Find Last-Minute Christmas Gifts in Potomac and Bethesda

With all of the tree trimming, cookie baking and partygoing, there is so much to do during the holidays that it's easy to leave shopping for Christmas presents until the last minute. But by then, the malls and chain stores are usually chaotic and the mere thought of battling crowds is exhausting.

Here are some ideas for easy gifts that can be bought locally and require little stress:

• Go to a local home decor or gift shop such as Occasions Gifts and Lelia's Gifts and Jewels and pick out some pretty bathroom soaps with a matching towel and soap stand for teachers, relatives and neighbors.
• Go to the Bethesda Florist for festive, holiday-inspired bouquets, or wreaths with candles that would make nice centerpieces for a friend or neighbor’s Christmas dinner table.
• Go to Booktopia, Barnes and Noble or Big Planet Comics and pick out a few fun titles for the children in your family, or your kid’s friends.
• Go to Breadsmith of Potomac, Bethesda's Tout de Sweet or Praline and order a festive cake or box of cookies that would be a delicious complement to holiday dinners.
• Go to Lululemon, RnJ Sports or Modell's Sporting Goods and pick up a gift certificate or new running shoes, golf clubs or sporting accessories for the athlete in your life.
• Go to Potomac's Wine Harvest, BCC Beer and Wine or Vino Volo for wine or beer gifts that making for a simple, yet delicious personalized gift.
• Go to Bethesda's Secolari Olive Oil and Vinegar and give someone in your life the gift of a little foodie luxury.

Tell us: What are some of your own last-minute gift ideas? Share in the comments below.