If you’re truly a last-minute shopper, then you might be looking for a place to run in and grab a gift on the way to a party or gathering.
The Region offers many options for shoppers on a deadline. Here are a few that are sure to make a great impression:
At Ted’s Pet and Feed in Schererville and Lansing, cozy pajamas ($25 for pajama bottoms, tedsfeedstore.com) are the gifts that keep giving throughout the year, Schererville store manager Lynn Woestman says.
“Our soft and comfortable pajama pants have popular dog and cat breeds printed on them,” she said.
They are unisex and machine washable, Woestman said.
“I have a pair of the Golden Retriever ones and they are one of my favorite pairs of pajama pants.”
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Shopping last minute doesn’t mean a gift giver has to forgo luxury. At Eco Chic Boutique in Dyer, shoppers can find designer accessories at consignment prices.
Popular gifts include new Kate Spade wallets (average $35, ecochicboutique.us), as well as new Kate Spade and Michael Kors purses (average $80), says Diane Gross, who co-owns the consignment shop with Victoria Madsen.
If you’re not sure of your loved one’s preferred style, the shop also has gift certificates.
Wiseguys Liquors has plenty of gifts on hand that are perfect for the holiday season.
General manager Rick Green suggests a Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey set ($25, wiseguysliquors.com) that comes with a 750 ml bottle and a vibrant orange ceramic mug.
The Larceny Gift Set ($30) includes a 750 ml bottle of a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with a bright copper color. The spirit features aromas of fresh bread and toffee, along with a note of butterscotch. The set includes a lowball tumbler.
For a fun and unique gift, a Crystal Head Vodka set ($40) comes with a 750 ml bottle of vodka and two skull-shaped cocktail glasses.
Other gift options at the Valparaiso, Hobart, Merrillville and Chesterton stores include a vast selection of wine, beer and spirits.
While a trip to the drugstore may involve grabbing cold meds or prescriptions for many, local pharmacies are a great place to pick up a last-minute gift, especially since several have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day hours.
At CVS, aisles offer a variety of gifts from Fairy Tales hair care items for kids to slippers and blankets.
Though different stores may have various products in stock, especially right before the holidays, a few that may catch your eye include the Brusheez Dinosaur electric toothbrush for kids ($30, cvs.com); LEGO, including the Friends Sailing Adventure set ($45); and 12 days of socks sets ($22) that come in movie themes from “Elf” to “A Christmas Story.”
You can take the guesswork out of giving with Candy Swag ($25 and up, candyswag.com), a personalized candy gifting service. The giver simply goes online, picks the box and adds a greeting card. The recipient gets an e-greeting with a link to pick their favorite gourmet candy and chocolates and receives the goodies in the mail.
Another option is MyTVLife, commemorative certificates, including digital certificates, that show people what was on TV the day they were born, married or other significant date. The certificate ($15 and up, mytvlife.tv) includes top TV shows that season, noteworthy premieres that year and the cover of that week’s TV Guide, among other fun facts.
If you’re just minutes from having to present a gift, you have a few options.
Many local retailers offer gift certificates online and allow you to send it to the recipient’s email or print out it out to give it to your loved one.
Locally, movie theaters including AMC (amctheatres.com) and Cinemark (cinemark.com) offer online gift card options.
So do most national retailers and restaurants, as well as local and regional businesses such as White Rhino Bar & Grill (whiterhinoonline.com) in Dyer and Aurelio’s Pizza (aureliospizza.com) and El Salto (elsaltorestaurant.com) with locations throughout Northwest Indiana.
Subscription boxes also make good last-minute options. And you can print out the subscription receipt and put it in a box to be opened Christmas Day.
For example, Girls Can! Crate ($18.50 and up per month, girlscancrate.com) is a subscription box that introduces children ages 5 to 10 to fearless women who have made the world better.
Another option for kids and teens is Outside the Box Creation ($39 and up per month, outsidetheboxcreation.com), which helps kids develop their creativity and creative problem-solving skills. Each regular-size box has enough supplies for one to two artists, while a family-size box includes enough for three to four people.