At 7 P.M. Tuesday, she was lugging her groceries and last-minute presents up the three flights of stairs to her apartment.

Midtown Manhattan seemed more of a madhouse than usual, with crowds of shoppers desperately searching for last-minute presents.

Mama Gilda offers advice on buying last-minute presents for children, while Jean F (a landscape designer) gives a rundown on the best gardens in the city.

Worry no more about the last-minute presents.

Now is the perfect time to stock up on little last-minute presents, whether they are for stuffing stockings, thanking hosts or greeting friends with tokens of good cheer.

Shoppers are moving into the final leg of the Christmas stretch, picking up stocking stuffers, last-minute presents, hostess gifts and quick tokens of cheer for unexpected holiday guests.

The others are upset, and David gives them unthoughtful, last-minute presents.

At our local market I stocked up on walnuts, satsumas and last-minute presents of leather goods, then on Christmas Day the sun blazed down as we tucked into a roast chicken and raised glasses of cheap local champagne.

If searching for last-minute presents, look no further than What's Cooking.

Gallery (12 pictures), 17 Dec 2011: From a gorilla-shaped eraser to the coolest first real skateboard, here are our best finds for last-minute presents for kids.