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Last-minute gift ideas for frazzled holiday shoppers

Head straight for places that sell great stuff to avoid running around.

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By Robin McMacken, Staff Writer 5:55 PM Monday, December 19, 2011

Attention procrastinators: We have last-minute holiday gift ideas to help you cruise through the remaining shopping days and land into Christmas with all the aplomb and ease of Santa Claus.

Here are some tips to avoid the last-minute scramble for Christmas gift-giving:

Head for the grocery store gift-card kiosk, where you usually can find gift cards in such categories as entertainment, dining out, travel, sports and clothing.

On a recent trip to Kroger on E. Stroop Road in Kettering, I found an impressive array of cards: from iTunes and Red Lobster to Lowe’s and Starbucks.

You can also log on to giftcards.kroger.com for ideas.

Another idea: See if your favorite online merchant offers e-gift cards for instant gifting this holiday season. (Victoria’s Secret, Barnes & Noble and Walmart, for example, offer e-gift cards.)

Many major online merchants, including JCPenney, Kohl’s and Target, are promoting today as the last day to order and have gifts delivered by Christmas.

Free shipping offers are still plentiful online, too, so do your research before you proceed to checkout.

If you have run out of wrapping paper, help is on the way via the Internet. Log on to gift-wrapit.com and download free templates for wrapping paper and matching gift tags and cards.

Choose from traditional Christmas motifs or fun, abstract, printable gift wrap patterns.

I love this idea the site has for gift wrapping: Embellish gift-wrapping and gift tags with metallic-ink pens in silver and gold for a festive holiday look.

Take a break from the laptop and visit the PNC 2nd Street Market from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Choose from about 40 vendors, according to Val Hunt Beerbower, public relations specialist for Five Rivers MetroParks, including holiday season-only vendors.

Find stocking stuffers, including plush baby hats, socks and toys from Pure Beginning, for example, or carved wooden frogs or incense from Asian Collection.

Friends of the Humane Society is selling dog and cat toys, as well as small dog coats.

If you need last-minute host or hostess gifts, then consider wine or specialty spirits from the Wine Gallery; cheese and crackers or figs from Spice Rack and Bulk Foods; fresh flowers and holiday arrangements from the Flowerman; or sweet breads or rolls from Big Sky Bread.

The market is at 600 E. Second St. in Dayton. For more details, call (937) 228-2088.

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