The Sites of the Season for Last Minute Gifts

We spent a lot of time away from the malls and online this year when it came to shopping for others… and for ourselves. While some sites no longer guarantee delivery before Christmas Day, they do offer gift certificates… ones that don’t come with the accompanying trip into a store that you may not even like, or that you have to brave the Boxing Day crowds for. Here are some of the sites we turned to this season – and you still can as well – for those last-minute gift ideas.

For the Food and Wine Lover: FoodiePages
Have a foodie on your list with an appreciation for far-from-your-typical grocery store products? With FoodiePages, you can buy directly from more than 150 amazing small-batch food and wine makers from across Canada. This means great gift ideas for the food and wine lover, in addition to all you’ll need to host this year’s holiday dinner. Their curated collections, like their new Hidden Gems monthly wine subscription that delivers hard-to-find wines from Canada’s top vendors each month, or the Chef’s Box monthly food subscription, which is picked by Canada’s top chefs, make gift ideas that continue to give each month. It’s ideal for parents and clients. The Hidden Gems Wine Subscription is a convenient way to access hard-to-find small lot Canadian wines and is complete with pairing recipes created by top chefs, while The Chef’s Box includes a top Canadian chef’s favourite products from the FoodiePages marketplace, who has created a dinner menu around them. You can purchase a 1-month, 3-month, 6-month or recurring monthly subscription. *If you order today (Tuesday, December 17), you can still get a Christmas Eve delivery.

For the Shameless Fashionista: Gilt.com
You’ve likely heard of Gilt.com because it has exploded in the past year. Gilt.com is where you’ll find the top designer brands you know and love (but maybe can’t always afford) offered at up to 60% off retail prices, including duties. The innovative online shopping destination takes the beloved sample sale online, offering its members special access to coveted brands like Christian Louboutin, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Hermes, along with experiences every day at insider prices. For the holiday season, Gilt offers a stylish e-card (perfect as an emergency last-minute option if you show up somewhere and they have a gift for you but you have nothing. Awkward). The best part? Gilt.com’s Boxing Day sale offers amazing goods at up to 80% off with free shipping so that it can be redeemed right away for fabulous finds without having to brave the Boxing Day crowds. The gift card makes a great present for the person who has everything or the impossible-to-buy-for set thanks to a diverse product range on offer, which includes fashion for women, men, and children; home decor; and unique activities in select cities and destinations.

For the One-of-a-Kind Artsy Type: Etsy
Etsy is a one-stop online destination for handmade and vintage pieces, offering endless choices for the one-of-a-kind gifts that are far from your typical shopping mall finds. With Etsy online global marketplace, shoppers can browse more than 20 million creative items, ranging from art and photography to furniture and vintage fashion, and everything in between, including creative items listed by sellers in more than 200 countries around the world. Another great feature of the site is that you can search and shop local so that you can support local artisans from your community. This year, Etsy launched Etsy Gift Cards for the season, now available in Canadian dollars. The perfect gift for last-minute shopping (or any occasion, really), the Etsy Gift Cards are available in increments of $25 and can be printed out for a sweet stocking stuffer or emailed for quick and easy gifting. Once received, the recipient can use the gift card on any Etsy shop worldwide that accepts gift cards – just look for the little green gift icon. This year marks Etsy’s first-ever Boxing Day Sale in Canada from December 26th-29th, where over 500 sellers from across the country will offer up to a 20% discount of their entire shop. 

For Those in Need of Pampering: WaySpa
WaySpa is the perfect gift for an overworked loved one, client or friend who’s in dire need of some R&R… and after the holidays, who isn’t? Partnering with over 2,000 spas across Canada, WaySpa offers a multitude of treatments – ranging from facials to manicures and pedicures using exotic ingredients, to relaxing massages and rejuvenating body treatments, and is the world’s fastest-growing online spa marketplace. It offers customers competitive pricing and all the info they need to make informed choices on everything from a local mani-pedi combos to a couples’ package for a romantic getaway. With spa partnerships around the world, WaySpa offers a solution for gifting family and friends across oceans and country borders. In Canada, WaySpa has partnered with over 2,000 spas from coast to coast. Those looking for a perfect last-minute gift can have purchases delivered digitally and emailed or printed directly from your browser upon completion of the checkout process. The WaySpa gift cards are available in increments of $25-$500.

There you have it; now get clicking!