Last-minute gifts for entertainment fans

If you're panicking right now about the final countdown to Christmas, I'm right there with you.

Why does it always seem as if December is the shortest month of the year — or, at least, that the 25th comes so much faster than, say, May 25?

If you see me in Target or Barnes & Noble on Dec. 24 looking frantic, well, then you know I feel your pain.

But if you have entertainment fans in your household, don't freak out too much, because you can always find a cool gift at the last minute — and it might even be something more personal than an iTunes gift card.

Some suggestions:

For Mom: Mine made life a little easier for me this year by requesting the new Rod Stewart ("Soulbook") and Harry Connick Jr. ("Your Songs") CDs. I didn't even have to leave my couch for that one, thanks to Delta Skymall.

But I was clueless about what else to get her — does the woman need another sweater? — so I visited www.pollstar.com to see what shows are coming near her in Charlotte, N.C. Verdict? I'll probably wind up sending her to see Norah Jones or Celtic Woman.

We, too, have plenty of "mom" choices coming to the area: Jim Brickman at CenterStage on New Year's Eve; "Wicked" at the Landmark Theater on March 10-28; Carrie Underwood on April 27 at Richmond Coliseum (see Page D6 for ticket info); and, if you don't mind the reasonable drive to Charlottesville, Celtic Woman performs at John Paul Jones Arena on Feb. 19, and that mom-magnet John Mayer will pout and preen there March 16.

For Dad: You'll need to get moving on this one. Visit www.rockhalldvds.com, and you'll find an amazing, slightly pricey-but-worth-it gift. The nine-DVD collection "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live" is one of those Time Life specialties only available on the Web site (and only through December). But with 125 performances, induction speeches and behind-the-scenes peeks, it will give Dad — or any classic-rock lover — something to flip on between Sunday Red Zone plays.

Also, I know I've gushed over The Beatles box set ad nauseam this year, but it was for good reason. It's worth every fawning word. Though the mono boxes were in limited supply when the sets first bowed in September, I've seen several mono and stereo boxes at two area Best Buys, and BK Music on Midlothian has both versions in stock. The pre-release prices are history, but so is owning the band's catalog. Also, if you don't want to cough up the bucks for the box, the set's CDs are also sold separately.

For the Complainer: This would be the person who gripes every day about always hearing the same songs on the radio and suffering through blocks of commercials. An easy way to shut him up? Satellite radio. Sirius XM routinely slashes prices around the holidays, and this year is no exception. Its Web site (www.sirius.com) has units with car-docking kits for as little as $30. And really, if you can figure out a DVR, you can install your own system. One tip: Spend the extra 20 or 30 bucks for a few months of service. I can't tell you how many friends I have who have received units but are too "lazy" (their word, not mine) to turn the thing on.

For the Nostalgic: Depending on the age group, this ranges from several new volumes of "The Lawrence Welk Show" released on DVD this year to Michael Jackson's catalog, much of which has been deeply discounted at most retailers. Although Jackson's "This Is It" film won't bow on DVD until Jan. 26 — and the accompanying soundtrack is little more than another hits compilation — DVD pre-orders are being taken at iTunes and Amazon, so you can always pretty up a package for the order sheet. Or, Best Buy will sell you an exclusive SteelBook case bearing the image of the film's promotional poster.

Happy wrapping.

Melissa Ruggieri is a writer at the Richmond Times-Dispatch