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Grab-and-go gifts

It’s 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve, you JUST found out your second cousin is coming to the family party this year, and a gift is a must. One problem: The only stores open at this hour are gas stations and drug stores.

Have no fear! You can STILL create a thoughtful gift they’ll love with items you have around the house or purchased from a nearby convenience store. The key is in the presentation! If you give your gift in a colorful printed bag or tote, not only will it look like you put in the effort, but they’ll also get a reusable bonus gift, too!

Keep a few of these crowd-pleasers on hand for all your “gifting emergencies” this holiday season.

 

You might already have a bottle or two of wine or champagne left over from a holiday party or saved for New Year’s Eve. This is also one scenario where you can even get away with re-gifting!

The Twice As Nice Tote makes a wonderful gift bag for a party hostess or co-worker – and they’ll definitely appreciate that it holds TWO bottles of wine or sparkling juice.

Is the recipient not a drinker? Replace the booze with non-perishable snacks you can keep handy in the pantry, like gourmet crackers, popcorn or nut mixes.

Gift cards sometimes come across as the ultimate impersonal gift – but not when you give them in a beautiful personalized Mini Zipper Pouch! Instead of choosing a gift card from a clothing store or restaurant, which might be hit-or-miss, choose one they can spend on groceries, gas and movie gift cards.

Or create a thoughtfully themed kit they’ll never guess you had on hand: Tuck in fun cosmetics to make a makeup kit for the babysitter. Choose a nice ink pen and note cards for business colleagues. Add a deck of cards, crayons or game pieces for a kids’ travel kit.

Nothing shows you care like homemade! If you’re lucky enough to have a couple hours of time on your hands, whip up a batch of simple sugar or cut-out cookies with items from the pantry. Wrap them in a plastic baggie, tie it off with some curled ribbon and tuck them inside a Littles Carry-All Caddy to tote them to your holiday party.

No time? Just get them started: Layer pre-measured dry ingredients from your favorite cookie recipe in a mason jar, and add a card listing the wet ingredients and baking instructions. Build a hot cocoa kit with your favorite mix, marshmallows, a chocolate-dipped spoon and a cute mug. For a super-fast solution, fill it with pretty wrapped candies!

Give her the gift of pampering! If you’re close to a drug store, raid the cosmetics aisle for higher-end nail polishes or beauty tools, or create a “spa” set with masks, scrubs and lotions. Arrange it all in a Glamour Case she can later use at home or for travel to store her makeup and toiletries.

The same case works great as a craft kit for the kids, with markers, paints, brushes, stickers and more! Use a Cute Case instead of disposable wrapping to present her with beautiful jewelry – and turn one gift into two with a pretty case she’ll use again and again.