Santa’s Super Sleigh: Last-Minute Christmas Gift Ideas to Save the Day

Posted by Canadian Gift Guide on December 20, 2017 · 185 Comments

Christmas is literally just a few days away, so this, my friends, is where I pretty much leave you – with some last-minute gifting inspo to get you through any last-minute gifting dilemmas. All of these gift ideas are pretty accessible if you live in a major metropolitan area (or can spring for express shipping). So let’s get shopping!

L’Occitane Festive Ornaments – $14 each
One smart way to make a last-minute gift feel less last-minute is to opt for something with a festive theme. L’Occitane’s festive ornaments are literally ornaments – rendered with a cool summer lantern effect – stuffed with deluxe minis of some of their bestselling products. Available in sumptuous choices like Cherry Blossom, Verbena and Shea Butter, you can pick up a different one for every hard to buy for person on your list. Best of all, the size of the box definitely makes these little gifts feel way more luxe than their price tag would suggest. There are 30 L’Occitane stores across Canada, so if you live in a major city this gift idea should be totally easy to nab.

truLOCAL Subscriptions – From $125 / Box
As you guys (mostly) know, I’m not a meat eater anymore (only seafood here and there), but when I did eat meat, one of the conscious decisions I made was to really know my producer and buy my meat as locally as possible. While that took a bit of effort, luckily there’s a new service for Ontarians (with plans to expand nationally) that makes things hella simple if you want to love the meat you’re eating. truLOCAL lets you customize your own meat and fish subscription box, including the number of portions you receive, the frequency they arrive on, and what types of protein are delivered to your doorstep (for free!) You can choose from one of their preselected plans or mix and match your ideal meats and seafood until you’ve got the ideal balance, from Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon to Filet Mignon to Buffalo Burgers and more. The price point is pretty nifty too – $125 gets you about 18 individual portions of protein, which is very comparable to what you’d pay in store – but you can enjoy peace of mind while munching on every bite. Plus, you can totally nab it (or a gift certificate) at the last minute!

Velvet Block Heels – $49 @ Joe Fresh
These stylish little heels bring a touch of festivity to her fashion sense, and are rendered in the season’s hottest fabric – velvet! Coming in four timeless hues, this is a lovely little last-minute choice she can rock on NYE. Not into footwear? Never fear – Joe Fresh is offering *free* next-day shipping when you spend $50 – order by 9:00 p.m. tonight to ensure your gifts arrived on December 22, in time for the holidays.

Hard Candy Blush and Bronzer Kit – $4.97 @ Walmart and Walmart.ca
Contouring and highlighting is all the rage in the beauty world, and this little tin makes it easy to experiment for yourself without breaking the bank. Designed to be universally flattering, this six-pack of beauty cakes includes a shimmer bronzer, matte bronzer, two blush hues, and two luminizers, is a great find for everyone from your bestie to your niece. With 400+ Walmarts across Canada, it’s also easy to swoop in and save the gift-giving day!

Akai Ultimate Bluetooth Party Machine – $224 @ Toys “R” Us
If you’re on the hunt for a gift that’ll please the whole family, go for something they can all do together, like sing karaoke! From warbling tots to teen parties to adults having their Canadian Idol moment, this dual-microphone system is a fantastic choice. What I love most of all is how versatile it is – you can use music CDs or Karaoke CDs, connect a Bluetooth-enabled device, or use a USB port to download karaoke tunes right to the machine – you can even plug in a guitar or piano to round out your sound. Portable, this nifty gadget works for up to 8 hours, features a fun light show, and can be connected to your TV or you can read the lyrics right on the included screen. There’s no shortage of Toys “R” Us stores in Canada either, and you can get same-day pickup on many items ordered online.

Shave Away Kit for Kings & Gentlemen – $25 @ The Body Shop
In a pinch for a guy on your list? This suave shaving kit is a great introduction to The Body Shop’s cult fave Maca Root Shave Cream, and includes a super fluffy wood-handled brush to help him lather up right. Pop down to any of The Body Shop’s 130+ locations across Canada actually, for a look at all of their awesome gift sets for kids, teens, ladies, and lads. With price points from under $10 to over $100, it’s way easy to find something everyone will love. Finish this well-groomed gift set off with a bottle of his favourite liquor for a truly dapper gift.

Oh She Glows Box Set – $44.80 at Indigo (online)
Canadian blogger-turned-cookbook author Angela Liddon is a global culinary superstar for her refreshing, healthy, and delicious Oh She Glows brand of plant-based recipes. Now that friend of yours that’s always asking to borrow your cookbook can have a copy of her own – Angela’s first two cookbooks have been beautifully packaged together in this exclusive gift set. You can still get rush shipping on items from Indigo if you order by noon today and it should – depending your postal code – be at your house by Friday, or alternatively, simply pop down to one of Indigo’s 200-ish stores across the country for endless gifting inspo.

NABOB Coffee Pods – $7.99 / 12-Pack @ Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sobey’s, Safeway, etc.
Sometimes you’re late to the gift shopping game simply because you’re struggling to find the right gift for a loved one. One trick I love to share is gifting someone an item you know they use all the time – like coffee pods. You’ll put more money in their pocket for when the mood strikes to treat themselves, and your gift will actually be put to good use instead of collecting dust. This holiday season, NABOB has actually teamed up with Tree Canada to highlight their recyclable pods and support reforestation efforts across Canada. Interested in taking the #NABOBPodPledge? Sign up online here and help NABOB and Tree Canada plant 15,000 new trees!

St. Ives 5-Piece Naturally Delicious Skin Care Set – $16.99 @ Sobeys, Jean Coutu, Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws
Literally everyone could use softer skin in the wintertime – making this affordable set a great pick to stock up your loved ones’ shower caddies and bathrooms. Loaded with Oatmeal & Shea Butter Hydrating Body Wash and Body Lotion, this lovely set also includes two different sizes (including a convenient travel size) of the brand’s Fresh Skin Exfoliating Apricot Facial Scrub and Aloe Vera Hydrating Cleansing Wipes to wipe the day away. Best of all, it comes with a cute citrus-themed makeup back to stash your St. Ives goodies plus any other skincare essentials you need while on the move. Did I mention it’s available, like, everywhere? Talk about a perfect in a pinch gift idea!

Deluxe Fragrance Sampler Sets – $99 each @ Shoppers Drug Mart
There are more Shoppers Drug Mart stores in Canada than almost any other retailer, and they have tons of fantastic gift ideas that don’t feel remotely ‘last minute’. Case in point? These super luxe fragrance samplers, which feature miniature glass bottles of premium fragrances for your giftee to sample. Ideal for traveling or making their dresser look stunning, once your lucky loved one has picked out a fave scent, they can trek over to Shoppers Drug Mart and redeem the included voucher for a full-sized bottle of their choice.

If you’re dreaming of a dreamy Christmas, then you are in luck – I have one last amazing prize package to treat one lucky reader to this holiday season, valued at up to $285, including:

L’Occitane Festive Ornament
1x Small truLOCAL Meat Box (*Note this prize is only available to those in Ontario; if you’re not based in Ontario you can ‘gift’ it to someone you know that lives there)
Hard Candy Blush and Bronzer Kit
The Body Shop Shave Away Kit
NABOB Prize Package (K-Cups, Travel Mug, Tree Sapling, and Cream and Sugar Set)
St. Ives 5-Piece Naturally Delicious Skin Care Set

Want to win it all? Here’s how to enter for your chance to win this last minute gift guide prize package:

1) MAKE SURE YOU READ THIS! You must be a Canadian Gift Guide subscriber to enter this giveaway. Just find the ‘Gift of Gab’ box on the righthand side of this page and either hit ‘Follow’ or enter your email address. Once you’ve done that, leave me a comment by December 30, 2017 telling me your favourite last minute gift ideas from this list.

2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around December 31, 2017 to select the winner(s), who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.

3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible for this promotion.

4) Bonus Entries – Complete as many of these as you’d like, leave separate comments for each one, and you’ll earn extra entries into the draw!

Follow L’Occitane on Twitter, then send out a Tweet that tags them and me (@cdngiftguide) and includes a link back to this post, highlighting this awesome giveaway. Link back to your Tweet in a separate comment below.

Follow truLOCAL on Instagram, then tag two friends on one of their posts that you think would love to learn about their service. Link back to the Instagram post you commented on in a separate comment below, with your IG username.

Follow Hard Candy on Instagram, then tag two friends on one of their posts that you think would dig their products. Link back to the Instagram post you commented on in a separate comment below, with your IG username.

Follow The Body Shop Canada on Twitter, then send out a Tweet that tags them and me (@cdngiftguide) and includes a link back to this post, highlighting this awesome giveaway. Link back to your Tweet in a separate comment below.

Like NABOB on Facebook, then tag a friend on a wall post that you think would love to hear about NABOB’s green-thinking efforts this holiday season. Link back to your Facebook post in a separate comment below.

Follow St. Ives on Instagram, then tag two friends on one of their posts that you think would love to lavish their skin with St. Ives. Link back to the Instagram post you commented on in a separate comment below, with your IG username.