We’ve all been there: you’re minutes away from a holiday party and you don’t have a single gift to give. Gulp! Here’s how to make the most of whatever store you stumble into. The result? Cool gifts you’ll actually feel good about giving. Hurrah!

If you’re at the craft store...
It’s time to get creative. But don’t worry, you’re surrounded with affordable options. Check out our DIY gift guide for inspiration.

Show the love. A bundle of embroidery floss (it’s super inexpensive) and a note about friendship would be extra cute. You two could spend your vacay making rad BFF bracelets.

Give her an instant hobby. If your girl hearts fashion, consider buying some chunky yarn and oversized knitting needles. In the card, write down some sites where can learn how to knit ‘n’ purl (we like knittinghelp.com).

Frame your friendship. Got 24 hours? Make a DIY picture frame. Start with a plain wooden frame and paint it in your girl’s fave hue. Glue on some cute decorations and pop in a snap of you two. So presh!

Let her sparkle.This one is gonna take a bit of time, too. Ask someone in the store if they sell strands of sequins. Buy a yard of silver or gold sequins, some plain barrettes and fabric glue. When you get home, cover the entire barrette with sequins and glue them down once you find a pattern that looks cool (zig-zags or straight lines look cool, but play around with it before gluing).

If you’re at the mall...
Don’t get overwhelmed by all of the options. Here’s what to do to survive mall madness.

Step up her style. This works for almost every girl on your list: Dash to Forever21 or Claire’s and snap up a pair of earrings, colorful sunnies, a major necklace or funky flower pins. She’ll have a new look in the new year.

Indulge her sweet tooth. Why not show your girl what a sweetie she is? Head to a candy shop to buy some of her fave treats. Then, swing by the drugstore and get a lip balm in the same flavor. Delish, darling.

Let her relax. A mini lotion from Bath and Body Works + a votive from Yankee Candle = instant calm. Look for soothing scents, like lavender, to ensure your chum chills out.

Pencil her in. Head to a beauty store and snag some cool pencils for your makeup-loving pal. She’s prob mastered gloss, but pencils are often inexpensive and a little trickier to figure out. Black eyeliner and a pink lip pencil are classic. Or go so-this-season with a gold liner and a plum pencil.

by GL | 2/1/2016