By Lindsay Wong
The holiday season can be a hectic time for anyone as we prepare for the new year. In the midst of everything that’s happening, you may realise that you have missed out on a few presents for Christmas. So, here are five last-minute gift ideas that you can easily find or make yourself.
1. Vouchers/gift cards/subscriptions
A voucher or gift card is the perfect gift because you’ll have no risk of getting something that the recipient doesn’t like – it can be a voucher from an online store or mall, or gift cards for a concert or movie, like Golden Village, Sistic, Amazon, Capitaland, etc. Additionally, if you know someone who likes watching TV, movies, or reading magazines, then gifting a subscription to them is like helping them engage in their favourite hobby for a year. Examples inlcude Netflix, National Geographic, etc.
2. Activity coupons
You can write up activity coupons in under a minute – you just need a pen and some paper (or be artistic, it’s up to you!). These are coupons that you can gift to a friend, S.O. or family member that allow you to engage in some sort of activity for them. For example, in your coupons, you can offer to cook for the recipient, give them a massage, do their laundry, and more. They can cash in these coupons to you at any time if they want to relax or take a break.
3. Retro stuff from neighbourhood shops
You might be surprised at the amount of potential gifts that you can find in neighbourhood shops. The hardware store in your local neighbourhood actually has a variety of affordable DIY products and household items, some of which can be classified as ‘retro’ due to their vintage look. You can purchase enamel mugs, kopitiam-style teacup sets, Good Morning towels and other items to make your own hipster gift basket from neighbourhood shops. Shopping at these shops comes with a range of benefits. You are helping to support local shops, items are affordable, and you beat the queue at malls, especially during the busy holiday season.
4. DIY gifts
If you have a creative mind or you’re on the artsier side, why not try making your own gift to show that you have put in your own time and effort to create a gift specially for the recipient? There are lots of arts and crafts shops where you can buy materials, and even neighbourhood shops sell a range of products for DIY gifts. You can even buy something from $2 stores and spruce it up by customising it with paint or fabric. You can even bake your gift. Some example DIY gifts are customised photo frames, soaps, cookies, cushions, candles, and more.
5. Gift hamper delivery
If you don’t have the time to go out and look for a gift, you can order a gift hamper filled with flowers and food to be delivered right to the recipient’s front door. You can make orders online or by phone and have the hamper delivered on the same day. A bonus is that you don’t even have to wrap it by yourself!
