Gift ideas for last-minute shoppers
You could say it's crunchtime.
It's Christmas Eve, and you've got your work cut out for you if haven't finished Christmas shopping yet.
But you don't need to panic. There still are plenty of items to buy, and plenty of hours to shop.
No one needs to know you waited until the last minute if you do it right.
For example, you can stop into the new, temporary Harry and David shop at Geneva Commons, and put together a fabulous gift basket that looks like you've thought about exactly what to get the recipient.
The store even has many baskets already put together. Or if you want, you can pick out the Moose Munch, pears or nuts you want on your own, and buy just one, or put them all together in a wrapped basket.
Waiting until the last minute is good in this situation, because it means your items will be the freshest they can be.
The store will stay open until 5 p.m. today.
It's all about the kids: If it's toys you are after, you may want to head to the Learning Express store in Geneva Commons.
The employees there have tips on what to get a kid of any age.
They also know what's been a hot seller this year. For example, one of the hot items at Learning Express stores has been the Doinkit Darts set, which are magnetic darts that are safer for littler ones and a little easier to use for players of all ages.
Glow-in-the-dark footballs and soccer balls have been popular this year, too. The balls get brighter as you throw and use them.
For indoor play, hover soccer balls, especially the ultra glow ball, are a hot item. Even in the winter, you can play soccer inside with the hover ball.
And going back to your childhood, Spirograph has made a comeback and is a gift that's popular among all ages.
Learning Express has plenty of toys still in stock, and ready to be purchased tonight. They can even gift wrap the items you buy.
Most of the stores in Geneva Commons, and the stores in Algonquin Commons too, are slated to stay open until 5 p.m. Christmas Eve for the last-minute shoppers.
However, if you're looking for a general mall gift card, the mall office at Algonquin Commons is only open until 3:30 p.m. today. In Geneva, the mall office is open until 5 p.m.
Early bird options: If you're up early today, and want to finish early, you can head to most Toys R Us and Kohl's locations.
Most Toys R Us locations are staying open 39 hours straight. That marathon started last night. So, if you're an early riser, you can head over there and shop until 9 p.m., when the stores close and take a break for the rest of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Kohl's stores up and down the Randall Road corridor are holding an even more intense marathon.
By the time they close tonight at 6 p.m., many locations will have been open for 100 hours.
Outfits: If you've got your gifts, but just need the perfect outfit to wear to Christmas dinner, there is always the Goodwill Store and Donation Centers along Randall Road in either Carpentersville, South Elgin or Batavia.
There still are racks at each of those locations filled with gaudy Christmas sweaters and accessories that are just ugly enough to help you win the Christmas sweater contest.
Employees in the Carpentersville store said the adorned sweaters have been a hot seller this season, but new donations are always coming in, so you're sure to find something to delight your family in one of the stores, even on Christmas Eve.
On Christmas Eve, the Goodwill stores along the Randall Road corridor all are open until 4 p.m.
Online help: If you've waited so long that the stores are all closed for Christmas Eve and you still haven't found that perfect gift, there is always the option of shopping online.
Susan Huang, owner of Fox Valley eValues and Deals, says she has plenty of options online for last-minute shoppers.
On her website, you an get coupons for local business, but you also can buy admissions to places for less than you normally would if you walked in off the street.
For example, she's offering in-home pet massage packages, eyebrow waxing and indoor golf lessons at a discount at www.foxvalleyildeals.com. You can buy the certificates online, print them out and give them as gifts.
She says she also has items available that you can buy for a gift, and then use for something fun to do with your kids over Christmas break, such as ice skating punch cards to Leafs Ice Center in West Dundee and Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva.
Last resort: If you still haven't gotten anything by Christmas Day, you can hope that Santa will help you out.
Or if not, there is always the old standby of a Starbucks gift card, or something from one of the 24-hour Walgreens stores that you're sure to come across on a corner at your drive to your Christmas destination.
Walgreens does have the hover soccer balls, as well as racks of gift cards, so you have no excuse to show up empty-handed on Christmas.
• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from South Elgin to Batavia. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or at (847) 894-5036.