Still Not Done Shopping? Neither Am I and It's No Problem

So Christmastime is upon us once again and the holiday is just three days away. If you are like me, that means you are starting to think about all the presents you haven’t purchased yet.

I admit it. I may do a number of things in advance, but this is not one of those things. When it comes to things such as gift shopping, I not only wait until time is running against me, but in terms of Christmas I will actually find myself buying the final gift on my way to the Christmas Eve party.

Last minute shopping can be stressful, but there’s no need to fret. There are solutions and places to pick up that gift before you celebrate the holiday – even if it’s early on Christmas morning. I should know, I’ve done it before.

Take a look at some local options to grab that final touch:

• , 235 Queen St., is open from 6 a.m. - Midnight, closing at 8 p.m. Christmas Eve.
• Target, 600 Executive Blvd. off West Street, is open from 7 a.m. – Midnight, closing at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
• Toys-R-Us Express, 825 Queen St., will be open 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., closing at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
• BJ's, 75 Spring St., is open 8 a.m. - 10 p.m., closing at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
• CVS and Walgreens, both on Main Street, each remain open 24 hours, even on Christmas.
• The Westfield Shopping Center in Farmington will be open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Dec. 20 – Dec. 23, and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 24.

Of course, there are other options available to you as well if you can’t get out of the house. Many businesses have online gift certificates that can be purchased moments beforehand and gifted through email.

This was an option I took advantage of for my mother as we celebrated earlier this month. My brothers had combined to get her a Kindle for a vacation she would be taking at the end of December, so the day of the family party, I went on to Amazon.com and bought an online gift certificate for her to purchase reading materials for the Kindle.

As she opened the Kindle, I clicked the forward button and moments later she was unwrapping her gift from her cell phone with the Kindle still in hand.

It was a bonus for me to see the smile as the gifts all rolled in together.

So as you think about the ways to finish off that last minute shopping, take a look at your options and enjoy your procrastination successes. I know I will. Happy gift hunting!