• HomeGoods is a favorite of both interior designers and consumers alike.
• It's also a great place to do some last-minute holiday shopping.
• I went on December 23 and was surprised to see how much inventory was left.

In addition to being a fan of HomeGoods, I'm also a bit of a procrastinator.

With traffic at my local mall reaching Black Friday levels this week, I decided to skip that chaos. Instead, I stopped by HomeGoods, the successful home decor chain with over 900 locations across the US, to see what it was like two days before Christmas.

Yes, it was crowded, but it wasn't stifling. And there were no empty, picked-over shelves. I was pleasantly surprised by how much inventory and last-minute gift options the store had— if not a bit overwhelmed.

Here's what it was like to get some last-minute gifts at HomeGoods.

I went to a HomeGoods in my hometown on Long Island.

The store advertised same-day delivery and a special holiday return policy when you walked in.

The first display was a table filled with reindeer, snowmen, penguins, and wrapping paper.

If you want to shop at HomeGoods, you have to be OK with digging through tables of seemingly random items.

Sometimes, displays are organized. For example, this table was labeled "For the chef."

It had items like this basil-dip tasting set for $19.99.

This Modelo goodie-filled tub, which cost $59.99, included glasses, coasters, a bottle opener, pretzels, and chips.

This table was piled high with "baking essentials."

No one would be mad to open chocolates on Christmas morning.

I was particularly drawn to this "wine" bottle filled with truffles.

There was an entire aisle dedicated to peppermint snacks.

There were multiple shelves filled with just hot chocolate — gourmet hot chocolate is a great grab-bag gift.

I bought these chocolate-covered spoons for $7.99. They turn any cup of milk into hot chocolate, and they'll be a hit in my home on Christmas morning.

Even when you go into the store, past the gift displays, some items would make good presents.

Of course, HomeGoods is known for decor. Many teenage girls would be excited to get one of these disco-ball gifts.

Or for the coquette-obsessed, any of these Hello Kitty gifts would do.

Source: Business Insider

I was into these pink cowboy boot vases — I definitely have some younger cousins who would love one.

Board games and puzzles are tried-and-true gifts. There's no shortage of them at HomeGoods.

The candle section can be overwhelming — this is one small part — but candles are a solid gift for almost anyone in your life.

If all else fails — try a gift card.

Christmas wasn't the only holiday represented. There was a Hanukkah table, as well.

And there were already tons of Valentine's Day items on display.

Pink was everywhere.

Even if these are technically for Valentine's Day, I wouldn't be mad to find that ceramic bulldog under my tree.

If you somehow made it through the store without finding anything, there's winter-themed candy at the register.

HomeGoods is a lifesaver if you're like me and put off holiday shopping until the last minute.