So you're the one who's running late! Just days to go and you've suddenly realized that you haven't topped up the Christmas gift box with the ones that really matter. You haven't even contemplated what to get. For the boss, for those specially-thought-of executives from the boss, for the boss's wife because he hasn't the time to shop, for work colleagues.

And what about that little exclusive party that you volunteered to organise for friends and colleagues? Panic. Despair. You haven't yet properly got into the office Christmas spirit. Where can you run?

Calm down! The last minute is not quite here. There's still time to rescue the situation and get "Santa" inspiration. With gifts in a wide range of prices easily shopped for or delivered to your door in a day or two, with already-arranged parties that can be "bought" into or brought to whatever venue you wish.

In the gifts section there are swish, elegant portfolio-style briefcases in a range of lovely, bright coloured, premium leather from Aspinal of London at £199. Stunningly lined in silk and ideally suited for both men and women executives. Slightly smaller and cheaper are elegant, handmade, passport covers in jewel calf leather (www.aspinaloflondon.com).

Executive style

Or how about a stylish pocket diary such as the Moleskin Pocket Day to View from www.npw.co.uk at £11.95? The boss might like an Olympus Digital Voice Recorder (from £79.99) that can also store spreadsheets and presentations. And high-flying executives will definitely go for Avanquest's Connection Manager Pro (£19.99) which enables travellers to detect, configure and connect to any available wired or wireless network wherever they are.

A gift with a difference for movers is an exclusive mobile telephone number of their choice that replaces the current row of digits, whether on contract or Pay As You Go. Prices from £35 for such as 0740322237 to £1,999 for 0794555555. From www.diamondnumbers.com. Another gift for those partial to enjoying a swift half or a taster of wine after work is a compact alcohol breath tester with parking timer and torch from www.alt-gifts.com at just £9.99.

For walkabouts who like to keep their footwear up to shiny specification there's a Black Barrel shoeshine kit from www.heals.co.uk. A handy compact case contains two brushes, black neutral polish, buffer pads, cloth and shoe horn for £15. More chic are clear boxes for storing and keeping clean individual pairs of shoes and boots - and hats. These attractive see-through boxes open at each end so that, when stacked, they don't have to be pulled out to reach the contents. For women (£29.95 per pack of 10) and for men (£19.95 per pack of 5) from www.theclearbox.com

Be alternative this year!

Puzzle lovers will doubtless enjoy an electronic Sudoku game that can be set to easy, medium and hard, and features an alert sound for an incorrect answer. From www.alt-gifts.com at £12.99. Golfers might be tickled by a £6.99 camouflaged golf ball from www.initialideas.co.uk. Those with a sweet tooth will love an edible gift from www.doughdough.co. Just £4.99 gets you dispatched a chocolate fudge brownie, double chocolate muffin, love hearts or jellybeans along with a personal message. And for home lovers without a fireplace there's a DVD that is just popped into the little black box to transform the TV screen into a visually fabulous log fire. Just £9.99 from www.thedoghouse.co.uk with next day delivery.

Even quirkier - maybe for your least favourite colleague! - is a talking Doctor Who mug from which every sip brings on a Dalek voice saying "Exterminate" (£10.99, www.alt-gifts.com).

A perennial favourite is theatre tokens - gift vouchers instantly available in values of £5, £10 and £20 which can be exchanged for tickets at over 230 theatres nationwide. Can be bought on line at www.theatretokens.com or at branches of W.H. Smiths, Waterstones, Borders, or participating theatres. And if you're in London you couldn't do better than pop into WE St James's, the newest and most stunning lifestyle boutique store in St James's Street, where there is a range of stylish executive gifts and accessories from the best British designers and artists, from under £2 to £1,500.

Alternatively, should you want to subscribe to a good charitable cause, there's the new Corporate Gifts Service in the Christmas 2005 Oxfam Unwrapped catalogue featuring a wide price range of "funusual" alternative gifts (www.oxfamunwrapped.com/corpgiving.aspx). A wonderful idea is to give your executives a goat each! Yes, you read it right. A goat. Or a camel, or a hive of bees. Oxfam has made it simple to buy a range of life-saving things for those who need them most in developing countries, as corporate gifts. To send a goat to a family in Africa costs just £24 and a donkey is only £50.

Get your dancing shoes on!

Seasonal office parties and intimate colleague get-togethers have become a must-do and can be the highlight of the corporate social calendar. Enemies become lifelong friends, over a drink or three there is a whole year of gossip to catch up on about who did what with who and where. It may be too late for the forgetful PA to book something exclusive - although the chaps at www.officechristmas.co.uk say that they have a couple of places available at the moment - but almost all event organisers, such as www.ultimateevent.co.uk and www.partyparties.co.uk, will try their best to fit a small group of up to 10 or 20 into an already organised event for 200 or more. And if you're a wine lover there is still time to book a fun and a sparkling wine tasting afternoon or evening get together through www.thirtyfifty.co.uk - depending on where you are based.

If in doubt, however, consider a January party? They are becoming more popular because they can be considerably cheaper and are easier to organise, are more welcome after days of eating, drinking and chatting with the same old people - and give a good kick-start to the new year.