Christmas seems to sneak up every year, no matter how much you vowed to be organised (when it snuck up on you last year). Between planning the feast and finishing up work, fitting in time to buy gifts can be challenging.
If you've left pressie shopping until the last minute, don't freak out. Check out these 11th hour options, instead.
Extended Shopping Hours
Department store David Jones have extended their usual trading hours to accommodate for the festive flourish, and have listed their Christmas trading hours for every single store in one handy spot.
Myer is also open later, with some stores operating until midnight -- just punch in your postcode to find out hours at your local store.
Westfield has 35 shopping centres around the country, offering varying extended hours, most of which are open until at least 9pm each night (though some stores inside such as Target may be open until midnight). Check the website.
Kmart has also listed their Christmas hours on their site, with an impressive number of locations operating 24 hours. 3am splurge spree, anyone?
Online Shopping
Sadly for many websites you have to wait 5-10 working days for orders to arrive, rendering it too late. Though some ship same or next day, and these sites are your new best friend.
The Iconic offers same day delivery up until Christmas Eve, and also gives customers free returns for up to 100 days.
Shop Bop are providing free express international shipping (so allow two days), on orders over $100. The service costs $10 on other orders.
ASOS have advised that the last chance to place orders for Christmas delivery is before 2pm on Friday the 18th.
Net-A-Porter advises to order on or before December 22nd for delivery before Christmas, as they express ship from the U.K. All orders arrived beautifully boxed so there is no need to bother with wrapping.
Matches Fashion has given you until 12noon on the 20th of December to get your orders in. Conveniently, they also have a very generous pre-Christmas sale happening. Clever.
Dan Murphy's also helpfully advise of their Christmas cutoff dates online, though offer a 'pay online and pick up instore' service, meaning you can duck in and your order will be waiting. They will even chill it for you.
(Recruitment firm Robert Half recently conducted a survey involving 100 Chief Technology Officers that found 27 percent of businesses block access to online shopping sites -- so you may need to use tor smartphone)
Experiences
With emerging proof that experiences enrich your life more than material objects, consider giving the gift of adventure. The added bonus is that you can easily buy these online and download the gift certificate.
Red Balloon can express deliver the physical gifts they stock, though their wide range of experiences are what they are famous for. If you can't decide between bungee jumping and skydiving, just grab a gift certificate and let the receiver decide.
Adrenalin offers similar experiences, specialising in car racing, jet fighter flights, flight simulators and indoor skydiving. The site offers daily 'hot deals', and gift vouchers are valid for 18 months.
Best Gift Certificates specialise in restaurant and lifestyle vouchers, making them perfect for the friend or family member that loves to dine out. The site boasts a huge range of restaurants around the country as well as spas, accommodation and entertainment.
Gift It Now provides instant gift vouchers valid for 12 months. Divvying up the available options into 'gifts for him', 'gifts for her' etc, it's super easy to navigate the site. Thier cooking classes are particularly popular.
Movie tickets are an easy gift that everybody loves. If you really like the person, consider splurging on Event Cincemas Gold Class or Hoyts Lux. Gift Cards are a good idea so they can use the leftover money for snacks.
The Random Extra
Murphy's Law always produces a random aunty, long lost friend or next door neighbour who shows up unannounced. For surprise guests who crop up on Christmas day, have a stash of generic gifts at home or in the boot of your car you can quickly pick from.
Candles are always a crowd pleaser with women (and men!), while a decent bottle of wine never goes astray. Even instant scratchies or a few lotto tickets stashed in a blank Christmas card is easy, and doesn't take up much space. And the best bit? If there are no surprise guests you get to keep them!
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