A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

Still struggling to find a gift for Father's Day?  No sweat!  I've been keeping tabs on the greatest gifts for Dad, including all the options guaranteed to arrive by Sunday.  Here's a handy round-up of top last-minute gifts for Father's Day:

• Fighter Pilot Simulator for Two:  Your mission - give Dad a nickname and send him off to get his wings.  Better yet, join him for a day of virtual air combat and non-stop Top Gun references.
• Beer-of-the-Month Club Subscription:  It's the gift that keeps on giving and more than makes up for forgotten birthdays.  Choose between 3, 4, 6 and 12 month subscriptions.
• Grilling Greatness Gift Basket:  All the ingredients he needs to earn the title of Top Chef Grill Master.  Be sure to order by Friday 12PM EDT.
• Gifts.com Gift Card:  When in doubt, let him decide what he wants.  Whether it's tickets to the big game, his latest gadget obsession or a new set of clubs, this card gives Dad permission to treat himself.

Tick tock, tick tock.  Mother’s Day is just hours away!  Whether you are a procrastinator or simply forgot that Mother’s Day is this Sunday, the Gift Gurus can offer you one final lifeline.  Order a gorgeous bouquet from 1-800-Flowers by Friday noon EST and have it delivered to your mom just in time.  She’ll love this pretty Sorbet Bouquet presented in a stylish clear vase wrapped in a tea leaf.

While you are at it, make sure to check out their Martha Stewart Collection and schedule delivery for all those birthdays, anniversaries and thank yous that always seem to slip your mind.

Over the flower thing?  Here are more fabulous gifts you can still order by noon EST on Friday and get to Mom in time:

• For Caffeinated Mom:  She’ll love drinking her morning cup of joe from this Wicked Cool Mom Mug.
  
• For Sentimental Mom:  Let her keep loved ones close to her heart with this Mom Heart Locket.
• For Chocoholic Mom:  Satisfy her sweet tooth with this decadent Chocolate Mousse Torte.
• For Impossible-to-Please Mom:  Let her decide exactly what she wants with the Gifts.com Gift Card. 

Whatever you do, don't send your kids to school on May 6 without Teacher's Day gifts. And since most teachers' desks will probably be piled high with a collection of apple keepsakes, mugs and bath sets, you might want to choose something a little different this year. The Gifts.com Gift Card is an option that will allow your child's teacher to select something he or she really wants.

Teachers can redeem the card for something that suits their interests outside of school. If he loves going to rock concerts or sports games he can redeem it for gift cards to Ticketmaster. If she's got a serious shopping addiction, she can redeem it for gift certificates to Macy's or J. Crew. My bet is, no matter what, teachers won't be redeeming the Gifts.com Gift Card for a "#1 Teacher" paperweight. 

Gifts.com Gift Card starting at $25

When it comes to Assistant's Day Gifts, you don't want to give something that's too personal, but you also don't want to give something that your assistant will just set aside a few days later. That's why the Gifts.com Gift Card is a good way to show how much you appreciate your assistant's hard work.

It's a good choice for both male and female assistants because they can choose where to spend the card. If she's into fashion she can redeem it for gift cards to Bloomingdale's or Banana Republic and if he likes eating out he can redeem it for gift certificates to T.G.I. Friday's or Cheesecake Factory.  

Gifts.com Gift Card starting at $25

By now you've made your list and checked it twice, but if you're like me, you've probably had a few last-minute additions (gotta hate those). Rather than buying a run-of-the-mill gift card, why not give something that matters like JustGive's charity gift certificates? You can help feed the hungry, protect the animals or save the environment—all in the name of your recipient. It's a gift that goes on and on and on. And it's a gift you can print out at any time–even on Christmas before you see your recipient. What a lifesaver! 

JustGive Charity Gift Certificate starting at $50

If you're like me, you're stressing over final holiday plans, squeezing in quality time with everyone you love and making those last-minute gift purchases. Well, I can't help with your travel plans or social calendar, but I've got an excellent suggestion for a last-minute gift that isn't too late to buy for Christmas. 

A Tea-of-the-Month Club membership is a gift that will keep on giving for months after the final gift under the tree has been unwrapped. And more importantly, it's a gift that you can print out or email on Christmas morning if you have to. Perfect for the tea lover and anyone who has heard about the benefits of tea from green to black to red but doesn't quite know where to begin in trying new ones, the Tea-of-the-Month Club brings specialty teas from boutique suppliers to the recipients home every month. There–now you can get back to stressing over everything else!

Tea-of-the-Month Club starting at $74.85

If you just found out that your teenage niece (cousin, step sister, etc.) is coming Christmas morning and you don't know where to begin to find a gift, here's a last minute solution that the whole family can chip in for. You can send this gift via email or print it out moments before she arrives. 

With the Teen Makeup Experience for Two, her and a friend get VIP treatment and will learn what works for their skin tone from a professional makeup artist. They’ll get to experiment with cool products, learn new tips and get a free sample to take home. Back in the day when my makeup case was stuffed with black lipstick and crazy eye-shadows, I’m sure my parents wished I had some more guidance in the beauty department! Teenage trendanistas and girly girls will freak if they get this experience for Christmas.

Teen Makeup Experience for Two starting at $225

You still have a few Christmas gifts to buy, you don't want to blow your shopping budget on overnight shipping fees and you'd rather not give a gift that's completely impersonal. Now what?

Give the Gifts.com Gift Card. You can email it or print it out for your recipient long after the last FEDEX delivery is complete. And it's the perfect thing for pretty much anyone on your list because unlike standard gift cards that can only be redeemed at the store you choose, this card puts the choice into your recipients hands. The Gifts.com Gift Card can be redeemed for a gift card to any of the 100+ participating merchants like Crate & Barrel, iTunes, SpaWish.com, Ticketmaster and Macy's. 

And it's probably just about the only gift you can personalize today and still get to your recipient by Christmas! You can add your own photo and holiday message before you hit send.

Personalized Gifts.com Photo Gift Card starting at $25 

TGIF? Twas the weekend before Christmas and your shopping's not done. Not a parking spot available, not anywhere near the mall. The stockings are hung (empty!) by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nichols will soon save your rear.

Don't count on it! Instead the Gift Gurus will save your rear with last minute gift ideas you can order online and email or print at the very last second. 

For the life of the party: A night of wine tasting in a city of his or her choice.

For your snap-happy mother-in-law: A Shutterfly gift certificate so she can get prints of all her holiday shots. 

For your outdoorsmen uncle: Help him gear up with a L.L. Bean gift certificate.   

For your x-tremely sporty nephew: Send him to snowboarding camp for kids. 

For your daredevil brother: An adrenaline-filled hang gliding adventure. 

For your preppy cousin: A Ralph Lauren gift certificate to help refresh his or her wardrobe.

I can't argue that material items aren't nice, but my favorite gifts have usually been experiences that will create lasting memories. With time rapidly running out to finish Christmas shopping, Gourmet Cooking Classes could be the perfect last-minute idea for those final hard-to-shop-for people on your list.

It's an experience that brings people together, creates memories and teaches some great cooking skills that can be used again and again. A Gourmet Cooking Class is ideal for foodies, cooks and busy professionals who need an excuse to wind down for a couple of hours. My fellow Gift Guru, Dan T., and I took the class. Watch our video to see what we learned and what our classmates thought. And for all of the procrastinators out there–remember, this is a gift you can email to your recipient at the very last minute. 

Gourmet Cooking Classes starting at $50