Gifts you can pick up at the last minute

There isn't much time left to get your presents under the tree.  Gift cards, books and music make great last-minute gifts.  Here are more last-minute gift ideas from the AJC staff and contributors:

Gift cards tips from Atlanta Bargain Hunter Nedra Rhone:

Give yourself a break and get the gift that six in 10 consumers say they want — a gift card.

Gift cards are an almost foolproof gift, and more consumers are seeing the value in giving and receiving them. This year, gift card spending is up 4 percent over last year. The average amount shoppers will spend on gift cards ($163.16) is the highest amount in the 11-year history of the National Retail Federation's Gift Card Spending survey.

Atlanta area restaurants also have plenty of gift card options, some with great incentives.

Cookbook recommedations from dining writer John Kessler:

If you’re looking for a last-minute gift for the food fanatic on your list, consider rush delivery on a cookbook.

“Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing” by Anya von Bremzen (Crown Publishers, $26)

“Japanese Soul Cooking” by Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat (Ten Speed Press, $27.50)

“The New Midwestern Table” by Amy Thielen (Clarkson Potter, $35)

“Summerland: Recipes for Celebrating with Southern Hospitality” by Anne Stiles Quatrano (Rizzoli, $39.95)

“Anything that Moves: Renegade Chefs, Fearless Eaters, and the Making of a New American Food Culture” by Dana Goodyear (Riverhead Books, $27.95)