Welcome to part two of my Christmas series, A Christmas Less Stressed. Designed to reduce the planing overwhelm, this series is going to give you everything you need to plan a Christmas that rocks. Come Christmas Eve you’ll be enjoying your mulled wine and mince pies just like everyone else because everything will have been taken care of.
In last week’s post I revealed how to get started on your Christmas planning and create a Christmas budget. This week is all about gifts and how to get your Christmas shopping done with plenty of time to spare. Want to know how to come up with the perfect gift list and get your Christmas shopping done with minimal stress and fuss? Keep reading!
1. Start your list early
The earlier you start your gift planning the more time there is to really think about what the person you’re buying for would like. There’s nothing worse than trawling the shops at the last minute, desperately trying to find a gift for someone but having absolutely no idea what to get! When you think of something that’d make a good present, add it to your list. Then, when it’s time to shop, you’ll have a list of great ideas to choose from. You’ll know exactly what to get and there’ll be no need to scour the shops hoping you’ll strike lucky.
Think about how you’re going to approach your shopping this year too. Will you be buying for the adults in your family? Are you and your spouse buying separate gifts or a joint present? Are you doing stockings? Then go through your list of ideas, highlight the ones you really like and make those the ones to check out first.
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2. Stuck for ideas? Brainstorm
Sometimes it can be hard coming up with the perfect gift. Knowing what to get someone can be tricky, especially if you don’t know them that well or don’t see them very often. A great way to come up with ideas is to think outside the box. Not every gift has to come from a store or online. Magazine subscriptions, gift cards to their favourite coffee shop or restaurant and cinema vouchers all make great gifts too. If you’re really struggling to come up with ideas spend a few minutes thinking about the person you’re buying for. Ask yourself:
- What are their hobbies and interests?
- How do they like to spend their time?
- What do they talk to you about?
- What are they passionate about?
If all else fails try asking their spouse or a mutual friend for ideas. Chances are they’ll come up with something you haven’t thought of!
3. Finalise your gift list
Once you’re happy with all your ideas it’s time to finalise your gift list. Go through your list of ideas, highlight the ones you want to get and transfer them to a brand new list. Don’t forget to make a note of where you need to buy them from and how much they’re going to cost so you can track your spending. Keep hold of your original list so that you can refer back to it if needed.
4. Create your Christmas shopping battle plan
Which of your gifts can you buy online and which do you need to go shopping for? Go through your list and figure out what can be ordered sitting on your sofa and what you have to physically go out and get. If you can, try to get as much online as possible. It’s such a huge time saver and the amount you save of fuel and parking makes it a no brainer. PLUS you’re more likely to stick to your list because it’s harder to get distracted by impulse purchases!
Next make a list of all the stores you want to visit. Having a list to work through makes the process so much easier. Not only does it help you to stay focused as you battle the busy crowds, you’ll be a lot more productive too. Your shopping will get done a whole lot quicker and the experience will be a lot less stressful. Finally, decide when is best for you to go. Will you go when the kids are at school? Could you do it on your lunch break? Do you need to take a day off work? Are weekends your only option? Work out when is best to go and get it in the diary.
5. Go shopping!
It’s time to go shopping! If you’re not a fan of the shopping part, here’s a few ways to make it more interesting:
- Split the workload with your spouse and go shopping together. Have a list each, split up, do your shopping and meet back up a couple of hours later. You could even add on dinner and turn it into a date day!
- Treat it as a girly day out. Go Christmas shopping with a friend. Meet for coffee, split up and do your shopping, meet back up for lunch (or another coffee!), do a bit more shopping then meet for dinner or a movie.
- Use it as an opportunity to have a bit of ‘you’ time too. Do some shopping, put it in the car, treat yourself to an hour with a coffee and a magazine, then do a bit more shopping.
Doing the Christmas shopping can be a mammoth task so get help where you can. If you’re struggling to find the time to go, take a look at how you’re spending your days and see where you can claw back a bit of time. My post How to Find More Time for You has some great tips that’ll help.
6. Wrap as you go
It can be tempting to leave the wrapping until we’ve bought all our gifts but the advantage of starting our Christmas shopping early is that there’s plenty of time to get everything wrapped. There’s no staying up until 4am the night before frantically trying to get everything done….which I may have done once or twice before I got my act together! If you don’t mind leaving your wrapping until the end that’s fine. But if wrapping isn’t your thing, promise yourself you’ll wrap your presents as you go. Doing a couple each evening will only take you a few minutes but you’ll save yourself hours later. Put on some Christmas music, pour yourself a glass of wine and get stuck in! Don’t forget to make a note of what each present is – once they’re wrapped it can be hard to remember!
7. Have a stash of emergency gifts
There’s nothing worse than thinking you have all your gifts wrapped and sorted only to realise at the last minute you’ve forgotten someone. Worse still, that that someone is now standing on your doorstep bearing gifts and you have nothing to give them in return! After being caught out on more than one occasion, I’m now prepared. Should an unexpected guest arrive with a present, I no longer panic – I have my own secret stash of emergency gifts!
Having a stash of emergency gifts is a really wise move. You don’t need to go mad or spend a fortune, but having a few items hidden away in a wardrobe or cupboard really can save you from a lot of embarrassment. Ask yourself what would make a nice present but could also be re-purposed later if you don’t use it. If it can be given as a birthday gift or it’s something you’re likely to use, it’s a good thing to get. A nice box of chocolates, a bottle of wine or some scented candles are a great place to start.
How to get your Christmas Shopping Done…
Getting your Christmas shopping sorted needn’t be stressful. Just remember to start early, have a battle plan and wrap your presents as you go!
That’s it for this post! I hope it’s helped you to get focused on how to start tackling your Christmas shopping. Like what you’ve read? Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a post! Join my tribe and kick-start creating a family life you love right now by filling in your details below. Receive my ULTIMATE Christmas Planning Checklist as a thank-you!
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Did you enjoy this post? What’s your top tip on how to get your Christmas shopping done? Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time…
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Don’t forget to check out the rest of the A Christmas Less Stressed series!
- 1. Introduction: Your Guide to a Happy Christmas
- 2. Part One: How to Plan a Happy and Stress-free Christmas
- 3. Part Two: How to Get Your Christmas Shopping Done
- 4. Part Three: Five Ways to Enjoy a Family Christmas
- 5. Part Four: Christmas Meal Planning Made Easy
- 6. Part Five: How to Pull Everything Together
