Last-Minute Shopping for the Avid Sports Fan

There isn't much time to get that friend / neighbor / wife / husband / lover / sibling the perfect gift, but there's still enough time to find something great. Don't cop out and get another Home Depot gift card. Not that there's anything wrong with Home Depot, but do you really want that special someone thinking of you every time they reach for the grout sealant? And yes, that's what I was doing last weekend, so it's still stuck in my head…and my fingernails.

We've decided to give you some last-minute shopping ideas that shouldn't take much time to procure, but the joy of watching someone open these gifts will last a lifetime. Or until February when it's collecting dust behind the couch. To help, we've broken it down into a few categories.

Subscriptions
Slingbox. It's undoubtedly too late to order a Slingbox and get it here in time for Christmas, but it's a great gift to buy that out-of-towner who just wants to stay close to the local action. That's a gift that's worth waiting for.

Speaking of subscriptions, why not a magazine subscription? Perhaps a fine publication like Sporting News would be of interest to your sports-loving recipient. Add in Sporting News Today directly to their inbox every day for free. (Shameless, I know).

Paying it Forward
You don't have time to go to the store, but you want to have something to give on Christmas? All you need is a computer and a printer. Here are a few ideas…

Golf. It's December, so in most of the country there's no way you can get out on the course anytime soon. But a gift certificate for a round of golf is the perfect gift that costs you nothing now and pays dividends down the line. Costs you nothing now? Sure…you don't even really need to purchase the gift certificate. The promise of a full day of golf as one of those homemade 'coupons' is definitely enough. But, and this is important since the gift can't be redeemed for a while, it better be really good golf. None of this local muni junk. Promise real country-club golf – maybe even a trip to Bethpage or something like that. Heck, why not a trip to the Bahamas on a boat?

Tickets. It takes less than five minutes to order tickets to your favorite team's upcoming sporting event. You can even splurge for season tickets if so inclined. And if you really want to be nice, add in the bonus that they can take whomever they want, and that doesn't even have to be you. Now that's a present.

Something cool. Nobody minds waiting for a gift that hasn't come in yet if it's something cool. Like that 3-in-1 condiment gun you see on those Bud Light ads. Yep, that thing is real. And it sold, in an auction for $817.39! But you can still get two Foozies for 20 bucks. So that's something kinda cool.

Smash and Grab
The stores are going to be mobbed with people like you – those last-minute shoppers who wait until the last minute to buy last-minute items. So here are some quick and easy things to get…at the last minute.

A jersey. A jersey is easy to get? Sure it is. You can go to any sporting goods store and pick up a jersey. It doesn't even have to be authentic. You just have to be willing to settle for the player they still have left in stock. Phillies fans want that new Roy Halladay jersey? Good luck getting that in time for Christmas. As long as you make sure the guy is still on the team – don't go buying them a Cliff Lee jersey – you'll be fine.

Personally, I think a jersey with no name or number on the back is great too. I'm getting the new Philadelphia Union jersey this year, sans name. And if you're one of those people who thinks it's 'extra special' to get it personalized…stop reading this now. Just go somewhere else. I can't even look you in the face.

Team Snuggie. Say what you want about the Snuggie – scourge on society comes to mind – but they do look comfortable. And one size fits all! Available online (only 50 bucks to ship it overnight) or in the 'As Seen on TV' bin of every local drugstore.

Memorabilia. You ever wonder why those sports memorabilia stores in the mall are always the safe haven to avoid the masses of people going into American Fitch or Abercrombie and Eagle? (One of those.) It's because nobody actually buys sports memorabilia in the mall. Autographs are passed down from generation to generation, or picked up at trade shows for $20 bucks just to get a photo with some washed up old major-leaguer. Those stores keep the lights on by selling hats and McFarlane toys…oh, and laundering money through the overpriced sale of sports memorabilia. That has to be the way. Regardless, there won't be a line at the register, and it's a cool thing to have. Just make up a story about how you met said superstar in an airport and happened to have a ball with you. That's sure to work.

The Gift of Song
There are really only two options here: purchase either the Tim McCarver songbook or Rick Dempsey's Christmas album. There is no third choice.

The Greatest Gift In the World
We save the best for last. If you're looking for THE perfect gift this holiday season, we suggest none other than…

A Massage. What does a massage have to do with sports, you ask? Well, the good places offer 90-minute rubdowns and factoring in travel time to and from the spa/salon/parlor, that's at least two hours to yourself – you can get an entire NBA game into that window. A massage – the gift that gives you back.

We hope this list helps. Happy and safe holidays everyone.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.