Christmas Shopping Made Easy

The festive season is coming up, and while it’s billed as an enjoyable, sociable time of year, many of us spend it feeling anxious, exhausted, and stressed to the max. Part of the reason is gift giving – we either fail to plan it, or plan it in too much detail. Meanwhile, those who gift shop with ease, do so because they are relatively well organised while at the same time not feeling personally responsible if a gift fails to one hundred percent impress. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some tips that can lessen your Christmas gift giving load so you have time and energy to enjoy the festive season, too!

Be the early bird

Let’s face it – we (and the planet) have too much stuff. With the possible exception of young children, we would really rather have less than more when it comes to gifts. To make things easier on everyone, get in bright and early by suggesting a fun, yet limited, gift-giving plan that can be enjoyed by those you will be spending Christmas with. ‘Secret Santa’ is a favourite because it means everyone buys just one gift. It works like this: one person collects the names of everyone gathering together on Christmas Day. They randomise the list, and let the other guests know who they are buying for. On Christmas Day, all the gifts (with the recipients names, but not the names of the givers) go in a basket. As everyone takes their gift and unwraps it, there are two lovely surprises – the gift itself, and the fun of working out who gave it!

Put your feet up

No one (apart from serious shopaholics) wants to be traipsing the streets in late December hunting for Christmas gifts. What’s more, relaxation (rather than exhaustion) stimulates the mind and helps you think clearly. That’s why it pays to fix yourself a nice hot cuppa, and sit in an armchair with your feet up, and a notepad and pencil in your hand. As soon as you’re ready, note down who you plan to buy for, and list their interests and edible treat-preferences. Next, list no more than 2 possible gift ideas for each person. If you’re seriously stuck, consider magazines. There are subscriptions (or one-off copies) to suit every interest, from gardening reads for the plant lovers, to our wonderful look-back-in time magazine ‘New Zealand Memories’.  Whatever you decide to buy, don’t lose the shopping list!

Axe the anguish

Too much emotional investment (aka: anguish) can quickly turn the pleasure of gift shopping into a nightmare experience. Let’s face it, everyone enjoys receiving a gift – the love that comes with it, the fun of unwrapping it, the pleasure of holding it. If it’s not the perfect gift, it really doesn’t matter. When gift shopping, choose what you think the person you’re buying for would like, make sure you like it, too, and ask for an exchange card to be tucked inside the gift wrapping, just in case. Then congratulate yourself for having done your best, because anguishing is pointless!

Save your feet (and your fuel)

Hiking for blocks as you dive from one shop to another looking for a particular gift is no fun for your feet. Nor is paying for parking and fuel as you drive from suburb to suburb to find what you’re looking for. So skip the hassle, and phone ahead to see if what you’re looking for is in stock. Once you find the shop that has what you want, ask them to put the item aside for you. If you’re super smart, you’ll try to purchase all your gifts from the one mall or suburb. Easy!

Buy online

On-line gift shopping can at first seem costly (because of post or courier charges). However, when you count the fuel cost of driving your car from shop to shop (not to mention the drinks, food and impulse buys while you’re in town), the sending costs can often seem the more economic option! What’s more, you can use the time you save to meet up with friends for a pre Christmas get together.

This year, make Christmas gift shopping a breeze – and enjoy the festive season to your heart’s content!