An Italian pasta gift basket from Simontea Gift Baskets in Toronto, Canada

Even if Thanksgiving dinner is only hours away, it’s not too late to find a thoughtful Thanksgiving gift. Often, the only places open on Thanksgiving Day are small supermarkets, grocery stores, or gas stations. These Thanksgiving gifts can be found at those small corner store-type places.

The person hosting Thanksgiving dinner is probably a foodie of some sort – which is lucky for you! If the only thing open on Thanksgiving is a 7-11, you can still grab some pasta, sauce, olive oil, cheese, and perhaps even wine. It’s a fine gift basket for Thanksgiving – especially if the store has a colorful basket, box or ribbon.

Or, you can up the ante and splurge on a gourmet pasta gift basket is a fine idea if your gift recipient is a foodie, chef, or has time to cook. It’s especially classy if you buy fresh pasta, gourmet olive oil, and a specialty spaghetti sauce.

But if you’re shopping for someone doesn’t want to cook, you might find better ideas in these last minute Thanksgiving gift ideas…

Last Minute Thanksgiving Gifts – Quick and Easy

A regifted gift from your own home. This is the quickest, easiest Thanksgiving gift for a last minute dinner invitation. I can almost guarantee you have gift items around your home that were given to you by well-meaning people, that you would never use. In my article about White Elephant Gift Exchanges, I list several items that make wonderful gifts (regifts). It’s possible that you have a last minute Thanksgiving gift right next to you.

Snacks for sports fans. If you’re shopping for a sports fan, a Sports Enthusiast Care Package™ is a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving. This care package contains an assortment of tasty and healthy snacks — and the combination of comfort snack foods indulges every craving – crunchy, salty, sweet, and chewy – without the guilt of junk food. Perfect for Canadian hockey or American football. This is a great last minute Thanksgiving gift because you don’t need to purchase a premade care package; create your own sports gift basket with trail mix, popcorn, cocktail wieners, or other snacks that are perfect for game days.

Specialty chocolates and coffees. Chocolate covered blueberries, cherries, and ju jubes are terrific last minute Thanksgiving gifts – and so are chocolate espresso beans. They’re also easy to find at the supermarket! Pair specialty chocolates with ground coffee, whole coffee beans, or specialty coffees. You don’t need to fall back on Starbucks, Tim Horton’s, Hawaii Roasters — Lavazza Espresso Whole Bean Coffee is great for coffee lovers who have coffee grinders.

An assortment of specialty teas – such as chocolate mint tea. This is another last minute Thanksgiving gift that you can get at a supermarket or even a gas station: a selection of organic or specialty teas. I especially love Chocolate Mint Tea — it contains no fat, it smells like rich dark chocolate, and it tastes delicious. It’s the perfect chocolate brew!

Cheese and crackers. I love tasting different types of cheeses and crackers, but rarely buy them for myself. A lovely last minute Thanksgiving gift idea is an assortment of English or Irish Cheeses, with gourmet crackers and maybe even some sausages on the side. Cheese, crackers, and sausages are easily found at supermarkets and grocery stores, and can be fabulous holiday gift ideas. 

Christmas Music – CDs. You can probably find an assortment of Christmas CDs at a nearby supermarket or even a gas station. A last minute Thanksgiving gift could be a Christmas CD, such as Susan Boyle’s The Gift. 

If you need a last minute Thanksgiving gift for someone who has never cooked a turkey dinner before, read Thanksgiving Gift Ideas for a Cook’s First Turkey Dinner.

I welcome your thoughts on these last minute Thanksgiving gifts below…