This is the last of this season’s gift guides, and even if you’ve left it all right ’til the last minute this year I’ve still got your back so there’s no need to panic. This year one of my favourite gifting trends has been the rise of the letterbox-friendly gift, and there are some excellent prezzies to choose from right now.

Think about it. These physical gifts are guaranteed to fit right through the letterbox when they arrive, no mess, no fuss. Your gift recipient gets to avoid frustrating missed deliveries or find out that ‘please leave in a safe place’ translates into ‘put it in the dustbin and don’t leave a card to tell you where it is’, plus there’ll be no waiting around for unreliable couriers, and no need to traipse down to the not-so-local sorting office in the rain or cold. If they’ve gone out it’s waiting right there for them on the doormat when they get home.

[By the way, I’ve included a few e-gifts too, so you can send those right up to and including Christmas Day with the perfect alibi of ‘I wanted it to be a surprise’ even if in reality you were held up, distracted or totally forgot. Like I said, I’ve got your back.]

Bloom & Wild letterbox flowers & gifts | Prices from £23. This stylish company specialises in sending stunning letterbox-friendly fresh flowers and other gifts, including mini flatpack Christmas trees and poinsettias. They also send combined flower & chocolate or candle gifts, or you can send a monthly gift subscription box for 3 months or more for something special that lasts well into 2019. Buy here.

Hotel Chocolat Sleekster Boxes | £22.00. Filled with 27 luxury chocolates, and designed to slip through the average letterbox complete with your personal message printed on a stylish card. 14 different types to choose from, including ‘Classic Christmas’, ‘Winter Puddings’ and many more. Choose next day delivery or any date you prefer. Buy here.

Ragged Rose ‘Betty’ taupe rose print apron | Apron prices £10 – £20. These beautiful retro style aprons fold up into a standard postal packet so they’ll fit easily through a standard size UK letterbox. Perfect for vintage lovers and baking mad folks alike. There are several designs to choose from on their website, including Christmas / winter prints and aprons for kids. Buy here.

GettingPersonal Penny Post Letterbox Gifts | £18.99. GettingPersonal has quite a few letterbox-friendly options that could save your bacon and my favourites are the Penny Post range. Choose from nine differently-themed gift boxes that are cram packed with all kinds of goodies, from a pamper hamper to an afternoon tea treat.

Moonpig letterbox wines | £24.00. So letterbox wine is now a thing, and all I can say is yaaasssss! Various companies will now post a full 750ml of vino to your favourite friend or relative, and the specially designed shatterproof flat bottle will fit right through the letterbox. The bottles are made from a recycled and fully recyclable material too. My favourites are at Moonpig with their next-day delivery, and there’s even one with a Happy Christmas label on the front. Buy here.

[If you’re quick, you can fully personalise the text on the wine labels at Firebox by adding the recipient’s name or any old cheeky banter you like, with potentially hilarious results. Order before midnight 18th December to be sure of Xmas delivery. Buy here.]

Scaramanga leather luggage tag with buckle | £6.50 each. Do you have a friend or relative who’s always travelling? This small, thoughtful unisex gift from Scaramanga will be sent in a letterbox friendly padded envelope so their prezzie will be safely waiting for them whenever they get home from their latest trip. There’s also an option to personalise it. Buy here.

PostBoxed Gift Boxes | £13.45 to £44. Beautifully curated boxes packed with nicely wrapped small gifts and stocking fillers, there’s something for just about everyone here, from stationery lovers to foodies. Buy here.

Experiences, memberships & subscriptions

Beauty Pie gift membership | Edited to add: I am no longer willing to recommend this company or its products.

Foyles gift subscription | From £130. If you’re feeling really generous, give them a whole year of amazing books. The Foyles gift subscription sends the special book lover in your life a new book every month, and you can choose between different types such as hardback and paperback, fiction and non fiction. Buy here.

Birchbox beauty box subscription | Instant gift delivery via email from the biggest provider in the UK. Once activated, a Birchbox subscription sends them monthly beauty boxes with five treats in each box, including skincare, haircare and makeup. For example, a 3-month gift subscription costs £30 plus 3 delivery charges of £2.95.

Virgin Experience Days instant e-vouchers | From £9. Head straight to their e-voucher section which allows instant delivery of your gift, and a choice of over 2,000 ideas. You can gift anything from a 3-month rum tasting subscription to a racing driving experience to a short hotel break, with prices from as low as £9. Once you’ve selected your gift and paid, the recipient is immediately sent an email explaining how to claim their gift. Buy here.

There’s something here for just about anybody, so get in there pronto – last posting dates are looming – and put something fantastic in the post for them. If you do miss the last post, don’t worry, just gift them an instant subscription, membership or experience.