Last Minute Gift Ideas When Your Only Option Is the Drug Store

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Well, well, well. The hour is near and you need a last minute gift. Perhaps you’ve put off your Secret Santa gift exchange or you’ve had a surprise guest who now needs a gift so they don’t feel left out. It’s too late for even the fastest online delivery, and most viable retail store options have already closed. All that’s left to do is come up with an excuse to leave the house and rush to the local 24-hour pharmacy.

Luckily, running to the pharmacy at the last minute doesn’t have to be as bad as it seems. With a little creativity, you can give a gift to a special (or not so special) person quickly and inexpensively.

I’ve carefully divided your gift options into three tiers. The first is for gift givers willing to panic and shell out a little extra cash to create something somewhat personalized. The second level involves purchasing individual items that are simply passable gift options. The third level is warning.

Level one: DIY signature collections

Like the chef who turns baskets of mystery ingredients into three-course meals on Chopped , this gift category is all about your innovation. In these DIY schemes, the sum is greater than the sum of its parts, which should all be available at most chain pharmacies. Here are some of our themed collection ideas, but you can customize them to suit your needs.

  • Movie night : Popcorn. Unusual filling for popcorn. Candies. Hot chocolate. Fluffy socks. A small piece of paper with your Netflix login on it. You can’t go wrong with a cozy movie night theme.

  • Pamper yourself : Consider spa supplies like face masks, nail polish, and bath bombs. Add a candle to create a relaxing atmosphere.

  • Health and Wellness . Find gummy vitamins, supplements, protein powder and whatever else catches your eye in the fitness department. Be careful: this option can get expensive quickly. (Plus, we think vitamins are mostly useless , even if they’re personalized.)

  • The Jetsetter : Choose from a variety of travel essentials, including earplugs and maybe even a neck pillow ( with a note on how to wear it properly ).

  • Techie : Head to the electronics section and go crazy with any gadgets available in your price range. Portable chargers and speakers are quality gifts in themselves.

Level two: the thought is important

These items aren’t necessarily bad gifts, but many of them can easily be spotted as last-minute purchases. The success of second-level gifts in a pharmacy will depend on the charm of the giver and the coldness of the recipient.

  • Gift cards

  • Candles

  • Cosmetic bags

  • Therapeutic massager

  • Jewelry

  • Isolated mugs

  • Calendars or planners

  • Laptops

  • Coffee/tea packages

  • Wine and corkscrew (depending on your state’s liquor laws)

  • Photo frames

  • Electronics such as headphones or portable chargers.

Level three: “Gifts” that will do more harm than good

Hey buddy. All is lost, right? Personally, I recommend lying about an imaginary gift that didn’t arrive on time. If you’re not sure you can give a joke gift, proceed with caution if you decide to give someone anything from the list below.

  • Lottery tickets

  • Team stripes

  • Batteries

  • Pregnancy test

  • Beef jerky

  • Laxatives

  • Toilet plunger

  • Laxatives and a toilet plunger tied with a bow.

Here it is. If you have access to a pharmacy, you can put together a last-minute gift with moderate success.

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