Each year it seems that the holiday season comes faster and faster. We went from seeing stores decorated for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving to seeing them before Halloween. Despite the seemingly “longer” Christmas season, a Hilton Honors study of consumer trends revealed that over 50% of Americans procrastinate on their Christmas shopping. ¹ So if you are in the 50% trolling stores for gifts the week of Christmas you aren’t alone.
Not to mention, that this year Christmas shopping is a whole new ballgame. With the coronavirus many people aren’t shopping in stores but purchasing online. And not only that, we now have to consider the ability your gift recipients will have to use what you get them. A gift card to a restaurant or the movies may not work right now.
So, what can you do if you are in the crunch and wondering what to get for the people on your list? Here is our Top 5 Pandemic-Friendly Last-Minute Gifts list to help you decide and believe me these gifts are so unique you might even get the “Present of the Year Award”!
Top 5 Pandemic-Friendly Last-Minute Gifts²
- An Annual Membership to MasterClass
(available at masterclass.com, cost $180.00)
With exclusive videos and workbooks, MasterClass gives your giftee access to the best in food, music, sports, entertainment, art, and more. That means, they can finally learn how to whip up a meal like Gordon Ramsey or serve like Serena Williams ... right?
- Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set by LIXADA
(available at amazon.com, cost $35.99)
Ease your giftee’s tension at the fraction of the price of a deep tissue massage. When they rest on this mat, they'll comfort stiff muscles and minor aches with more than 8,000 acupressure points.
- Classic Cheese of the Month Club from MURRAY'S
(available at murrayscheese.com, cost $63.00)
Make your giftee’s next wine and cheese night on you. At the start of every month, a selection of three to four cheeses are shipped overnight, so they arrive fresh and ready to be enjoyed. And who doesn’t love cheese?
- 100 Movies Scratch Off Poster by ENNO VATTI
(available at amazon.com, cost $27.97)
Movie buffs will be all over this challenge: When your loved one watches one of these classic titles, he or she can scratch it off to reveal iconic artwork.
- Escape Room Stargazer's Manor by THINK FUN
(available at amazon.com, cost $21.56)
Turn their living room into an escape room with this family-friendly game. By solving puzzles and games in an allotted timeframe, they'll uncover the truth behind the whereabouts of the town's missing astronomer all without having to leave the house.
Wait! What if Santa is Extra Good to You This Year? ³
Wait! What if Santa is Extra Good to You This Year? ³We all have someone special to buy for each year, maybe it’s a wife or husband, mother, father, whoever it is we often get them a more expensive and more special gift to show them how much we love them. If you are the recipient of an expensive gift this year, you may have more to think about than just how nice that watch is or how much those diamonds sparkle. What we almost never do, is question whether the gift is so special it should be insured.
To begin with, it’s important to know exactly what your homeowner’s policy covers both in the event of damage or destruction of your house or theft of your new gift. Often your policy will not be sufficient enough to cover the gift you received and additional insurance will need to be purchased.
However, you have options some of which include increasing your coverage, raising your liability limit with an endorsement to your existing policy, or purchasing a "floater," or personal articles policy, to cover a specific item.
You may not have heard of a “floater” before, but they can be very useful. Purchasing a “floater” for a specific item offers broader protection as it covers any type of loss for that item. You can insure your new gift alone or bundle it with other items. The types of things covered with this policy are very often used as Christmas gifts. You can insure everything from jewelry to furs, cameras, electronics, musical instruments, fine art, sports memorabilia, and more. At the end of the day, it’s important to know what insurance you need for what you have and typically you will pay a minimal amount for coverage that may amount to several thousands of dollars.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and good luck out there in the fray of Christmas shopping!
The Wiswall Agency
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