Last-minute Christmas gift guide for any budget

So you’ve left some of your Christmas shopping to the last possible moment and have to make a mad dash to the shops to pick up the final one or two presents. It’s OK, it’s a busy time of year and it happens. No matter your budget, here’s some great last-minute gift ideas that should help you cross that final person off your gift list. UNDER $50 These stocking-stuffers won’t break the bank. JBL Go 3 Mini portable Bluetooth speaker: $44.95 at Myer, $48 at Officeworks and Harvey Norman, $49 at JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys (price may vary with colour) These little speakers deliver some decent audio quality and volume despite their size and come in a few different colour options. They also have an IP67 waterproof rating, so they’re great for the beach, pool or shower. YETI Yonder 750ML bottle with Yonder chug cap: $37.95 at BCF, Macpac and Tentworld For those people in your life who love to stay hydrated but have perhaps been put off by the weight of YETI’s flagship range of metal Rambler bottles, the company now offers drink bottles made with BPA-free 50 per cent recycled plastic. They come in a range of colours and sizes from 600ml to 1.5 litre but are only half as heavy as the Rambler range. Koko Black Christmas gift box 190g: $49.90 at Koko Black Go above and beyond the box of Cadbury Favourites and impress your sweet-toothed gift recipient with this 16 piece Christmas-themed selection of premium chocolates. “From ganache infused with fresh orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg, rum-soaked raisins and Baileys, treat them to a very special box of pralines including new festive flavours and our most-loved favourites,” reads the Koko Black website’s product description. Just don’t leave them in the car on a hot day. Great Northern utensil & apron pack: $49.95 at Barbeques Galore Christmas in Australia is all about the barbie, so consider gifting the Christmas lunch cook with something they can crack open and use right away. The Great Northern beer-themed set includes an apron, tongs and a spatula, complete with oak handles and a bottle opener. UNDER $100 Double the budget, double the fun. Here’s some quick gift ideas if your budget allows for a little more flexibility. High Tea For Me loose leaf gift pack: $95 from T2 stores Whether you’re buying for someone who already enjoys a cuppa, or perhaps needs some zen time in their day, this funky little T2 set comes complete with a solo teapot, cup, saucer and two loose leaf mini tea tins with French Earl Grey and New York Breakfast. Your guess is as good as mine as to what makes the tea taste like France or New York. Wanderer four-person wicker picnic basket: on sale at BCF for $99.99, down from $149.99 Australians love getting outdoors, and what better excuse is there than having a picnic? A favourite of celebrities like Yogi Bear, this picnic set includes a separate food cooler bag, four wine glasses, plates and cutlery. If you’re happy to go a little bit more over budget, throw in some fancy cheeses, crackers, olives or other easy-to-eat favourites. Christmas Bathtime Favourites gift box: $92 from LUSH “Eight festive fizzers boasting a sackful of different fruity, sweet, citrusy, spicy scents are all packed into this beautifully designed box, perfect for storing your treasures in again next year,” reads the product description on LUSH’s website. Perfect for the person in your life who always wanted to smell like a Christmas pudding. Grown Alchemist travel kit: $100 at David Jones What if the person you’re buying for isn’t really a bath person? Try the Grown Alchemist travel kit, complete with a carry bag and full of fancy toiletries. It features a facial cleanser, body cleanser, body cream, shampoo, conditioner, hand cream, polishing facial exfoliant, and a hydra-repair day cream. Just make sure your recipient doesn’t think you’re trying to say they need a wash. UNDER $200 You’re going all-out, you must really like this person. Paradoxe Intense Eau de Parfum 50ml: $200 at Myer It’s difficult to express the odour of something through the medium of text, but here’s how Prada describes this perfume: “A floral ambery fragrance with a woody inflexion that reveals the paradoxical intensity of delicate ingredients: the powerful lift of a delicate Jasmine flower and the vibrant and enveloping warmth of an Amber accord, intensified by a subtle yet instantly recognisable Moss accord.” If that means nothing to you, you aren’t alone, but you should know this perfume won The Fragrance Foundation’s Fragrance of the Year in the Women’s Prestige category for 2023. Ryze Tello drone Powered by DJI: on sale for $149 at JB Hi-Fi, $168 at Retravision, $169 at The Good Guys Drones are still a popular gift for the tech enthusiast or amateur photographer who already has everything else. If you know your recipient is interested in drones but doesn’t want to fork out for a mid-to-high-end model, this budget drone could be right up their aeronautic alley. Also make sure they check out the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s drone rules page, unless you want them to get slapped with a huge Christmas Day fine. Davis & Waddell cocktail set with acacia stand: on sale for $109.95 at Kitchen Warehouse, down from $139.95 For the aspiring bartender, cocktail connoisseur or spirit sommelier in your life, treat them to this 10-piece bar set in gold finish. It features a shaker, muddler, mixing spoon, Hawthorne strainer, waiter’s corkscrew, ice tongs, jigger, two pourers, and a wooden stand. And no, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know what half those things are, just know anyone who enjoys mixology will greatly appreciate it. Russell Hobbs 8 litre SatisFry XL air fryer: $178 at Retravision, $179 at Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, and Betta Electrical A warning with this one: If you buy this for someone, there’s a good chance within a few weeks they’re going to become a raving air fryer addict. People love these things for the convenience, the health benefits of not cooking with oil, and the newer models not being as loud as the first few generations of air fryer. This 8 litre Russell Hobbs model can cook at up to 220C, has seven cooking functions and 10 preset programs and even an alarm to remind you to shake food that needs it halfway through cooking. YOU WON LOTTO You didn’t say you were working with that kind of budget. In that case, might we suggest: A PRIVATE ISLAND For a scant $18,454,800 you could 6ha of paradise off the south of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. Privateislandsonline.com handles the sales and purchases of private islands across the world, and some of them are found within Australia – including Pumpkin Island. “This tiny gem … offers you eco-friendly accommodation for up to 34 guests in five self-contained oceanfront guest cottages with outdoor decks, two bungalows with an open air kitchen and bathroom facilities. The island is completely off grid and powered by solar, wind and with plenty of rain water storage,” boasts the island’s listing. Full disclosure though, you won’t “own” the island; it would still belong to the Queensland government, but the cost would cover a 99-year lease. Still, if you’ve got the cash and the need to secure a last-minute Christmas gift, this could be the island paradise for you.