Last-Minute Holiday Gifts
It’s...wait. It’s WHAT day in December? How did that happen? How is Christmas so soon? Isn't it still October? Why haven’t I been shopping/ordering/baking? While we can’t help with the cookies for the office cookie swap, we can help make your last-minute gift shopping a little less woeful. Here, our tips for last-minute holiday gifts.
Museum Gift Shops
For a classy gift that’s elegant and thoughtful, try a museum gift shop. At The Frick, you can get gorgeous coffee-table books, posters, tote bags, scarves, and even some truly unique offerings, like a clock paperweight and a stunning porcelain tray. Uptown at Cooper-Hewitt, you can find fabulous design-inspired gifts, from a Bauhaus-inspired chess set to a puzzle that seems to change colors with the light. You’ll also find stocking stuffers like a snowflake trivet and a citrus squeezer, plus cute stuff for kids, including plush toys, a gummy bear puzzle, and reusable paper. A perfect place for last-minute holiday gifts.
Holiday Markets
If you haven’t discovered the holiday markets already, now would be the moment. The holiday markets at Bryant Park and Columbus Circle are great for handmade goodies like jewelry and toys, while the Union Square Market is especially good for food items (Jams! Bread! And get yourself some hot cider!) And if you’re near (or travelling through) Grand Central, their yearly holiday market focuses on handmade American goods. Note: Most of the markets are up through December 24, so hasten thee there immediately! Need more info on them? We’ve got the holiday market info here.
Drugstores
Now, hear us out. We don’t mean a desperate last-minute Christmas-Eve run to your local CVS (though, hey, if you have to, you have to.) We’re thinking something a little more well-conceived. So, consider giving a gift-wrap kit. Get the recipient gift wrap, tape (no one ever has enough tape), gift tags, bows, and maybe a little something to munch on while they wrap (also conveniently located in the drugstore.) Genius! Everyone will be grateful.
Specialty Food and Wine Stores
Do they love cheese? Wine? Cheese AND wine? Do they have a secret stash of chocolate in their desk? (Honestly, who doesn’t?) For a truly fun Christmas experience and some stellar chocolate, head to Myzel’s, a tiny jewel box of a candy store across from City Center. Christmas decorations abound, and you can get beautiful chocolate by the pound, as well as a fabulous selection of licorice. Plus little stocking stuffers and perhaps a cookie for you. (You’re working hard!) For fantastic cheese, head to the iconic Murray’s cheese shop in the Village, with maybe a stop at Astor Wines. Now, those are gifts.
