KEY POINTS:
Breakfast co-presenter Paul Henry: "My recommendation is to leave it to the last three hours of Christmas shopping. You'll be amazed how empty the stores are and thrilled with the bargains. Elaborate Christmas decorations, which can be given with love and thoughtfulness, are almost given away in the
last couple of hours. The key is to give all gifts as though you bought them months in advance, with a sensitivity that shines through as you hand the precious item over (no one will ever know)."
Target presenter Jeanette Thomas: "To save even having to buy a last-minute Christmas gift, have a generic present that is suitable for a male or female wrapped and waiting in the cupboard. I suggest a six-pack of stylish glass coasters - you may not need it but, if you do, it's at your fingertips and saves all the stress and embarrassment."
Katherine McRae, Shortland Street's Brenda Holloway: "If you need a last-minute present for kids, making a lolly necklace out of Roses chocolates always works a treat. They look great and are very cheap."
Campbell Live reporter Jaquie Brown: "Make something. Nothing says 'I care - but I'm not emotionally strong enough to cope with shopping in the malls this time of year' than homemade mince pies ... Or pay someone from Student Job Search to do it for you and you've helped them and helped yourself. Ah, Christmas."
Actress Antonia Prebble, Outrageous Fortune's Loretta West: "I just got a really wicked hammock for Siobhan [Marshall, who plays Pascalle in Outrageous Fortune]. I think they're original yet practical presents."
C4 presenter Jane Yee: "A poker set is a good last-minute gift idea for those who like to entertain or for families. They usually come with casino-weight chips, so it's all the fun of the casino without any actual risk to your wallet."
3 Sport presenter and Boxing Day races "fashions in the field" compere James Gemmell: "My best last-minute Christmas buy was by mistake. It was about six or seven years ago, I'd done all my Christmas shopping and had saved enough to treat myself to a Discman I loved it, took it everywhere. Anyway, not long after my brother was leaving to study in the UK, and as we all stood at the departure gate he looked pretty sad about leaving, so I gave him the Discman, figuring he needed it more than me. Dunno if he ever really used it, but it seemed to mean a lot at the time. I'm expecting an iPod back from him any time soon ..."
Dom Harvey, The Edge Morning Madhouse: "You can't go wrong with a box of sampler biscuits all wrapped and ready to go ... If you are really frugal, you can even get away with giving a box as a family present. And ... you can buy them from the supermarket. Brilliant."
