Three Shopping Days Left Until Christmas 2012: Last-Minute Gift Ideas in West Des Moines

Yikes!  You haven’t shopped for her yet? She’s been doing all this work to get the household ready for Christmas and you’re still still dinking around thinking about what to get her?

Husbands and other men – and we say this with absolute love and affection for the male gender – have a reputation, earned or not, for waiting until the last minute. Trust Patch.

This. Will. Get. You. Off. The. Hook.

First off, buy her some flowers. For today, not for Christmas Day. You have serious ground to make up.

A holiday Poinsettia is a great choice and you should definitely buy one and present it as a thoughtful gesture, a prelude to the prelude to the prelude to the real gift.

Say something like this, “Gee, honey, with all you’ve been doing decorating, cooking and buying gifts for – what are we up to now, 34 on your side and 78 on mine – this isn’t much, but I thought you could keep it or regift it you find yourself short one gift."

The Prelude to the Prelude to the Real Gift

Then bring out the long-stemmed roses picked from the Ecuadorian high country that morning, carried down the mountain by a farmer with a burrow and a cart, and flown in mere seconds ago. Overkill? Maybe. That’s fair.

But this occasion does call for roses are other flowers that say “I love and appreciate you.” In West Des Moines, we suggest The Florist on 5th  or Petal Perfect Custom Flowers, both in Valley Junction – but roses are going make your mea culpa go over better. Other great options are Magnolia 105 by Divine Flowers or Nielsen Flower Shop.

(Lest someone suggest, as happened recently with Whole Foods, that Patch is sexist – the heck, you say? – this conversation works just as well if he’s cooking and she’s pathetically uninvolved in the holiday preparations. Just switch out the pronouns.)

The Prelude to the Gift

Don’t forget the chocolate.

Chocolate Storybook uses only the finest chocolate. Make your own gift box or choose from gift baskets. You can’t go wrong at Chocolaterie Stam, either.

The Gift

Roses, chocolate and a gift she can re-gift if Aunt Agnes brings a fruitcake again this year have bought you some favor.

Just ask her what she wants.

We know, for example, that one Patch editor has her eye on some things at Mainstream Boutique in Valley Junction. Hint: It isn’t this writer.

Look for more great one-of-a-kind boutique finds at locally owned True Style in Jordan Creek Town Center or K. Renee in the Governor’s Square shopping center.  These boutiques, as well as others in Valley Junction and West Glen Town Center, buy merchandise carefully and don’t duplicate the off-the-rack selections at national chain stores.

The Follow-Up

You need a strong finish. You messed up, but this is working out. You can still come out of this looking like Prince Flipping Charming.

Stop by International Travel Associates, University Travel Services or Travel Flo Group and pick up brochures for romantic getaways to places you’ve always wanted to visit. Let her pick where you go. Don't be cheap.

You’re good to go.