Last Minute Christmas Gifts

There are plenty of gift guides with creative and personalized Christmas gifts for clients, customers, employees, and coworkers. However, business owners are busier than ever throughout the holiday season. So there isn’t always time to get that shopping done early. This is the ultimate guide for last-minute holiday gift ideas for employees, coworkers and clients.

52 Best Last Minute Gifts for Christmas 2021

Once the holiday season arrives, there isn’t much time to find the perfect item for each gift recipient. Luckily, there are tons of last-minute gifts that should work for your clients, customers, and team members — even if there’s someone in your office who’s difficult to buy for. These last-minute gift ideas are ideal for business owners just starting their holiday shopping.

1. Gift Basket

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

A gift box or basket lets you fit multiple gifts in one package. And there are various themes available for everyone on your list.

2. Books

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

There’s something for all the book lovers on your list. Here are some specific ideas:

• Bestselling fiction
• Personal development titles
• Inspiring biographies
• Business books
• Coffee table books
• Kindle editions for ebook lovers
• Audiobooks for those always on the go

3. Charging Station

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

Help your colleagues keep all their tech organized with a charging station that fits everything.

4. Headphones

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

Headphones are a crowd pleasing option. Large, noise-cancelling ones can work for individuals. Or opt for smaller buds if buying in bulk.

5. Printable Calendar

Perfect for: Employees, and co-workers

Print calendar pages for the upcoming year to help colleagues stay organized.

6. Echo Dot

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

The Echo Dot is an affordable and customizable smart speaker, perfect for clients or colleagues you want to impress.

7. Coffee Machine

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

The coffee drinker on your list probably already has a basic coffee maker. But a specialty coffee machine could impress your workplace coffee lover.

8. Camera

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

A camera is the perfect gift for the creative person on your list. This is likely reserved for someone you know well.

9. Card Game

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

Card games are fun for those with families or anyone who likes to entertain.

10. Stainless Steel Wine Tumbler

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Wine tumblers can be basic or personalized. You can even buy them in bulk for your team or customers.

11. Cocktail Kit

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

Cocktail kits are also great entertaining gifts. Throw in ingredients from a local market to make this last minute gift extra special.

12. Weighted Blanket

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Weighted blankets can work for nearly everyone on your list. Just match the color choice to each person’s style.

13. 2021-2022 Planner

Perfect for: Clients and employees

Planners are practical and affordable for any professionals on your list.

14. Charity Donation

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

If you’re buying for someone who doesn’t need a physical gift, make a charitable donation in their name instead.

15. Desk Organizer

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

Desk organizers work for anyone in the office. And they’re affordable enough to buy for the whole team.

16. Tickets to an Event

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

Event tickets tend to be more personal. So they’re reserved for top clients or employees you really want to recognize.

17. Candles

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Candle sets work for nearly anyone. You can even throw them in gift baskets with other items.

18. Gift Subscription Service

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Subscription boxes make perfect last minute Christmas gifts because you can simply wrap the first box or receipt. Here are a few to consider.

• Nice Laundry
• Birchbox
• Sips By
• BeanBox
• Packed With Purpose
• FitFabFun
• Beer Drop

19. Wine, Wine, and More Wine

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Wine works for basically anyone. Pick some up at the market or order from a specialty provider.

20. Magazine Subscription

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Magazines are a fun gift option for those on a budget. You can even sign up for digital versions.

21. New Wallet

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Wallets are nice enough to work for top clients but affordable enough for an entire team. You can even have them personalized.

22. Gift Card

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Gift cards are the top gift idea for the holiday season. Just personalize each e-card to the specific giftee and their preferences.

23. Home Office Decor

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

For remote workers, some simple wall art or desk ornaments can dress up their workspace.

24. Bedside Lamp

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

Lamps can work in the home or office. And there are some with unique features like remote operation and dimming.

25. Potted Plant

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Pick up potted plants at your local nursery or order artificial ones online for anyone on your list.

26. Headspace Subscription

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

Headspace is a mobile app for guided mediations, perfect for increasing mindfulness in the workplace.

27. Cufflinks

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Cufflinks are small and affordable enough to work for any fashionable men on your list.

28. Dinner and a Movie

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

A dinner and a movie gift card can work for anyone on your list. You can even purchase separate cards if you know of a local restaurant the recipient loves.

29. Art Prints

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Buy art prints at a local boutique or find printable versions online that you can access right away as a last minute gift.

30. Instant Camera

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

Instant cameras like the Fujifax Instax Mini or Kodak Printomatic offer photos right away – perfect for those with families or anyone who loves chronicling memories.

31. Heating Pad

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

Heating pads are ideal for anyone with a sore neck or back from looking down at a phone or laptop all day.

32. Seed Starter Kit

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Seed starter kits are fun for amateur gardeners or anyone looking for a new hobby.

33. Local Honey

Perfect for: Clients, customers, and employees

Local honey lets you support other small businesses. And it’s a budget friendly option for those who need to buy last minute Christmas gifts in bulk.

34. Scented Candles

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Scented candles work for basically all business associates. But you can personalize them with fun sayings or labels.

35. Bath Bombs

Perfect for: Customers, employees, and co-workers

Bath bombs are ideal for anyone who likes to relax.

36. Ancestry Membership

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

Ancestry lets you research your family tree. So it’s a fun and unique online service for those who are tough to buy for.

37. Kindle Paperwhite

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

If you have avid readers on your list, the newest Kindle Paperwhite may help them access all their favorite titles.

38. Wireless Earbuds

Perfect for: Clients, customers, and employees

Wireless earbuds are crowd pleasing. So they’re ideal for businesses that need to buy in bulk.

39. Cast Iron Skillet

Perfect for: Employees and co-workers

If you have team members who love to cook, a cast iron skillet may be the perfect tool to support their hobby.

40. Cookbook

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

A cookbook is a more affordable and lightweight option. You can even choose different titles for all the food lovers on your list.

41. Masterclass Annual Membership

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

Masterclass is an online learning platform with courses for a huge array of subjects.

42. Beanie

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Beanies work for anyone. And you can get them in different colors and sizes, or have them personalized.

43. Book-of-the-Month Club

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

This is another subscription option especially for book lovers.

44. Portable Charger

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

A portable charger is ideal for anyone who travels a lot.

45. Barkbox Subscription

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

This pet products subscription is ideal for team members who love their dogs or cats. Or it could work for clients or customers if you have a pet-centric business.

46. Sock Subscription

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

Socks make a fun gift. And a subscription adds even more interest.

47. Tote Bag

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Tote bags are useful and affordable. Personalize them with different colors or embellishments. Or add other gifts to the inside.

48. Paint Set

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Paint sets work for any creatives on your list.

49. Ring Light

Perfect for: Clients, employees, and co-workers

If you need to buy for someone who does a lot of social media or video production, a ring light can be very useful.

50. Disney+ 1-year Subscription

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

This streaming service is ideal for anyone with a family.

51. Travel Mug

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Travel mugs are affordable and can even be personalized with names or logos.

52. Oversized Scarf

Perfect for: Clients, customers, employees, and co-workers

Scarves are always useful. And oversized ones are cozy and never go out of style.

How to Order Your Christmas Gifts in Time for Christmas

If you’re worried about receiving gifts in time for Christmas, consider shopping in stores so you can get them right away. If you’re ordering gifts online, first check the shipping estimate from each site. And opt for rush shipping if it’s offered. You can also opt to shop with retailers that offer fast shipping on many items, including:

• Amazon, specifically for those who are Amazon Prime members
• Walmart
• Target
• Wayfair
• Asos
• Uncommon Goods
• Asos

What is the most popular gift to give on Christmas?

Gift cards are the most popular gift to give on Christmas. They work for everyone and can be customized for different stores and amounts. So there are tons of gift card possibilities businesses can give to clients, employees, and colleagues.

What is a good gift for someone starting a business?

A good gift for someone starting a business should be useful for them in some way. It may allow them to sort ideas or get their vision off the ground. Or it can simply show your support for their brand. For example:

• A journal or notebook
• Masterclass subscription
• Branded coffee mug
• Kindle
• Bluetooth keyboard

What gift can I give my customers?

Customer gifts tend to be affordable and crowd pleasing. Businesses with recurring customers or a few top buyers tend to buy gifts to show appreciation. Here are a few ideas:

• Books
• Scarves or hats
• Headphones
• Gift baskets
• Wine

What are good inexpensive gifts for coworkers?

Good, inexpensive coworker gifts should be useful in the office or personalized to the individual. Here are a few crowd-pleasing options:

• Noise canceling headphones
• Desk calendar
• Wine tumbler or beer cozy
• Heating pad
• Gift card

Image: Depositphotos

This article, "Last Minute Christmas Gifts" was first published on Small Business Trends