Only ten days away from the holiday, I hope you’re ready! But if you’re not, no need to fear, cause I’m here for you with a quick guide to the holidays.

If  you’re anything like me, Christmas is so much more than a religious holiday or a chance to sped money on people we care about– it’s a time to celebrate everything this holiday means to us while appreciating the people we have in our lives to celebrate with. And since I’ve been avoiding going out in public for the past two days, I’ve had some time to come up with a few ideas for gifts if you’re still a little stuck. Take a look.

For Parents

If your parents are anything like mine, they probably answered your question of what they want for Christmas with something like “I don’t want anything I don’t already have” OR “I want more time and sleep.” Neither of those answers might seem very helpful, but actually, there’s a way to still do something with them. I feel like candles are something you can never go wrong with when it comes to parents, but what about the time?

Take them out to breakfast or cook one of their favorite meals for them, maybe watch some videos on how to do a good massage and lull someone to sleep the nice way. I know it can be hard to think of good gift ideas, but at a certain point, it really is the thought that counts. Just find something they’d appreciate and go from there. Don’t overthink it.

For Friends

Do you have any friends who are super into dogs, music, or really anything that they just really love? Can’t go wrong with a nice T-shirt or a mug, maybe even a solid pair of comfy socks with a nice graphic on it. Have you checked out Etsy? Depending on what you’re looking for, it just might be your one stop shop for anything you want. Looking for jewelry? Got it. Beanies or scarves? Got that too. Not only does it have a lot of cool options for out-of-the-box thinking, but a lot of the time the shipping is quick and if anything goes wrong, you can usually switch things out if you need to.

For Family

One of the greatest things about family is that you can get them almost anything and they will probably appreciate it. Good thing is, it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to make a nice gift. If you’ve got some classic family pictures or even an old notebook, put some memories to paper and tope em off with a bow. Nothing says I appreciate you more than reminding someone of all the good moments you’ve shared. And speaking of good moments, when it comes to family, terrible snapchats and bad candids are never off limits; do something with that you’ve got!

For Anyone Else

Chances are, if you’re looking to give someone a gift then you at least have an idea of what they would like. But if you’ve got no clue, then here are just a few: Succulents are always a nice gift because they’re easy to care for and can add a pop of color to any room; a small gift basket of lotions, bath salts, or candles for a nice night of relaxing; when all else fails, gift cards are a good go-to. Places like Target, Starbucks, and Kohls always have a good selection of things for people to buy. Oh, and food– homemade food, from cookies to fudge, usually makes a wonderful gift for anyone.

The holidays are upon us and I hope that this has offered you a few options if you’re scrambling for gift ideas this year. On another note, I hope everyone remembers that the holidays are about more than giving presents to people we care about, but also about thinking of the people who cannot truly celebrate the holidays the way they want to. With the recent fires, many people lost their homes or their possessions, as well as many who are simply not as well off as others.

If you’ve got any left over holiday cash or just want to give back to the world around you, think about donating what you’ve got to other people this year and spreading the cheer. Take a look these two websites here and here, or take a look at the Red Cross for just a few ways to give back.

That’s it for this week, happy holiday shopping and congratulations on the end of another semester for all those students finally making their ways to break!