Run out of time and inspiration for Christmas shopping and need a last-minute gift that doesn’t involve resorting to stuffing an envelope with cash? Fear not, there’s still time to sort a thoughtful gift to make your loved ones smile.
Here’s a list of inspired gift ideas you can sort in minutes – and they don’t even need to be wrapped.
Give a gift that keeps on giving with an annual subscription
Subscriptions can be a great option and the bonus is that the gift lasts all year. Although you’re no longer limited to magazine subscriptions, The Week is a great weekly magazine that gives readers a digestible round-up of world news. The content is informative, up-to-date and easy to read. Plus, there’s an award-winning junior version, ideal for children aged between 8 and 14.
There’s an entire array of alternative subscriptions too, including flowers, chocolate, coffee, tea, and even gin, whisky, and wine.
If someone you know deserves to be pampered with some exclusive “me time”, sign them up for a regular beauty box or luxury scented candle.
Entertain them with tickets
Tickets can provide a brilliant once in a lifetime family gift. Tickets for entry to Legoland, Alton Towers, or to ride the London Eye could give your loved ones a great day out in 2022.
Similarly, you could consider theatre tickets, cinema tickets, or tickets to see their favourite comedian live on stage.
Theatre tokens provide total flexibility. You can use them in more than 260 UK venues, including the best regional venues and all of London’s West End stages. And with no expiry date, there’s zero pressure and Covid restrictions can’t spoil the fun either.
Make them a member
There are all kinds of annual memberships you can buy that allow families year-round entry to a variety of attractions.
Depending on who you’re buying for, what they like, and where they live, you could consider membership to:
- Sea Life – there are 12 Sea Life aquariums around the UK and an annual pass gets you unlimited free entry to all of them.
- Diggerland – offering various fun digger-related activities, including being given your own full-sized digger on a mound of mud and license to move it all around. Visit Diggerland in Kent, Durham, or Yorkshire.
- National Trust – grants free entry to more than 500 places and includes free parking. It provides limitless opportunities for fun days out for families, couples, or individuals.
Alternatively, a National Art Pass allows free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries, and historic houses across the UK. A pass also gives you 50% off entry to major exhibitions.
Give the gift of time
For many of us, time is our most precious resource. So, think about ways you can help free up some time for your family and loved ones.
Perhaps you could provide parents with a weekend to themselves each month by looking after their children? Or, if you enjoy gardening and know someone never has the time, offer to mow the lawn and do the weeding. Alternatively, you could employ a gardener to take care of things for them throughout the months when it matters most.
If you’d cherish spending some quality time with someone, book a day at the spa for you both or a leisurely afternoon tea somewhere special and give you both something to look forward to.
All these ideas allow you to give those closest to you something a little different from the norm. And, hopefully, they will reduce some of the pressure around all the Christmas preparation you have to think about, as well as cut down the time you have to spend on gift wrapping.
