On the third day before Christmas, PBW gave away:
Three BookWishes
In comments to this post, tell us what you think is a good, last-minute holiday gift (or, if you can't think of one, just drop your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Monday, December 24, 2007. I will draw three names at random from everyone who participates and grant the winners a BookWish*. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.
*A BookWish is any book of your choice that is available for order from an online bookseller, up to maximum cost of $30.00 U.S. I will throw in any applicable shipping charges involved.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
SD cards or a flash drive! Nearly anyone could use one or more of those....hint...not that anyone is watching! :P
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Sheila.
If it's a gift for some writer, I'd suggest a IOU note exchangeable for a special dinner after the person has finished the novel he's working on. You can put the note inside a nice pocket-sized Moleskine for that extra touch.
ReplyDeleteVisa Gift Card. :)
ReplyDeleteChocolate! Available at any store. And very romantic. At least, according to my wife.
ReplyDeleteA great last minute gift is that staple of life - a gift certificate or gift card. I've never had anyone unhappy to get them and they are easily available.
ReplyDeleteCharitable donations. It's never "too late" to log on and give, and there are so many intriguing options now to give to someone who is in need--give a microloan through Kiva, give a goat through Heifer International. If your loved one has a hobby or special interest, you can capitalize on that. (Heifer International, for example, has a "knitting basket" you can give which includes two llamas and two sheep, which will yield wool for someone who *doesn't* already have a yarn stash threatening to take over their home.)
ReplyDeleteA bit of really good chocolate, the kind that you can put in the back of the cupboard and then find on one of those days you really need it.
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays, PBW!
A gift certificate to a restaurant.
ReplyDeleteI joked that I wanted the pack of multi colored sharpies and a baking book.
ReplyDeleteLikely, i'd get a supplementary study text to my intro bio class so I can get an a this term.
but bookwishes are always welcome here!
Having discovered today that my sister had just bought for herself the same thing I'd bought for her, I'm hoping "a carved soapstone container filled with black raspberries & vanilla body butter, plus Turkish mocha soap" will do the trick.
ReplyDeleteSliper-Socks. Coffee Cups. If they're an animal lover, treats for whatever pet they have.
ReplyDeleteIf it's someone who likes music and they think you're being creative instead of cheap, a mix CD.
ReplyDeleteAnd if anyone thinks I'm being cheap, they haven't received a really good mix CD.
last minute I am going with the Visa gift card!
ReplyDeleteAny sort of gift certificate for a store they'll like, but NOT a grocery store... and instructions to use it for something they want, not something they need.
ReplyDeleteA kitten!
ReplyDeleteOh, wait, you're not supposed to give pets at Christmas. Too much wrapping paper for them to chase and turkey to eat, I guess.
Oh well. I guess I'll have to go for:
A kitten!
What else but a book certificate or choc-o-late. Mmmmm... chocolate...
ReplyDeleteThe perfect last minute gift? Hmmm.....How about an SL Viehl Sci-Fi pack. The complete Stardoc sereis,Blade dancer, and of course Biorescue/Afterburn.....And hey, why not throw in a disc with copies of Illumination,Deimos and A Diversity of Houses. Just try not to give up your own precious set.
ReplyDeleteAn external, removable back-up hard drive for when the computer dies with your novel inside it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think gift certificates/cards are the perfect last minute gift, you can't do too much wrong with them. And it's still nicer than to just give money, 'cause you still got them something...
ReplyDeleteA book or CD, if you know the person well, otherwise I've never been disappointed with a gift card/certificate.
ReplyDeleteMarie, who was lucky enough to buy a copy of Evermore yesterday for my holiday reading pleasure.
Gift cards for sure. I love them!! They're easy, no brainers. Or a GC to a restaurant...
ReplyDeletea GAME card. That is, a gift card for a gaming shop for the gamers in my life.
ReplyDeleteI'd never seen my brother happier.
I can't think of anything original at the moment. I'd have to agree with gift cards being a perfect choice, though.
ReplyDeleteCheryl
I second Joaquin's suggestion for a Moleskine (pocket sized) journal. And if the recipient is a writer, a bottle of champagne to go with it for celebration upon his next (or first) publication.
ReplyDeleteA Borders or Barnes & Noble Gift card, although I like the Moleskine idea. And for those who like a risk, lottery tickets.
ReplyDeleteA gift card to a nice restaurant and a bottle of wine. Merry Christmas--hope your holidays are warm and bright : )
ReplyDeleteHomemade cookies. You don't want to make them too far in advance anyway.
ReplyDeleteIf we're talking really last minute, breath mints from the 7-11 always work. ;o)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, the gift card idea is always awesome.
For someone who likes to read, it's hard to go wrong with an Amazon gift certificate.
ReplyDeleteIf all the stores are closed and it's really, really the last minute, you can make a homemade gift certificate to wash the person's car on the first nice day of spring. It's a gift of your time and effort, which shows you really care, and it give the person something to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteMargaret Yang aka Bran fan
There's no doubt gift cards are a great idea, but I love giving books--especially classics.
ReplyDeleteThey're easy to get one's hands on, and who can resist (re)reading a classic?
If getting the book or delivering it is a problem, there's Daily Lit: you can get classics via RSS/e-mail. They deliver the story in small doses on a schedule you can set.
I signed a few of my friends up for reads! (It's FREE!)
Signed copy of Evermore. :D
ReplyDeleteTo give a last minute gift that means something can't take much time at all to get together ie no trip to the store, etc. I like to write a quick note thanking the person for being them, and how much I appreciate their presence in my life. At the end, I put a comment about they now owe me their presence at a lunch of their choice which I am treating.
ReplyDeleteDone!
AnnMarie
Baked goods and a gift card.
ReplyDeleteA poinsettia plant - the 'Christmas Star'. Perfect. :)
ReplyDeleteThe best last minute gift is a bookstopre gift card of course :)
ReplyDeleteI'll be last-minute gift shopping today for books! My other stand by is a gift certificate to a local movie theater, with enough cash on the gc to cover two movies and a bucket of popcorn.
ReplyDeleteMerry merry, everyone!
Depends on the recipient. Books or opera DVDs (my father - or me, for that matter *grin*), books (nephew and niece), ballett tickets (aunt), some kitschy Christmas decoration (SiL), a good sherry (brother). If it should be something small, chocolate is always good. :)
ReplyDeleteIron Kissed by Patricia Briggs.:)
ReplyDeleteYou'd be surprised at one can be bought last minute at the grocery store:
ReplyDeletehair thingies for my tween-aged niece
Kitchen gadgets- my mom bought my favorite whisk there one year
DVD's
Chocolate ;-)
A photo album for the nephew who wants a fancy DSLR camera
Aged Balsamic vinegar, olive oil and spices for my foodie brother
The current issue of a magazine for the boyfriend - subscription to follow
Stuffed bear (for charity) for the five-year-old niece
And for the writer:
colored sharpies, folders, pencils, index cards and a dictionary/thesaurus
I love supermarkets :)
Suelder
A really good DVD. There's plenty of places that sell them, and most people love movies. A Sudoku book works, too.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid, I can get away with making little crafts and stuff for people, but you have to make them a little in advance. And my grandparents are delighted to get printed-out 1st chapters of my NaNo-of-the-year, wrapped up all nice in ribbon. :)
Merry Christmas!
I think a galley copy of Omega Games is a wonderful last minute gift.... did the subliminal message work? :-)
ReplyDeleteEh, usually when I'm running low on ideas, money and shopping time, depending on who the gift is for, I'll make cookies, let the kids help... and if it's a grandma/relative/family friend, etc, I'll take a picture of the kids decorating the cookies, frame the picture and package it up with the cookies in a basket or something to give.
Had a hard time buying something for my grandma...she pretty much has everything she needs, doesn't go out much and her kids get her the things she wants.
So I bought some of those 'gift'y look soup mixes, a nice big stoneware bowl, framed a pic of the kids in their Halloween costumes (she loved seeing them in the costumes) and then wrapped it all up in a basket.
Festive candles. Everyone loves candles.
ReplyDeleteI like the Visa gift card idea...that way they can use it any way they'd like :)
ReplyDeleteA gift card, music CD, book, DVD, or box of chocolates/mints/cookies/candies that you think they'll like.
ReplyDeleteBookstore or culinary shop gift certificates. No worries about food allergies, questionable taste, or returns.
ReplyDeleteA ticket to an event - an "experience" gift. Here you can buy tickets online to concerts, museums, zoos, plays - even movie gift certificates (no doubt it's the same in the US). Sometimes when I'm writing, it's great to get out in the world and see or do something different. Even if it's just a good movie, it re-energises my creative brain. And for other people (non-writers) you can usually pick what they'd like to "experience".
ReplyDeleteGood chocolate or good coffee would be a great last minute gift or gift card to the movies. Any of those are very good as gifts.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
Books, of course, or writing instruments. It what I would want.
ReplyDeleteBookstore gift card, or a gift certificate from their favorite store. Bath and Bodyworks would work for me, for instance.
ReplyDeleteHome made goodies and gift certificates for books.
ReplyDeleteGiftcards are great last minutes gifts. I pick the receiver's favorite store or restaurant.
ReplyDeleteCrystalGB
No, really. Not a gift card. Not chocolate. A kitten.
ReplyDeleteSanta dear, I'm waiting....
Can never go wrong with books.
ReplyDeleteBooks are always a popular choice with my friends and family, closely followed by gift cards.
ReplyDeleteHeifer International, you can make a donation in a friend/loved ones name and then they can say they got a yak, cow, chickens etc.. for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteNuts & Bolts - My favorite Holiday snack - that you made yourself! :)
ReplyDeleteSomething with a person's name/initials in it. An object with a person's name or initials seems personal, showing you care about them, without seeming like a last minute gift.
ReplyDeleteA gift card to their favorite restaurant, or a bookstore. what about a gc to a maid services for someone who can't do their housekeeping.
ReplyDeleteFor the loved ones of book addicts Amazon lets you email a gift certificate. Perfect for last minute gifts. :)
ReplyDeleteFor the writer: a donation to FirstBook.org in their name
ReplyDeleteFor my 3 y/o: Anything with Mickey Mouse on it
For me: A gift card for a weekend at the spa away from aforementioned 3 y/o (forget the terrible twos, it's the terrible threes).
I didn't get my Christmas money (what I can spend on others) until Friday night. Saturday, I bought a plain gold band, a 24" gold necklace, a large bottle of Dune (Dior), and a dozen VS items for my best good friend. I also finished off my daughter's Christmas goodies, too. I think it took me more time to drive to (and back from) the Big City than it did to do my shopping.
ReplyDeleteA family picture or picture of loved one in a nice frame.
ReplyDeleteLast year, I took an old black and white photo of my mom and dad back when they first married, made a copy at a local photo center, and then cropped and enlarged, etc. I put it in a nice frame and gave it to my Mom for Christmas. It was a big hit.
Kathy B.
Seeing as I was browsing through Best Buy's flyer this morning, I think a good last-minute gift would be a season of the person's favorite TV show.
ReplyDelete(Assuming they don't already have it, but if they do, it's easy to return, as long as the package isn't opened.)
A set of items with a theme. Like a book about jungles, a leopard bookmark, and some animal crackers. Quick but nice.
ReplyDeleteLast minute: gift cards; homemade goodies (yum!); a thumb drive; a table arrangement; and one of my personal favorites.... A CD full of mp3's with a handmade cover of some kind. My husband gave me one for my birthday today full of my favorite Mozart pieces. Great for writing. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think gift cards are the ultimate last minute gift. You pick an amount and a store and you pick it up or order it. Sometimes thats best if you have someone your having difficulty buying for. Happy Holidays one and all.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying reading all these last minute gift ideas - I could use a few suggestions myself, as I have about five or six more gifts to get, and it's X-Mas eve! Can we say panic?
ReplyDeleteMy original idea was the Visa Gift Card. I see there are a lot of suggestions posted for those, so, I guess that's what I'll stick with... a Visa Gift Card!
Happy Holidays!
~Carol
Almost everyone I know could use more time. So, a great last-minute gift is your donation of time to your giftee -- might be babysitting, or helping out with a project, or organizing their closets... whatever they want most.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is so different nowadays with all the new stuff and technology to choose from I just say a gift card to their favorite place and let them choose.
ReplyDeleteI second the Amazon gift certificate, if it's truly last minute. If there's a bit more time for consideration -- books!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays! I think the best last minute gift is a gift card to that person's favorite store or restaurant or a Visa gift card.
ReplyDeleteGift certificates, homemade cookies (yum!!), or an offer of a nice homemade gourmet dinner on a later-determined date.
ReplyDeleteOr chocolate. And lots of it. :P
An Amazon gift certificate would be great unless they don't use a computer.
ReplyDeleteDepending on how last minute, homemade baked goods are always appreciated. Otherwise, chocolate works. Or if it is a writer, get them a subscription to a literary magazine.
ReplyDeleteJust dropping my name in the hat, hope it isn't too late!
ReplyDeleteI am sure I am too late for the drawing but I'll participate anyway. Depending on just how last minute you are either holiday flowers (I did this one!) or an Amazon GC delivered via email!
ReplyDelete