Gift giving for the holiday season is stressful–and if you’re running behind this year, don’t stress about last-minute gifts!
November 2025 | PerfectGift Experts | 5 minute read
Main image courtesy of CNN.
And just like that, the holiday season is approaching us faster than we expected. This seems to be the common occurrence that happens every single year–Halloween is over, people are suddenly putting up their holiday decorations before Thanksgiving, then it’s December and it’s time for Christmas lights, family dinners, catching up with friends, and of course–gift giving.
Many people give gifts to each other during the holidays because not only has it been a common part of the holiday season, but it’s a long-lasting tradition that people like to participate in. It can be hard to plan out what gifts to get for your family, friends, significant others, coworkers, or even your employees, and running around getting last-minute gifts may be something you commonly do.
Last-minute gifts are often considered thoughtless by many people because it seems you’re just pulling things together at the last possible second, but they can actually be some of the best presents you give. Let’s learn just why last-minute gifts this holiday season aren’t as bad as everyone thinks!
Understanding the Tradition: Why We Give Gifts For the Holidays
Deep-rooted traditions go back a long time ago for Christmas and other holidays during the month of December!
Gift giving is a tradition during the holiday season that many people participate in to give back to their loved ones. Image courtesy of SHRM.
Many people recognize that gift giving is an important part of the holiday season. While lots of people love to see the kind of gifts that they receive, giving gifts can be the most fun part. Seeing the smiles on your loved ones faces after opening up what they got you is one of the best feelings in the world, and it shouldn’t feel any less even for last-minute gifts–but first it’s important to know why gift giving is a tradition that goes back many years ago.
Where Did Gift Giving First Occur During the Holiday Season?
Growing up, kids recognize the traditions that their family has in place during the holiday season, and many believe in Santa Claus coming down the chimney, eating cookies, and putting their gifts under their decorated Christmas tree if they’ve been on the nice list–or a lump of coal in their stocking if they’re on the naughty list. The belief of Santa Claus stemmed from the 4th century bishop, St. Nicholas, who was most known for giving gifts to the poor during his time.
While this tradition is popular for families to pass down from generation to generation, gift giving during the holiday season can also be due to many religious traditions–such as Christianity. Christians give gifts because it’s what the Three Wise Men did when Jesus was born, and this tradition has carried on into modern times.
On the other hand, gift giving is seen as an American tradition for secular reasons too, such as expressing affection towards your loved ones, strengthening bonds or creating them, but it is even seen as a commercialization tactic for many businesses to make money.
Is Gift Giving Necessary For the Holidays?
The question that everyone seems to ask, but continues to do the opposite is–do I really need to buy gifts for the holidays? While you don’t have to, American traditions nowadays feel as if it is necessary. Not only is there the time to try to come up with a gift idea, then go out and purchase it either at a store in-person or online, but there is the money aspect of it as well. Holiday gifts–especially depending on how many people you want to buy for–can be extremely expensive and is an easy way to go into credit card debt or further yourself into it.
After a while, gift giving for the holidays can feel almost like a chore, obligatory, and almost meaningless–especially if you don’t know what to get someone. It’s never a bad thing to turn down gift-giving with loved ones this year, but if you’re not comfortable with that, a small gift that is inexpensive, practical, personalized, or has a beautiful presentation can sometimes be more than enough instead of lavish gifts that will break the bank.
Last-Minute Gifts: A Whole New Meaning to Getting Something Together Days or Hours Before Giving Them
The holidays are all about spending time with loved ones–not gift giving! Understand why last-minute gifts aren’t as bad as they seem!
Gift giving can be stressful during the holiday season, but last-minute gifts with personalization can sometimes make the best options. Image courtesy of CNN.
Everyone thinks of last-minute gifts as being rushed with not a lot of thought put into them. We understand that a last-minute gift can even feel stressful to give to someone simply because you know how rushed you were when you bought it, so now you’re afraid the receiver will think the same. Have no fear, last-minute gifts can often make the best gifts for a number of reasons and it’s important to know what to get and why.
Think of Things That Your Loved One Likes
One thing that many people love about gifts is when it feels personable to them. Whether you purchase a book from your loved one’s favorite author, get something that is their favorite color, or even remember the time they told you about something obscure that they wanted and you buy it for them–they will appreciate it on a whole other level than some random gift.
Remembering details that may feel minor to the person receiving the gift, but it’s something that you remembered that they loved can make them feel appreciated, plus create a stronger bond between the two of you. Adding your special touch to a gift to give to someone that involves a minor detail that they thought you forgot about can mean the absolute world to someone–and this could work for last-minute gifts too!
Add a Touch of Personalization
If you are running short on time to find the perfect holiday present, sometimes adding a touch of personalization can be just what you need to do to make any last-minute gift seem thoughtful. Personalization, such as attaching a note or message on the gift or even wrapping something up in beautiful packaging can distract the receiver away from the thought that your gift could potentially be a last-minute one.
A box of chocolates, a personalized gift card, an Edible Arrangement fruit bouquet, and other fast gifts that can be bought when the clock is ticking is an easy way to not only successfully pull off getting a great present for a loved one, but also make them feel appreciated with your sweet message on top of it.
Fast Delivery is Available Especially Around the Holidays
Another simple way to show why last-minute gifts aren’t the worst gifts to get is the fact that we live in 2025 and fast deliveries are an option. Let’s say that you find the perfect gift for a loved one, but you know that it’s not going to come in time–you can instead pay a little extra for overnight shipping (only if it’s an affordable option for you), or you can opt for a gift that is meant to be ordered and shipped out same day.
Many of the most common gifts that can be ordered and delivered all in one day or two can be anything from flower arrangements, chocolates, gift baskets, gourmet food items (think chocolate covered strawberries!), or any kind of baked goods. All of these options usually involve letting you continue to personalize them and add a message too, which makes it a truly special gift for anyone receiving it.
You Can’t Ever Go Wrong with Homemade/Handmade Gifts
Are you running low on ideas of what to get your loved one? If you are struggling to find the perfect gift, sometimes one that comes from the heart is all you need to win over loved ones, employees, coworkers, and anyone else you plan on giving gifts to. What we really mean is sometimes homemade or handmade gifts can make for incredible gifts that may be a last-minute idea, but can turn into an incredible option for anyone.
If you have a certain skill, such as baking, crocheting, knitting, or even crafting, sometimes you can collect supplies last second to make a number of small, yet meaningful gifts–even if they are last-minute. From baking cookies, making a personalized ornament, or even making a plant arrangement are inexpensive, and thoughtful gifts that don’t take very long to make.
Booking a One-of-a-Kind Experience or Trip Can Make Memories
Another last-minute–yet more expensive option–when it comes to getting the perfect gift this holiday season is to book a trip with your friends, family, significant other, or even for your employees. For business purposes, this could be a work event where you need some staff to go with you, but also enjoy themselves, or even choose to book a day trip or vacation, or something like a spa day and invite people to go with you.
Last-minute gifts that are bookings of day trips or vacations can be a great gift to give to anyone and they will appreciate that they were invited along with you! This is an extremely thoughtful gift that anyone will love that will never feel like it was last-minute.
Personalized Gift Cards Are Always an Incredible Option
One option that can literally be bought last-minute, but will always be a thoughtful gift are gift cards. While many people think that giving gift cards is an easy way out of trying to come up with a more thoughtful gift, it’s the exact opposite. There are many gift cards now that allow for personalization, can be bought in physical or digital forms, and can even give the recipient the option to choose which merchant that they want to spend the money through.
Gift cards make for an easy and thoughtful gift where you can get one to someone’s favorite store, for merchants such as Amazon to purchase virtually anything, or even Visa gift cards that can be used anywhere Visa credit or debit cards are accepted. All-in-all, you can never go wrong with giving gift cards this holiday season!
Why PerfectGift Corporate Gift Cards Can Be the Best Gift This Holiday Season
A gift card that allows the recipient to choose how to spend their money makes for the best gift!
So you decided to go the gift card route, but aren’t sure what kind of gift card to get. The PerfectGift Corporate gift card can make the best gift to get this holiday season, even for those last-minute ones that you’re stressing about.
What Makes the Perfect Gift Corporate Gift Card the Best Last-Minute Gift?
The PerfectGift Corporate gift card is a top choice for many simply because it allows the recipient to choose which merchant that they want to use the money through. From restaurants, department stores, Amazon, or even a Visa gift card, this is an excellent last-minute option that is also super easy to send.
For your staff this holiday season, a PerfectGift Corporate gift card is the perfect option where it’s also easy to send to them, even if it is last-minute. PerfectGift Corporate makes it easy to send out gift cards to your employees who have encouraged others into digital banking adoption with these five easy steps:
- Choose a physical or electronic gift card
- Add the amount that you wish to put on it
- Personalize it by choosing a preset design and adding your company logo
- Sent out the same day for a physical card and instantly with an electronic one
- Recipients can use this card like a regular gift card anywhere they go!
Consider Selecting a Gift Card or Another Top Last-Minute Gift For Anyone, Including Your Staff
Choosing the best gift for anyone during the holidays can be difficult if you’re not sure where to start. From making something homemade, choosing a same-day delivery item, a personalized gift, or even a gift card can all make the perfect last-minute gifts and rewrite what we were told about them.
Consider choosing PerfectGift Corporate gift cards for your staff, or choose a top last-minute gift that can reinvent the term in and of itself!
