As we approach the final days leading up to Christmas, you may find yourself in a state of panic for last minute gifts- especially if you are a discerning gift giver (no chotchkies for you!). So, here is my last minute shopping guide.

Truth be told, I have learned to both appreciate giving and getting experiences rather than things. So, if you are creative and dig down to discover what you know about the person you are gifting, go for the experience option. This could be a cooking class, tickets to a performance you know they will love, or even a well-orchestrated string of events (baking, followed by sledding, followed by hot tubing…).

Beyond gifting experiences that are meant specifically for the individual, there are the gifts that benefit many. Donating in the name of your gift receiver to a charity you know they support and believe in, or one that you want to expose them to is such a wonderful gift. I am a huge fan of charity:water and would also recommend looking at the One Foundation by Jet Li, where one dollar, once a month equals one global family.

Finally, if you still prefer giving physical items, I would recommend buying from sustainable eco-conscious brands. Fashion Takes Action put together a sweet little site called Shop Sustainable for the holidays to help ease the search for eco-brands and you can also check out TreeHugger’s Gift Guide for 2009 or Inhabitat’s Green Gift Guide- which cover all the areas.