Now good advice is needed and above all creativity is in demand. Where can I get a present at this time? Tricky, but actually possible. We have collected a few possibilities here.

Petrol stations: Probably the last resort for the one who wants to give something to a self-confessed smoker. Petrol stations sell cigarettes, some sell bad cigars even. And if needs be, a liqueur combined with the recipient's favourite magazine could also be a good idea. Why not?Kiosks: The same applies to kiosks, by the way. Depending on the range, the smoking equipment and alcohol may be accompanied by sweets in "colourful bags" or paperback comics.

Those who have enough peace and quiet to reach for scissors, cardboard and other suitable materials between closing time on Christmas Eve and the bestowal of presents in order to let their creativity run free will certainly be blessed. Festive Christmas cards made of discarded cardboard and old green buttons that will form the Christmas tree, or snipped collages from old magazines are obvious.

In addition, old Lego bricks serve to build a creative gift voucher, which the recipient can then exchange for the real thing after the holidays.Or you can quickly sew a little black dress for the celebrations. Very demanding, admittedly, but not impossible. Perhaps the skills are only sufficient for sewing on patches to spruce up an old T-shirt, old sweater or old trousers. There are no limits to your creativity.

If nothing works anymore and there is just half an hour left until the loved ones meet expectantly in front of the Christmas tree, then even the most talented or creative design is of no use any more - only the World Wide Web can help now. But the choice of online gifts is enormous. One could even ask oneself briefly in this moment of stress: Why didn't I think of it right away?

Audio books and eBooks: Not only Amazon offers digital literary enjoyment at affordable prices (about ten euros) for download. Just google the two keywords. Even at a large German discounter, which is divided into North and South, there are eBooks or corresponding vouchers to give away. Streaming subscription: Series are still very trendy. You can't get it wrong with those. Streaming services elegantly replace the purchase of bulky DVDs. Netflix, for example, offers gift cards with a credit balance of 15, 25 and 50 euros.

These can also be given away as PayPal digital vouchers. Amazon Prime subscriptions can also be given away via a voucher system. Music subscriptions: What applies to films can, of course, also be applied to music. Music subscriptions are available from the well-known streaming services for eight to ten euros. Apps to give away: A practical and funny gift idea is to give away apps. The app stores offer the appropriate options.

All you need is the recipient's e-mail address. However, the recipient should also have a smartphone – and you should know the operating system in order to choose the right app store. Subscription boxes: A relatively new offer that can be concluded online is the so-called subscription box. Here you can choose which product the recipient should receive regularly – and over which period of time. These can be socks, whiskies, cheese or organic soups.

The choice is vast. Suppliers can be found under the keyword "Abo-Box" online. Vouchers for printing or by e-mail: A classic idea but no less attractive – vouchers to print out, to invite the recipient to a meal or to treat him to a wellness day. Concert and cultural evenings are just as suitable for this kind of gift as are action and adventure events ranging from climbing gardens to go-carting to a bungee jump. Alternatively, you can subscribe to a magazine.

Giving from charity: Who would like to do some good shortly before the „Bescherung“ can donate to non-profit initiatives on-line. This is for making practical help possible such as building a well or organising schoolbooks for the children in the poorest countries of the world. Original text: Dierk Himstedt Translation: Mareike Graepel