There are 38 days until Christmas. On days like today (the kind which whoever said, “long days, short years,” must have had in mind), Christmas sounds like a world away.

If this year is anything like last year, or the year before, or the year before that year, I’m bound to find myself rushing around at the last minute, going store-to-store, trying to think up a gift for someone on my shopping list–and, without fail that someone is usually the most difficult person to shop for on my list.

But, this year, I think I’ve found a way to make holiday shopping easy, especially at the last minute. It doesn’t involve committing to finishing my shopping “early” or abstaining from last minute shopping–that, I know, would be just about as successful as one of my many New Year’s Resolutions.

I’ve come up with a gift giving shopping “theme”–one broad theme for my entire gift giving, although multiple themes, one for each person on your list, can also work. This year, “books” are my general theme. For example, for my friend’s children, who are grieving the loss of their beloved family dog, I plan to buy The Forever Dog. One child on my list who is crazy about ponies will likely get a stack of pony books. A toddler on my list will likely get one of those “Who Loves Baby?” Photo Books, which I will insert photos into ahead of time for a personalized touch.

Theme shopping is easy because you can plan your theme in advance of actually setting foot in the shopping mall or sitting down at a computer. So, even if you wind up shopping at the last minute, you will at least have a good grasp on the type of product you’re going to buy.

Theme shopping can also be a lot of fun. When it comes to dreaming up a theme, your imagination is the only limit. Here are three themes to jumpstart your creativity:

1. Gift cards or certificates. Who doesn’t love receiving a gift card? One of the reasons gift cards are growing in popularity is because people like receiving them! Eliminate worries of an “impersonal” gift by selecting a store, restaurant, or service with the interest of the person you are shopping for in mind (e.g., baby store gift certificate for expectant parents). You can also personalize a gift card by unique wrapping or packaging (e.g., putting a certificate inside a baby bottle).
2. Magazine Subscriptions. Consider giving a magazine subscription that will appeal to the person on your shopping list (e.g., a children’s magazine for kids, a cooking magazine for someone who loves to cook).
3. Health and Beauty. The possibilities for a health and beauty theme are practically endless. For women, “gift” boxes of assorted makeup or perfume samplers, like those found at department store makeup counters during the holidays, make nice gifts, as do cologne samplers for men. For children, consider assorted lip glosses, chapstick, or bath products.

Happy Theme Shopping!