It’s that time of the year again – you are frantically running about buying gifts for all those people who mean something to you. Bringing them joy and happiness means so much to you that you are willing to put in the extra effort to make sure that they get something truly memorable. Giving a gift on Christmas is a lot more than a tradition that has been passed down centuries. It also goes beyond doing the customary thing to maintain relations with so-and-so. It’s the Christmas spirit – it’s all the love and companionship you feel for those you love.
But, let’s face it – picking out those “just perfect” gifts for a dozen or more people on a restricted budget can be challenging and pretty tedious too. Here are some tips that should help you sail through the shopping part with as few hiccups as possible. We don’t promise it will be a breeze; but it will be a lot more bearable.
Let’s start at the very beginning…before you do anything else, sit down and make a checklist, putting down the name of people you have to buy gifts for, the type of gifts you want to buy, and the price range for each person. Along with that, you should also jot down alternate gift ideas for everyone, in case it is out of stock or too expensive to afford.
Hanging up stockings is fun but figuring out what to put into each one of them calls for great ingenuity. What you can do to avoid the confusion is to set aside a bag for each person in your house who gets a stocking. Then, begin filling in the bags bit by bit with small things you come across every now and then on sale. This saves you the trouble of having to buy gifts for everyone on one day.
If you can’t think of an apt gift to give someone, it’s always safer to go with gift cards. But even then, give them something they are likely to use immediately. Buy only those gift cards that do not have the security number exposed and don’t forget to check into their fees.
Before heading off to the mall, check online to see the prices for the items on your list. Retailers have a tendency to overprice items so that the markdowns look more attractive to you. A little bit of investigation will help save a lot of money; and shopkeepers will know better than to mess around with you.
Instead of reserving the weekend to do your shopping, take a day off from work to get all your work done. No more getting pushed around by the crowd or having your toes trampled on and generally having an unpleasant time at the supermarket.
Christmas shopping doesn’t necessarily have to be so stressful. And with some planning in advance, you can ensure it isn’t.
