Community Corner

Quick, Easy Last-Minute Holiday Gift Ideas

Let's keep it simple. If that's your motto, here are some convenient tips for filling stockings and buying gifts, without breaking the bank or taking too much time.

1.) Gift Cards: They're easy and the folks actually love getting them. OK, they're a little impersonal, but they allow people to choose the exact item they want at a favorite store. CVS makes this really easy, offering a range of gift cards. Get your shopping done in under 10 minutes. Now that's a deal.

2.) Lottery Tickets: You heard right. The Florida Lottery even has a special edition scratch ticket series that it is promoting as stocking stuffers. Better make a deal with the recipient in advance should the purchase hit the jackpot. Find a lottery retailer in Land O' Lakes

3.) Virtual Shopping: As long as you don't make any detours along the Internet highway, virtual shopping can be quick and painless. Though the big day is drawing near, some retailers are still offering free shipping to boot.

Find out what's happening in Land O' Lakeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

4.) Virtual Holiday Card: For the cheapskates among us, there's always the option of shooting out a holiday card across the Internet. They're fun to receive since most are like little cartoons. Many are free. There's not a much better deal than that.

5.) Magazine Subscriptions: This painless approach to gift-giving allows folks to get a gift all year round. The subscriptions often are about $25 or less. As long as you have the recipient's address, you can handle the whole thing on the Internet. Just make sure there's a place to add a gift card message, or let your friend or relative know that the magazine is on its way.

Find out what's happening in Land O' Lakeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Land O' Lakes