23 Last Minute Birthday Gifts – Because We’re All Forgetful (and Busy!) Sometimes
Everyone slips up once in a while, and I am as guilty as the next person in accidentally forgetting about an impending birthday. If you need a last-minute birthday gift for mom, dad, your wife, or husband, we’ve got you covered!
Here are some great gifts we picked that are so fabulous, they won’t even seem last-minute. Keep scrolling (or use the table of contents below), as we’ve included a section of last-minute gifts under $25. Bonus!
- Last Minute Birthday Gifts
- 1. Gift Basket
- 2. All Edge Brownie Pan
- 3. Puffy Blanket
- 4. Wine Filters
- 5. Wine Chiller
- 6. Custom Portrait (digital download at the last minute)
- 7. Stemless Wine Glasses
- 8. Cashmere Socks For Her
- 9. "Cookish" Cookbook
- 10. Fancy Olive Oil
- 11. Fancy Candle
- 12. Throw Blanket
- 13. Self Cleaning Water Bottle
- 14. Flowers
- 15. Subscription Box
- 16. Gift Cards! (Amazon, Starbucks, Whatever)
- Last Minute Birthday Gifts Under $25
Last Minute Birthday Gifts
1. Gift Basket
Cookies and chocolates and goodies, oh my! Snack baskets are the PERFECT gift, especially when you can get one delivered with same-day service.
Since the last-minute gift basket is, well, last-minute, each will be built differently with different treats. But a delicious surprise is never a bad thing.
2. All Edge Brownie Pan
by Baker's Edge
Speaking of goodies and delicious treats, have you ever met someone who doesn’t like brownies?
Didn’t think so. Elevate brownies to a whole new level with a pan that guarantees two crispy/chewy edges on each brownie. Bake up a batch for them before you gift it, and no one will even notice if it happens to be late.
3. Puffy Blanket
by Rumpl
Rumpl blankies are an ingenious invention! Finally, a blanket they can use outdoors in all conditions that’s still great for indoor use, too.
It repels water, clips on like a cape, and has corner loops to stake it to the ground for an ultra-comfy picnic blanket. If you’ve got an outdoor enthusiast in your life, this is a perfect last minute gift.
4. Wine Filters
by PureWinE
Quite possibly the invention of the decade. These portable, disposable wine filters aerate wine while filtering out everything that gives us headaches and uncomfortable symptoms after even the best bottles.
Pair it with a nice bottle of vino, and you’ve got a great birthday gift!
Note – we could’ve put these in the last-minute gifts under $25 category. But we chose the 24 pack because we drink a lot of wine around here, and we always pick the stuff we’d want to get for ourselves. So just puttin’ that out there.
5. Wine Chiller
by Vinglacé
So we put this on our list of anniversary gifts for the hubs a little while back, and it turned out to be one of the best gift ideas EVER. It keeps wine, champagne, and other cold bottled beverages frosty cold for a long time. Like, hours long. Take that, fancy marble wine chillers.
6. Custom Portrait (digital download at the last minute)
by Sock + Key
We’re big huge fans of Sock + Key! We’ve included them in so many of our gift posts for a few excellent reasons, but we put them here specifically because their impeccable customer service will save the day if you need a last minute gift.
Besides, who wouldn’t want a custom portrait of themselves on the iconic Simpsons sofa or as a Marvel superhero??
7. Stemless Wine Glasses
Both beautiful and practical, these glasses really do look like a work of art! What’s more, they are designed with finger indents to keep the glass firmly in your favorite wine-drinkers grip. Because no one likes to be the first to drop their glass.
I mean, losing your grip on your wine glass doesn’t mean you’ve had THAT much to drink. People can be so judgy.
Anyway, they come in sets of two, four, and six, so you’ll have plenty of price-point options!
8. Cashmere Socks For Her
When the weather turns cold and the house gets drafty, give your last-minute giftee a pair of cashmere socks for luxuriously warm tootsies. They’re sized to fit shoe sizes 6-9, and for a few extra bucks, Nordstrom will even gift wrap them for you for delivery.
9. “Cookish” Cookbook
In the spirit of speedy but fantastic stuff, we give you “Cookish” by the James Beard award-winning chefs from the “Milk Street” cooking and media machine.
The recipes in Cookish center around a few things: a little time, a few unique ingredients, and some food love. All together, they create some of the most fuss-free, mouth-watering dishes. This cookbook is the perfect gift for a chef or foodie in your life.
(The spiced strawberry compote with Greek yogurt or ice cream would make a fabulous last-minute birthday dessert. Just a thought.)
10. Fancy Olive Oil
This EVOO is made from Peranzana olives cold-pressed on granite grindstones in Northern Apulia. Fancy, right? (Definitely not your grocery-grade cooking oil, for sure.)
That’s a good gift by itself, but put it in a handcrafted ceramic bottle created and decorated by Italian artisans, and you’ve got a gift for the books. Whether it’s last-minute or right on time.
11. Fancy Candle
by Diptyque
The scents crafted at Diptyque are world-renowned, and they can transform a standard candle into something far more luxurious. This one features fresh, subtle florals and berries. It’s perfect for a boudoir, bathroom, or any room with intimate decor.
12. Throw Blanket
Plushy throw blankets are a dime a dozen these days – unless it’s a luxurious blanket from Nordstrom by Barefoot Dreams. Made from 100% microfiber, its superior softness and density make it perfect for chilly evenings. Plus, it’s an impressive gift. Ka-ching.
It’s machine washable and comes in eight calming colors.
13. Self Cleaning Water Bottle
by LARQ
Let’s be honest, some of us (and by some, I’m talking about me) get lazy about cleaning our water bottles. A swishy rinse and upside-down dry next to the sink is all it gets most of the time. I choose not to think about what kind of bacteria could be lurking in there because I neglect the brush.
SO, when we came across a UV-C self-cleaning water bottle, it felt like someone out there had designed this just for people like me. Activate it, and it’ll sanitize your water and the bottle every two hours for super fresh, cold H2O.
It’s a brilliant idea and an even more brilliant last-minute gift.
Comes in 17 and 24 fl. oz. sizes and five attractive colors.
14. Flowers
by Bouqs
A beautiful bouquet of flowers is always a thoughtful gift to show someone they are on your mind during a special occasion, like a birthday! Depending upon where you’re at in the world (we have yet to find a zip code where they don’t go), Bouqs has you covered with next-day flower delivery!
Tip: if you love fresh flowers too, get a monthly flower subscription, and you’ll save tons of moolah on every bouquet.
15. Subscription Box
by BreoBox
It’s a box of the best stuff ever. No exaggeration. When you give a BreoBox, your recipient will receive 5-8 curated genius inventions designed to be super-useful for everyday use.
For instance, past boxes have featured a self-warming butter knife, a mute nasal-dilator for stuffy noses or chronic snorers, and a biometric padlock, to name a few. Awesome, no?
Gift subscription options feature 1 solo box, 2 boxes delivered bi-yearly, 3 boxes every four months, or four boxes quarterly.
16. Gift Cards! (Amazon, Starbucks, Whatever)
Technically, this one can be under $25 too. Or under $10. Whatever you can spare.
And if you feel that giving a gift card isn’t thoughtful enough, think about it: have you ever felt disappointed when someone’s given you a gift card? If so, your standards are WAY higher than mine.
Put it in a lovely card with a thoughtful note, and no one’s gonna think you cheated at the gifting game.
Last Minute Birthday Gifts Under $25
17. Travel Puzzle
Art jigsaw puzzles are so much fun, especially on rainy days or those evenings when the power goes out and everyone’s looking for something to do.
We like this one because it’s interesting, inexpensive, and you can get it pronto for a great last-minute gift.
18. Classic Notebook
by Moleskine
A classic journal is so versatile! Whether it’s used for notes, journaling, sketching, scheduling, or to-do lists, it makes an excellent gift for just about anyone.
This one comes in your choice of blank pages, lined pages, or dotted pages and 13 pretty colors. Write a heartfelt note in the front wishing them a happy birthday, and they’ll treasure it always.
19. Game Night in a Can
A fabulous gift for your favorite kid celebrating a birthday! The games are hilarious, too! (There are 30!) You’ll find such soon-to-be classics as:
- fancy dancers,
- bank face (not a bank that stores money, a bank shot where you bounce a tiny ball of scrap paper off someone’s face and try to land it in the opponents’ can),
- and pants poopin’ scary tales
Good times.
It’s also worth noting that with each game sold, the guys at Game Night in a Can plant two trees. If that doesn’t seal the deal, we don’t know what else to offer you.
For 2-20 players 10+ (Although any age can play, especially if the youngest players team up with an older buddy.)
20. Scratch Off Bucket List
This poster features 100 bucket-list-worthy things to do, all ready to scratch off and display proudly for the world to see.
Or at least, for people who get invited to their house to see. Whatever the case, your fave adventurer will love the satisfaction of scratching off every activity until they’ve done them all.
21. Reusable Bag
by Baggu
Functional, sustainable, and oh-so-cute, a reusable Baggu bag is a great last-minute gift for the environmentalist in your life. It’s meant to take the place of your typical plastic grocery bag and is made from sturdy nylon that’ll withstand even the most brutal abuse.
Baggu makes reusable shopping bags, wine bags, fanny packs, pouches, cross-body bags, backpacks, and more in the most incredible colors and patterns over the rainbow.
22. Five Year Journal
One line a day every day for five years will give you a whole lot of insight into where you’ve been and what you’ve done with your life over the past half-decade! (That may or may not be significant depending upon your situation, but it’s always fun to look back and compare.)
If you have a friend celebrating a milestone birthday, they’ll thank you every year for five years, guaranteed.
23. Monogram Mug
There’s something about starting your day with a fancy personalized mug. I don’t know if it’s because I imagine that’s what celebrities do, or it just makes me feel fancy, but I find it’s a universal thing.
These pretty mosaic tile mugs feature a gorgeous gold embellished pattern and a monogrammed initial to elevate your birthday boy or birthday girls’ warm beverage enjoyment.
You’re Still a Good Friend
Why are we so hard on ourselves when we accidentally forget a birthday? Of course, the answer is different for everyone. But keep in mind, the friend you missed probably won’t hold it against you, anyway.
Finding a great last-minute birthday gift helps, and hopefully, we’ve helped you find one or two gift ideas here. If not, don’t sweat it. After all, you’ve got 364 more days a year for the opportunity to be a good friend. You got this.
Interested in checking out some of our other birthday gift posts? Click here for so. much. more. Good luck dragging yourself out of the birthday gift rabbit hole 😉
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Laura Crowley
Laura resides in the fantastic city of Nashville, TN with her very, very patient husband, three well above average boys, a dog the size of a dinosaur, and a fleet of cats. When she’s not writing for work, she’s writing for fun. When she’s not doing that she enjoys reading, fine dining, copious amounts of wine, and philosophical conversations with her children. And some adults on occasion.
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