We’ve all been there. You idly glance at the calendar, only to feel your heart thud into the approximate region of your stomach, because tomorrow is an important birthday/anniversary/occasion and you forgot to buy anything. But before panic sets in, take a deep breath, and remember that your friends at thortful have always got your back. We’re here to bring you some classic last minute gift ideas that will save your skin in a pinch, from next day delivery flowers to last minute presents you can pull together just in time to save the day.
Last minute gifts for him
Looking for last minute gifts for men in your life? Here are a few ideas that you can pull together at the last moment, and he won’t be any the wiser. And if you forgot a big birthday or anniversary, well… good luck, and you might want to combine a couple of suggestions!
Take his car for a full valet
If his car is his pride and joy, then come up with an excuse to grab his keys (‘need to pop to the shops!’) and take his ride for a little TLC. We’re talking a full valet service – outside and inside, the works.
A bottle of award-winning gin
The Salcombe Distillery Co. creates multi-award winning gins from their distillery on the Devon coast – and we’re pretty chuffed that you can support this amazing home-grown brand through thortful. You can order a bottle of their signature ‘Start Point’ gin with any card, with next day delivery. Perfect for when you need last minute gifts for the gin connoisseur in your life!
Take him out for dinner – or plan a homecooked meal
If you’re really struggling for last minute gifts, spoil him with dinner and drinks at his favourite restaurant – assuming you get lucky and there’s a reservation left. If that fails, then it’s time to flex your culinary muscles, find a no-fail Nigella recipe, and whip up a home-cooked meal. Hopefully, your hard work and dedication will win you enough brownie points that he doesn’t notice there’s no presents.
Snazzy socks
We might have derided getting socks for our birthdays as kids, but once you’re an adult you grow to appreciate a decent pair of socks. And that goes double for our stylish and fun socks from thortful – available in our brilliant sock cards. Even better, our sock cards make fab next day gifts – if you order before 6pm, they’ll be dispatched that day with Royal Mail 1st class post.
Subscription
All last minute gift-givers must have breathed a sigh of relief when subscription services started getting popular. It’s the perfect solution for when you need last minute gift ideas, but still want to get a thoughtful present – and because you’re sending gifts for months to come, the fact that you forgot in the first place is a little more likely to skate by unnoticed.
Whether the man in question is into food, cars, movies or personal grooming, there’s bound to be a subscription box or service for him! For a foodie, treat him to delicious artisan pasta with a Pasta Evangelists subscription, or plan a perfect evening in for him with a subscription to Books + Beer, who’ll send you a specially selected paperback and a two bottles of craft beer each month.
Last minute gifts for her
In need of last minute gifts for your wife, girlfriend, or even your mum or sister? We’ve got you covered. Here are some genuinely thoughtful last minute gift ideas to save you in your moment of crisis – pull it off, and she might never even know you forgot.
Make her a bespoke cocktail flight
If you know your way around a cocktail shaker, create a tasting menu of her favourite cocktails, ready and waiting on ice to be served as soon as she steps through the door. See how thoughtful you’ll look? If you’re needing some inspiration, don’t worry – we’ll never let you down. Check out our guide to the best gin cocktails for some classic cocktail-shaking inspo that doesn’t require having twenty-odd different liqueurs to hand.
Get crafty
Desperate times call for desperate measures – but if you’re not the craftiest, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Head over to our How To section to find some great crafting ideas. Whip up a wreath from our spring crafts guide and decorate your front door for when she gets home, or create a tasteful personalised print for her desk with some expert calligraphy.
A bottle of something bubbly
It’s a tried-and-tested classic. You won’t get many points for originality, but it never goes out of style – a card and a bottle of something bubbly makes ideal last minute gifts for her. Luckily, we’ve got you covered on both counts: order before 6pm for next day wine delivery from thortful. Pick from Nyetimber’s award-winning home-grown English sparkling wine, or a selection of red, white and rose options – and all of our next day gifts are, of course, sent with a perfect last minute birthday card.
Pampering night
If you need to buy yourself a night as you wait for last minute gifts to arrive, then plan a perfect pampering night in for her. We mean the whole nine yards – face mask, bubble bath, fluffy bathrobe, candles. Even if you have to raid her stash of bath products to make it happen, it will still feel like a genuine treat. Step it up a notch, and pair this option with some next day flowers from thortful, the aforementioned bottle of sparkling wine on ice, or some Salcombe Gin for a G&T while she relaxes.
If you really want to sell your performance of ‘goodness, no, of course I didn’t forget, darling!’ then quietly book a spa day or weekend at a swanky country house spa, and tell her that the pamper night is just a taster until you can get away, just the two of you. Tracks? Thoroughly covered.
Next day delivery flowers
Another time-honoured classic – but let’s face it, you just can’t go wrong with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. And we have a great range of next day delivery flowers for any occasion. For a bonus, you can make the traditional bouquet feel even more thoughtful – using the language of flowers, find out what her favourite flowers say about her and pick an appropriate bouquet. Just pick the perfect card for her, and they’ll both be delivered the next day as long as you order before 6pm!
No one wants to be scrabbling around for last minute gifts – but with so many options, from some good ol’ fashioned DIY crafting to next day delivery flowers, you should be able to pull together some last minute gift ideas to cover your mistake, and make sure that their special occasion still feels special. For more gifting guides, check out our gift ideas section, and make sure you nail the card with our ‘what to write’ guides!
