It’s that time of year again: the holidays are in full force and you’ve again waited unti the last minute to do your Christmas shopping. While the holiday season can be full of fun, friends, food and joy – shopping for gifts can be less than pleasant, to say the least. From dealing with crowds and traffic to hunting down sales and rushing to get those last minute online orders in, things can get a bit stressful. On top of it all, there’s always that one person who’s hard to shop for. If you find yourself in a bind when it comes to timing or ideas, know that you’ve got a way out. There are some quick and easy gifts you can get together in order to save yourself from the horror of being empty-handed, or worse yet, giving a gift the recipient will hate.

One thing I told my husband I wanted for Christmas this year was to know that our future is protected by making sure we both finally have life insurance. After seeing family and friends go through so much loss this past year and not being prepared for it, we want to make sure our family will have everything needed should something happen. While our kids have whole life policies that their grandparents have gifted them, we have been looking into our options with whole versus term life insurance and have been getting quite a few reasonable term life insurance quotes. Hopefully we find just what we need to protect our family.

Let’s Start Simple

Okay, you’re completely stumped or out of time. What’s a hapless gift-giver to do? Let’s start with some of the simplest, tried-and-true gift ideas out there before moving along to some other options.

• Get a plant. Houseplants are always an option, and you can go simple or elaborate depending on the personality of the person you’re buying for. Plus, even if they’re not good at keeping things alive, you still have options. Go with a succulent or something requiring minimal care, such as a cactus.
• Bake cookies. If you’re good at baking, you’ve really got the upper hand. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn’t enjoy a platter full of delicious homemade cookies as a gift. Sure, this gift doesn’t cost a lot, but most people care more about the thought behind it.
• Frame a photo or print. Printing a treasured photo and picking up a picture frame to place it in makes for a thoughtful and sentimental gift. Or, you might want to pick up a print or a poster of something your recipient enjoys – maybe a favorite artist, band or movie, for example.
• Christmas tree ornament. If your recipient celebrates Christmas, you really can’t go wrong here. And with so many unique ornaments out there on the market, you’re sure to find something meaningful, humorous or even delightfully ironic.
• Gift cards/certificates. Even though many recipients lose their gift cards before using them, you still can’t go wrong with this gift. Your recipient will be able to buy exactly what they want from a store they love. What’s not to like about that?

A Little More Specific

Can’t find something for someone with a niche interest? Try out some of these suggestions.

• Know somebody who likes to work out? There are a ton of unique workout DVDs out there, which can make for a quick and easy gift. If you’re not familiar with workout jargon or equipment, then you might just want to opt for something that looks fun. Just make sure that you’re getting a workout DVD for someone who really enjoys working out, and not someone you personally think needs to workout. It probably goes without saying that the latter’s reaction to the gift probably won’t be ideal.
• Friends with a gamer? Ask a mutual friend if there’s a new game they’re interested in. If it’s in your price range, pick it up for them. Or, you might want to go with something retro or nostalgic. A bit of searching will come up with a load of video game themed housewares and apparel, so there’s no way you’ll come up short on ideas.
• Unique sense of humor? Well, that’s easy. Nowadays, it seems like millennials have their own brand of ironic humor. A quick search online at a site like Etsy will hook you up with a whole slew of quirky DIY items that will satisfy even the smallest niche taste. It seems that everything from memes to viral videos have some sort of reference to material goods.

Of course, the best way to find the best gift is to simply be prepared, though that can also be difficult. On a final note, making things yourself is always a unique and personalized gesture, and even if you’re not the craft sort, Pinterest is a great place to find some easy DIY crafts, many of which even have step-by-step instructions. If you have easy access to a craft store, you could have a quick and easy holiday project on your hands, whether you follow a guide or come up with your own ideas for gifts to create.

No matter what you wind up giving this holiday season, remember that it’s always the thought that counts – just be sure that you put some thought into your selection! As long as you have some confidence in your taste and put some effort into thinking outside the box, you’re sure to find some convenient and meaningful gifts for even the hardest people to shop for on your list.