Still not sure what to get them this season, no matter who it is on your list, here are 5 last minute gifts that are worthy of considering.
1. For your best team member(s) on staff – give them an afternoon off in 2019 – on a day of their choosing. The time they have to do whatever they need to do – personal time, an extra long weekend, leaving early on a Friday or even allowing them a late arrival one day when they need to recover from watching their sports team win the game.
2. For your client who always books time in advance – share with them the latest information from the industry and help them use it to build, and boost their business in 2019. (Make sure you are legally and professionally allowed to do this – we are not suggesting insider trading tips!) They will appreciate the advance notice and if your business provides support, they might even hire you to help, making this gift a win-win.
3. For your college student – co-sign on their first credit card; setting up just a small spending limit of $250 to $500. You can then educate them, sharing best practices for paying their bills on time and building credit that they will need and want to have in the future. Pick your favorite bank card or try one of these four which got great ratings in 2018 from US News and World Report: Discover (2 cards from their portfolio are on this list), Capital One and Bank of America. (Even non-college kids can learn a lot from this article. Check it out.)
4. For the person who always brings food to the office or your home – a gift card, lunch or dinner from their favorite restaurant – a place that doesn’t do take out. Let them know that you appreciate the way they share and you want them to enjoy dining out for a change. They will be surprised, especially if you have never done this before.
5. For your / your kid’s teacher, instructor, coach, tutor – anything, just not a mug or a plaque that says “Best Teacher/Instructor/Coach/Tutor”. We recently, informally polled a few of these hard-working individuals and they said that it doesn’t have to be complicated. A gift card to: Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iTunes, Target, Panera Bread, Dunkin’, Starbucks or even the local coffee/sandwich shop would be welcome and very much appreciated – even if it is $5 to $10.
There are only a few hundred thousand other ways to tell someone you appreciate them and want to wish them a happy holiday; these are just a few simple, but savvy ways to make someone smile this holiday season. Good luck – and happy shopping – there are only a few more days left.
Merry merry and happy happy!