At some point during every holiday season, we are all faced with that awkward dilemma: being presented with a gift and you have nothing to give in return.

We’ve all been there. Friends drop by to visit for the holidays with unexpected gifts in hand and you’ve got nothing to offer except an awkward “Merry Christmas“, you get invited to a last-minute work party with Secret Santas or your kid comes home and adds another teacher to their “must gift” list.

Whatever the reason, we all find ourselves in need of “emergency Christmas gifts” throughout the season. Rather than racing around at the very last second stressed out trying to find something, plan ahead for those emergencies by stocking up on a few gifts that just about everyone would love (including you, in case you don’t actually end up needing to dip into the emergency stash!).

What makes a great “Emergency Gift”?  I gathered some of my top Emergency Gift ideas from Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show to get you started.

Maison Francis  Kurkdjian Mon Beau Sapin Candle

There are few things more widely well-received than a chic, well-crafted scented candle. Choosing one is all about love at first sight and smell.  You want a candle that not only looks chic, but also smells great while it’s burning and has lift (meaning: you can smell it) while it’s cold.

This gorgeous candle from one of my favorite perfume houses smells like a fresh balsam fir in a snowy wonderland.

Wine Condom

Wine is probably the number one most gifted hostess gift around and it makes a solid choice for an emergency gift; BUT if you want to take that gift to the next level, try pairing it with these fun, INSTAGRAM worthy wine condoms.  Yes WINE..CONDOMS!  A fun, easy, and effective way to keep your wine fresh and ready to drink! They seal your bottle flush and make for easy transporting of uncorked bottles.

Neiman Marcus Red Velvet Bourbon Cake

No time to bake this season?  Give something sweet without lifting a finger.  This is one of the MOST delicious, scrumptious cakes I have EVER had! Infused with Bourbon, this rich chocolate cake delivers a classic cocoa flavor that they will love with every bite!

Dream Decoder Cards

Ever woken up from a weird dream and wondered what it meant?  So has EVERYONE!  Dream Decoder presents 60 of the most common dreams, explaining what your unconscious mind is telling you, and what events or situations in your waking life might cause certain dreams.

United Tastes of America Cookbook

Cookbooks are a gift that keeps on giving with each recipe prepared.  The best cookbooks do more than just present recipes — they offer a glimpse into a particular place or style of cooking that can change the way we view the food on our plates. This fun and gorgeously animated cookbook by author Gabrielle Langholtz contains 54 child-friendly recipes – one for each state, plus Washington D.C. and three U.S. territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). From Pennsylvania Dutch pretzels to Louisiana gumbo, Oklahoma fry bread to Virginia peanut soup, each recipe is made simple by a step-by-step format and a full-color photograph of the finished dish. A full-spread introduction to each state/territory features background about its culinary culture and is brought to life with illustrated food facts and maps. A great gift for a family.

Now that you have your “Emergency Gift” it’s time to wrap things up.. literally… with some sustainable wrapping.

Gifts, as with anything, are all about the presentation! So why not make a chic gifting statement with eco-friendly, sustainable Furoshiki style wrapping?

Furoshiki is a style of Japanese wrapping using a cloth to cover gifts or other goods. I suggest enlisting a tea towel, scarf or bandanna – something that coordinates with your gift, but can also be used by the recipient later- to wrap your gift.

A gift to wrap another gift. It’s like gift giving Inception. Mind Blown!

Traditional furoshiki cloths are large, square and made from fairly thin fabric, which makes them very adaptable to wrap and carry almost anything. With a tea towel, you are more limited with wrapping styles and have to get a little creative with it. I’m demonstrating with a box, but you can wrap a bottle of wine, candle or anything really in this style.

There are a million different ways to do this but here is a basic technique. It will get you started, and make your presents look beautifully presented.

To begin, place the item in the middle of the fabric. Then, fold the top section over and tuck the extra fabric underneath your gift.

Now fold the bottom section up (like you would wrapping paper) if there is too much fabric fold it to the edge of the box and then fold again, until you have a clean fold.

Now take the two sides, bring them up and tie into a knot. You can tuck them underneath or leave the corners to hang free. I like to add a sprig of fresh winter greenery to give the gift a finished look.

Not only will your gift recipient LOVE the gift you gave them- they will also love the thought behind your wrapping choice.

This post was created in partnership with Fashion Show.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.