Stress Free Christmas Shopping

Nov 23, 2011 by Natasha

November is here with its cold nights and gray days.  The Christmas ads and music are in full swing.  It’s now just over a month away, and I’ve just begun making our Christmas lists, for cards and gifts.

A couple of years ago my Husband and I arranged with our family and friends a special type of Christmas agreement: we will only buy gifts for children. We host parties for the adults and take time to meaningfully celebrate the end of the year with our loved ones. But for the kiddies it’s about Santa, milk and cookies and the gifts under the tree.  We’ve done this for a few years now, and I have learned a number of things along the way:

1)  Make a list of everyone you’re buying presents for. Write down the allotted amount and a gift idea or two.  If you have a concrete idea of what they like, you’re more likely to stick to the budget instead of heading into the store and shopping on impulse.

2)  Make a budget.  Figure out a reasonable amount that your family can afford without much strain and go from there.  We usually spend around $20-30 per child.

3)  Shop early and look for deals in flyers, online and your local savers mailer.

4)  Buy in Bulk.  Different stores, especially larger ones like Costco or Wal-mart, offer multipacks this time of year. Whether it’s books, candies, games or whatever – you can buy in bulk and split into multiple gifts.

5)  Shop during the off season. Stores generally have season-end sales to clear off some space for new arrivals. You can buy a few items that suit the need of the child you have in mind well before the holiday season. For example, you can stock up on some larger-size clothes for the growing children at very low prices. You can also buy sports items and books during special 2 for 1 sales.

My number one rule however remains quality; a great deal can be found without skimping on quality.  And remember, if you’re on a strict budget, purchasing little by little over the year will significantly reduce the stress and strain you’ll experience in the next few weeks.

If you need help with a gift idea, send me an email and I will be happy to help!