Last-Minute Gift Ideas When the Only Option Is the Drugstore.

Perhaps you completely forgot about the Secret Santa gift exchange, or the expected delivery date was pushed back to 2026. Whatever your reason, you need a last-minute gift and your options are limited. If you’re reading this when it’s too late for online delivery and stores are already closed, your only option is to use your local 24-hour pharmacy.

If you have access to a major pharmacy chain like Walgreens or CVS, you might have a surprisingly good chance of finding a last-minute gift. With just a little ingenuity, you can transform that gift from a “protein bar” into a “gym collection” or from “a few chipped nail polishes” into a “complete at-home spa treatment.”

Following this logic, I’ve carefully divided your gift options into three categories. The first is for those who are willing to panic and spend a little extra money to create something at least somewhat personalized. The second category includes individual purchases that are simply acceptable gift options. The third category is a warning.

Level One: Handmade Collections.

Like a chef transforming baskets of mystery ingredients into a three-course meal on the cooking show “Chopped,” this gift category is all about your ingenuity. These homemade arrangements, typically found at most chain drugstores, are all about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Here are a few of our ideas for themed collections, but feel free to add to them as you see fit.

• Movie Night : Popcorn. Unusual popcorn toppings. Candy. Hot chocolate. Fluffy socks. A small piece of paper with your Netflix login information. A cozy movie night is a sure bet.

• Pamper yourself : Consider spa-inspired products like face masks, nail polish, and bath bombs. Add a candle to create an atmosphere of relaxation and self-care.

• Health and Wellness : Check the fitness aisle for gummy vitamins, supplements, protein powder, and anything else that catches your eye. Warning: these can quickly become expensive.

• For the travel enthusiast : Choose from a variety of travel essentials, including earplugs and maybe even a neck pillow ( with instructions on how to wear it properly ).

• For tech lovers : head to the electronics section and let your imagination run wild, choosing any gadgets within your budget. Portable chargers and speakers make quality gifts in their own right.

Second level: The main thing is attention.

These items aren’t necessarily bad gifts, but many of them can easily be perceived as last-minute purchases. The success of second-tier gifts from a drugstore will depend on the charm of the giver and the ease of the recipient.

• Gift cards

• Candles

• Cosmetic bags

• Therapeutic massager

• Jewelry

• Thermal mugs

• Calendars or diaries

• Notebooks

• Coffee/tea sets

• Wine and a corkscrew (depending on your state’s alcohol laws).

• Picture frames

• Electronic devices such as headphones or portable chargers.

Third level: “Gifts” that will do more harm than good.

Hey, buddy. All is lost, huh? Personally, I recommend telling a little lie about an imaginary gift that didn’t arrive on time. If you’re unsure of your abilities, proceed with caution if you decide to give someone anything from the list below.

• Lottery tickets

• Command Adhesive Strips

• Batteries

• Pregnancy test

• Dried beef

• Laxatives

• Plunger

• Laxatives and a plunger tied in a bow.

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

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