ALEXANDRIA, Va. – It may be too late to rely on packages arriving on time from Internet orders, or maybe shopping mall crowds are not worth your sanity. But the local convenience store may very well have just what a last-minute shopper needs for friends and family.

TheIndyChannel.com noted several convenience store and travel center gifts “that actually aren’t too bad”:

• Craft beer growlers:  The news source notes that more than 40 Sunoco APlus stores in New York and areas of Charleston, S.C., offer a great selection of craft beers on tap for growlers, along with a solid mix of bottles and cans.
• Heated Travel Mug: “If you go to a truck stop like Flying J or Travel Centers of America/Petro, you can score the fancier heated mug,” writes the news source.
• SiriusXM: Pick up a SiriusXM Satellite Radio Receiver Kit from Travel Centers of America/Petro.

7-Eleven stores are also getting into the holiday spirit with gifts including:

• You Animal!: 7-Eleven’s warm, furry hats “can bring out the animal in anybody.”
• Popcorn: Decorative canisters of 7-Select gourmet popcorn in three varieties: chocolate-drizzled caramel, cranberry caramel with cashews and almonds, and English toffee with cashews and almonds.

And most convenience stores can help out with gifts such as:

• Lottery tickets: Always a popular stocking-stuffer and someone could become a lot richer thanks to scratch-offs.
• Gadgets: Most c-stores have kiosks of tech-related gadgets, from smartphone chargers to ear buds and reloadable cell phones.
• Gas Cards: Why not give the gift of fuel?
• Gift Cards: From restaurants to retailers, most convenience stores offer a substantial selection of gift cards.

A December 2013 NACS Consumer Survey found that one in three consumers planned to buy snacks and other food items from convenience stores (32%) and that they plan to buy coffee and other beverages from convenience stores (31%) while shopping during the holiday season. Younger consumers, those 18 to 34, were most likely to grab a quick snack or beverage at convenience stores, with a majority saying they were likely to buy snacks (52%) or drinks (51%) at convenience stores while holiday shopping.