Depending on the age, gender and identity of the recipients of the last minute Christmas  gifts to be purchased in the holiday frenzy, there is most likely a great gift to be found, even if only mere hours before Santa is set to arrive.  If kids remain outstanding on the list, gift cards for toy stores, book stores, or video game rental outlets can be a welcome choice, and are widely available at major drug and convenience stores.  A similar strategy can be perfect for the adults still in need of presents, as gift cards and certificates for restaurants, clothing stores, and large retailers of all descriptions are as close as the neighborhood pharmacy.  If something more immediately tangible and substantively wrappable is desired, a premium bottle of wine or alcohol may do the trick, and is something that can be purchased on the way to any holiday gathering.

If the last minute Christmas gifts needed are for closer family members or perhaps immediate family, something more personal may fit the bill.  A great idea for fast, simple, yet highly significant present is to chose one or more family photos stored on a computer or other electronic device, send the file via email to a drug store photo center nearby, have prints made, and then pop the gifts into decorative frames.  Another quick, but meaningful gift is to create custom, personalized gift certificates for a personal service of some type.  Babysitting services, housecleaning, cooking or massage are all ideas that make great, and happily welcomed last minute gifts.

In a perfect world, Christmas shopping would be done by Thanksgiving, and the whole of December could be spend trimming the tree, baking cookies, and enjoying endless cups of holiday cheer.  However, the frenetic pace of most lives and the rapidity with which schedules fill with work, social, and family obligations almost certainly ensures the necessity of some eleventh hour shopping.  Luckily, it is increasingly easy and convenient to find surprisingly thoughtful and appropriate last minute Christmas gifts for virtually any name on a holiday list.

The types of gifts you can buy for fathers are as varied as the interests of men all over the world.  While it may be true that men are interested in the same things, let’s be honest — just because you’re a guy doesn’t mean you like all the same things as the next guy on the block.

Let’s start by tackling the important last minute gifts for Dad you should AVOID:

• Ties
• Golf Accessories
• DVDs

Unless your Pops is in serious need of a new necktie as a gift… unless he is getting very serious about his golfing game… unless he is a DVD collector of some extravagant means, please please please avoid buying these usual gifts.  Since you’re already doing research about finding a great last minute gift for Dad, let’s get serious here and try to put in a bit more effort to find that gift that’s going to really turn his head.

Since women are usually the featured gift recipients, unfortunately men are often overlooked in the gifting department — especially the man of the house.  This is a great opportunity to make Dad feel really special by getting him a gift he’ll never forget.

Let’s consider some questions you should think about before choosing a gift for Papa…

• Has he mentioned anything he would like to have lately?
• What are his lifelong interests?
• What are some of his newer interests?
• Has he lost anything lately that could be replaced?

Sometimes that great gift idea is lurking right under your nose.  Use these questions as a starting point for coming up with ideas to make your gift purchase go as well as you would hope.

Here are some of our recommended last minute gifts for Dad:

Picture Frame
If you have any old or new pics of you and the old man lying around, this could be a great time to frame it up and surprise him.  Or, maybe there’s some other pic he’d like to have framed.  Him and mom from days gone by.  Him in the old Porsche cruising down the canyon road.  Or him as a young boy sporting his stuff.  As long as the pic is special, he’ll love this one.

Grip Master Hand Exerciser
Is your father carrying around lots of tension every day?  This grip master exerciser could be a great way for him to alleviate some of his day-to-day stress and start feeling better.

Family Tent
Does your Dad enjoy gifts for the outdoors?  If so, a new tent for his camping expeditions could be exactly what he needs!  There are tons of options available, so be sure to pick one that fits his style.  Is he a solo camper or more of a family man?  Find the right tent camping gift for your Dad.

Bowflex Treadmill
Is he an exerciser extraordinaire?  Or is he looking to start feeling better and working out more every day?  Consider hooking him up with a treadmill.  This bowflex workout machine is one of the most highly recommended of its kind on the web.

Swiss Army Knife
Maybe you’re looking for something really simple but highly useful.  If so, this swiss army knife could be a great last minute gift for Dad.  Check it out!