Regifting is lame. Being caught off-guard giftless is awkward. Avoid looking like a sucker by stocking up on some items that you can present in a pinch.

When you are shopping for those on your list, grab a few extra things to keep on-hand.

•       Cozy hat and mitten set
•       Cool stationary or calendar sets
•       Non-perishable food and bar items like spices, fancy syrups and seltzers

If buying a few extra gifts without intended recipients seems like a bit of legwork, you’re right: it is. But the time and small cost of stockpiling a few things to circumvent a holiday fail are well spent (and if the store has a laidback return policy, you can always return them after the holidays).

If budget is a concern, you could write out your favourite cookie recipe in your most elegant handwriting and layer all the dry ingredients for your recipe in a cool mason jar. Wrap with a lovely ribbon. Stick a painstakingly pretty label on it. Do a Hail Mary and go be merry!

Questions, comments and conundrums are most welcome at www.twitter.com/schoolfinishing

~ Karen Cleveland