Need a last-minute holiday gift for someone special? Avoid these ideas.

It\’s the holiday season, and you\’ve found yourself in the common predicament of having waited until the very last minute before realizing you need an additional Christmas present while stores are fast running out of stock.

Shopping at the last second can make it difficult (and expensive) to find something meaningful and appropriate—but even more challenging is knowing what types of gifts are best avoided entirely during these rushed shopping sessions.

Below are some common yet risky options outlined so that your well-intended Christmas purchases don\’t backfire this year:

1. Don\’t try to get fancy with electronics or other pricey items—even if tempted by all those sparkling television screens and laptops placed outside stores in order make them look as inviting as possible, resist giving tech gadgets unless there has been clear communication from receiver indicating desire for such a gift.
2. Everyone loves food, but perishable ones are usually only good for breakfast, lunch or dinner on Christmas Day! So no cakes, pies, cheese platters etc unless you know that it will be served and eaten on Christmas day!
3. Even though books can make great presents, they won’t be appreciated by everyone unless you take into consideration their taste properly first rather than just buying whatever strikes your fancy quickly while shopping short on time!
4. Clothes are a bad last minute Christmas gift because they require the guesswork of sizes and styles that may not be appreciated, or even fit. Additionally, it can take time for someone to find something that suits their personal style or taste in fashion. This quickly renders clothing as an inconvenient present when trying to purchase something on short notice.
5. Unless you know someone is very serious about pets and what accessories they might need, then avoid giving pet supplies as a last minute present; some people may not like animals at all so that defeats your purpose even further.

Check out Gifting Hat’s customized gift suggestions tool here!