of beautiful products designed by illustrator and author Charlie Mackesy starting at just £12.
The Best of Amazon Prime
There are few places I would be confident recommending relying on delivery so close to Christmas but I’ve yet to have an Amazon order not arrive on the date it said it would. So it is with fingers crossed that I bring you a few Prime gifts that should just about make it in time for Christmas.
Books
Books always make great gifts. Whether it’s a recipe book, latest bestseller or something to decorate a coffee table, I believe there’s a book out there for just about everyone. For me, there’s one must-have book this Christmas and it is:
Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. £26.25.
Chocolates
‘Tis the season to treat yourself after all so super special sweet treats always go down well at Christmas. Try something a little different or treat your dairy-free friends with this award-winning vegan truffle selection from Booja-Booja. £9.99.
Beauty
Amazon is also a great place to pick up beauty gift sets. I find, unless I know a person very well then, it’s best to stick to bath and body rather than makeup or skincare just in case they have allergies or just a preference for certain products. This set from Neal’s Yard Remedies is a great option for just about anyone:
Best of Subscription Services
Subscriptions really are the gifts that keep on giving and here is a roundup of a few great ones:
Read-r is a monthly book subscription to help cultivate a reading habit and create diverse bookshelves. Prices start from £8.99 per month for one book and include access to the Read-r book club and online community.
The Honestly Good Smoothie Company: Smoothie Delivery
The Honestly Good Smoothie Company is a subscription service that sends fresh smoothie blends to your door for you to prepare at home. Every kit has pre-measured fruits, veg, nuts, seeds and superfoods so all you need to do is blend and enjoy. Perfect for anyone looking for a healthy new year boost and you can choose between weekly, fortnightly and monthly deliveries with no contract. Starting at £26.50 per month for 6 smoothie kits.
Pasta Evangelists: Fresh Pasta Recipe Boxes | Gourmet Pasta Company
A purely pasta alternative to Hello Fresh, Pasta Evangelists deliver restaurant-quality pasta meal kits to your door. Ideal for a date night in or for those who just need something tasty to get them through January. They also have a Pasta Care Package which includes a £5 donation to Mind for every one sold.
If you’re looking for something to treat your furry friend this Christmas then Snack At Frank’s has you covered with their healthy dog treat delivery service starting at £11.40 for your first month if you use code: TOYTIME
Starting at £12.99 per month, Seed Pantry delivers a curated selection of seeds suitable for planting that month as well as a growing guide to help even complete beginners get started. You can even specify whether the recipient has a small space or a larger garden so you know what they receive is suitable.
I hope that has provided you with some last-minute festive gift inspiration. Happy Christmas shopping City Girls!
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Written by Ali Critchley