Gift ideas for difficult-to-buy people you can still get in time for Christmas without leaving the house

Most schools are closed, some workplaces are starting to fade and suddenly it feels like Christmas.

But if you’re suddenly looking at your calendar in a panic and wondering how to get something for the last few people on your good list without dangling around a crowded shopping mall this weekend, we’ve got some great ideas for unusual and fun options in a wide range of budgets.

Many of these options can be delivered directly to the recipient, some can be emailed, and they are all perfect inspiration for people who are hard-pressed to buy.

Great days abroad…

It can be a little tacky, but sometimes a gift to attend can have as much impact as gifts.

There are plenty of things to choose that will allow people to have a fun head start into 2022 – and with coronavirus restrictions still leaving anything up in the air, plenty of companies offering gift experiences are offering extra flexibility to book whatever you book now.

Companies like Virgin Experiences and Buyagift allow you to send packaged coupons directly to your recipient to show them your chosen gift or you can alternatively purchase a generic experience box — valid for two years — that allows them to choose what they want for themselves.

With options available across the country in a range of prices and available for singles, couples and families whether thrill seekers are eager to try something to get their adrenaline pumping like skydiving or racetrack days, chill seekers wanting a relaxing spa break or families wanting a relaxing spa break. that. Have some fun together – this £29 gift for a family of four allows a family of four to choose from over 200 different family fun activities across the country, and there are plenty of options out there.

You can even take a friend and go gliding on the iconic statue that was the home of the media at the 2012 London Olympics and is now the world’s longest and longest tunnel.

Meanwhile, I’ve been unabashedly hinting to my family that I’d like to fulfill my childhood dream of going to The Crystal Maze – it’s available in London and Manchester, you can do it without turning on the cameras (so no humiliation if you fail a mission and get locked up in), and you can even Take a souvenir crystal house as a keepsake.

… or fun days in

With everything up a bit in the air and people probably less eager to get outside than usual, there are also plenty of options to do things indoors either during the Christmas holidays or after.

Check out our list of board game options, many of which will arrive in big time for the big day if ordered through express delivery.

Or send them a Disney+ subscription to enjoy the most festive Marvel show ever, the Hawkeye saga, and check out the latest blockbuster Shang-Chi, Legend of the 10 Rings, and The Book of Boba Fett, which begins right after Christmas on December 29.

Give them a cooking night by sending them Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eat vouchers so people can enjoy their favorite takeaway in front of a Christmas movie or TV show of their choice.

Alternatively, you can keep them occupied until New Year’s for £50 by sending them ingredients to make two artisanal pizzas – meat, vegan, gluten-free or activated charcoal (no, we’re not sure either) options – along with dough Biscuits for bread, two boxes of popcorn, a voucher to stream a digital movie and access to a virtual CSI-themed escape room.

A year-long gift

Subscription boxes are a great thing to send out to give people a series of rewards throughout the year and whatever your interests there’s something to enjoy.

The Willoughby Book Club is one of the original book boxes and is available in three month, six month or yearly options. Members will be sent a new gift book each month tailored to their tastes.

Stationery lovers can get great notebooks, pens, and other items delivered each month with Papergang, with each box focused around a different theme.

Whether it’s cheese, coffee, curry, or a monthly new little bottle of perfume (all the brand names they choose from their hundreds list and cost just £12 a month) they can make their sock look great.

Even if the socks rock his socks off, there’s a subscription box for that too.

photo gifts

Photo gifts, the staple in buying gifts for those who are hard to buy, are even more important during these tough times, to remind people of better days and unforgettable moments.

There are plenty of options out there as to what you can print photos on — from desk calendars and home office essentials to custom jigsaw puzzles, a copy of the Uno using your own photos, and a giant bowl of sweets that you’ll go on well with. New Year’s, or even a cute gift in the form of a mailbox of chocolate candy covered with pictures for loved ones.

If you can’t narrow things down to just a few photos, a photo book is always a good option.

Worried that you don’t have the technical skills or time to put something together in such a short amount of time? This is not a problem either

PastBook is a great solution on this front because as some photo book companies expect you to know how to import and reformat all the images you need to create a great looking book, which means you need access to a laptop and the patience of a saint, instead it works directly as an app that uses Any photo streams or digital albums you want to direct it to, from Instagram, Apple Photostreams, Google Drives, and more.

Having tried it myself – linking it to a stream of pictures I made for grandparents unable to see our children during lockdown – I was able to get hold of an impressive book with the effort of literally five minutes.

Duplicate images were eliminated, and there was a preview copy of any edits I wanted to make, but it was the least I would ever ask of any kind of photo-related gift and would be my new go-to.

Instead, just stick to a bottle of Christmas Prosecco customized with a picture.