Last-minute Christmas gift ideas that will save you time and stress
With Christmas just days away, last-minute shopping doesn’t have to feel like a panic mission. After all, it’s not about how early you shopped, but how thoughtful the gift feels when it’s unwrapped.
Image: Stanislav Rozhkov on Unsplash
Christmas is a week away, and malls are buzzing with last-minute shoppers who are trying to get those last-minute gifts.
Shopping for Christmas gifts can be a fun activity, but it can be stressful, especially if you're not sure what you want to buy.
But fret not, here are a few options that can make Christmas gift shopping a little easier.
The Body Shop's Spa of the World collection
A trip to the spa might be out of your gift price range, but how about a product that blends refined textures and evocative fragrances, featuring naturally inspired ingredients that create an immersive, spa-like moment at home?
From the calming fragrance of the Japanese Camellia Cream to the softening benefits of Brazilian Cupuaçu, each product is meticulously crafted to provide a sensorial restorative experience.
The Brazilian Cupuaçu Body Scrub-In-Oil retails for R600 and the French Grape Seed Body Scrub for R280, making the perfect gift combo. The Japanese Camellia Body Cream or the Hawaiian Kukui Body Cream, which both retail for R550, are great choices.
From the calming fragrance of the Japanese Camellia Cream to the softening benefits of Brazilian Cupuaçu, each product is meticulously crafted to provide a sensorial, restorative experience.
Image: Supplied
Sol de Janeiro
A trip to Brazil might be financially overstretching, but gifting someone the feeling of Rio doesn't have to be. Sol de Janeiro has gained immense popularity for good reason; not only do they give that summer feeling, but they are also worth the hype.
You can never go wrong with a gift set, and Sol de Janeiro’s limited-edition holiday gift sets are designed to bring joy and excitement.
From the award-winning Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, known for visibly firmer-looking skin and an irresistible sunny scent, to Cheirosa perfume mist with notes of pistachio and salted caramel, every set promises to delight and shine.
You can never go wrong with a gift set, and Sol de Janeiro’s limited-edition holiday gift sets are designed to bring joy and excitement.
Image: Supplied
Champagne
A celebratory bottle of champagne is the perfect gift to arrive with at those Christmas parties.
Moët & Chandon offered personalisation services of their celebration bottles, elevating a simple bottle into something special for your loved one. This was done at a pop-up store in Hyde Park.
A celebratory bottle of champagne is the perfect gift to arrive with at those Christmas parties.
Image: Supplied
In Cape Town, Veuve Clicquot’s acclaimed photographic exhibition Emotions of the Sun, in collaboration with the legendary Magnum Photos agency, includes a gifting boutique, where personalisation allows guests to create bespoke Veuve Clicquot collectables, from the Clicquot Arrow and Ice Jacket to limited-edition summer accessories.
If you are not lucky enough to get it personalised, a limited-edition celebration bottle of any champagne will do. Champane gift set with glasses, like the Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee, which has two glasses, makes the perfect gift. The box retails for R749.
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Ice Jacket Wine Cooler
Image: Supplied
MaXhosa × Woolworths collaboration
Rooted in African tradition and refined through contemporary design, the Woolworths x MaXhosa Lifestyle range reimagines everyday luxury for the modern home.
Each piece blends MaXhosa’s signature Xhosa beadwork-inspired designs with the exceptional quality and craftsmanship synonymous with Woolworths.
From a flower or wine bag, a tea or coffee tin, or a double-wall vacuum stainless steel bottle, there is something for every budget, with prices ranging from R99 to R3999.
From a flower or wine bag, a tea or coffee tin, or a double-wall vacuum stainless steel bottle, there is something for every budget.
Image: MaXhosa lifestyle
Sony gadgets
If someone on your list lives with headphones practically glued to their ears, the Sony WH-1000XM6 is the gift that keeps on giving. This is the next evolution in noise cancellation, powered by the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3 that's seven times faster than its predecessor.
Perfect for long flights, marathon work sessions, or just tuning out the world and retails for R8,999.00. For those who prefer something more compact, the WF-C710N earbuds pack an impressive punch in a pocket-sized package.
Dual microphones enhance the noise-cancelling function by detecting surrounding noise and reducing performance degradation from fit variations. They retail for R1,899.00.
The WF-C710N earbuds pack an impressive punch in a pocket-sized package.
Image: Supplied
Sunglasses
You can never go wrong with gifting sunglasses. Perfect for anyone who loves to express themselves, sunglasses aren’t just an accessory; they’re a statement, making them the ultimate Christmas gift.
The 2025 Police Eyewear collection is all about bold, confident style, from reinvented aviators to sleek rectangular frames in the season’s standout Mocha Mousse shade.
With Christmas just days away, last-minute shopping doesn’t have to feel like a panic mission.
Whether you’re gifting a little luxury from The Body Shop, bringing the festive mood with a bottle of bubbly, spoiling someone with feel-good fragrances from Sol de Janeiro, or investing in statement homeware and cutting-edge tech, these options make gifting effortless and meaningful.
After all, it’s not about how early you shopped, but how thoughtful the gift feels when it’s unwrapped
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