Surprise!! I Am Bringing (insert Male Name Here ) for Christmas

So there will be an extra guy at Christmas. No big deal if you find out ahead of time, but what if it is at the last minute. You want your guest to be comfortable. You know that everyone else will have gifts to open and the surprise guest should have something too.
If you have time you can buy something appropriate, but you really want to avoid the busiest stores. When I think about Christmas shopping, there are times and places that I avoid. Parking, traffic and weather can add to the stress of crowded stores. Here are some ideas for last minute gifts for guys that might help you to miss those things..

With a day or two left!
Get up early and go to the hardware store. Lowes or Home Depot are full of gifts. There will be some people there, but not as bad as later, or as department stores. At the hardware store there are any number of tools that most guys would find useful. You can buy things in all kinds of price ranges and quality. A gift that will fit anyone is a flashlight. Maybe even a rechargeable flashlight. Want to make it even more deluxe, how about a rechargeable spot light. Any gift can be taken to the extreme. You can also find gloves for all kinds of jobs, from gardening to welding, and more. They range in price from jersey gloves for a little more than a dollar to deluxe gloves that almost cost $100.00. A gift card will work if you are out of both ideas and time.

Lets try a different kind of store - the office supply store. Staples or Office Depot will have calendars for next year. My husband loves the jokes on his daily calendar. Office supply stores even have boxes of cookies and packages of coffee. For some guys a flash drive is ideal, for others not so much. My son loved the one I got for him. There are all kinds of possibilities at the office supply store. Between it and the hardware store you should be able to be home by noon.

Some other places you can try - the local cineplex can provide a gift card to see some movies later. That way you haven't imposed your taste on this unexpected guest. You can pick up some coffee and a cup at your favorite coffee shop or a gift card.. Paneras has great food and gift cards that are often appreciated.

With an hour or less warning!!
This takes a lot more thought on your part. What do you have on hand. Can you make up a tin of cookies or candy? Do you have home made bread, pickles or jam in the basement? Wrap it with tissue and a bow and exhale. This is the time for your ingenuity to come into play. Do you have an unopened jig saw puzzle? It will work unless it has something like a Barbie theme. Did you get a box of chocolate candy? It will only go on your hips anyhow, so it is better to give it to your unexpected guest. Be sure the plastic is still around the box and no busy fingers have taken out just one piece to try. If they did and you didn't notice, there will be lots of embarrassment and laughter.

There are my ideas for last minute guy's gifts, but maybe you could try this instead. Just tell the guest that you didn't expect them. Ask how their Christmas has been so far. Then sit down and actually listen to what they say. It might be the best gift you could give. In these economic times when everyone seems short of money, the one gift that is still available is your time, your concern and your smile.