Ok, I know you are probably all thinking I am crazy by mentioning Christmas this early, but trust me, I’m onto something here. Every year I set a goal to be done with my Christmas shopping by the second week in November. I do this for a bunch of reasons, but my main reason is that I want to actually enjoy my holidays and if I am worried about what gifts to buy people and waiting until the wire to get all my shopping done, I can’t really enjoy them. So, here’s what I have been doing and how it has worked so far.
Starting in July(ish), I start a list of each of the people in my family for which I need to buy gifts. In my case, this means Mr. Cereal, LeLe and Little Bug, my nephews L, A, & W, my parents, Mr. Cereal’s parents, my grandparents, Mr. Cereal’s grandparents, and two “white elephant” gifts of $10 and $25. We have a rule in my little family that we follow the rule of four. Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. We also do stockings and Santa gifts, and I like to do a Christmas Eve present of a new book and matching pj’s for the kids.
My phone has a note app, so in this app I make a header/list for each person:
Mr. Cereal:
Want:
Need:
Wear:
Read:
Stocking:
Once I have the list made, I start slowly filling it in with things that Mr. Cereal or the kids mention that they want/need/etc. By this time of the year, I have my lists completed and I am ready to start shopping.
For me, the stress level alone is worth it, but I also find that by spreading out my spending over a few months, I don’t feel the sting of the Christmas shopping as much. It’s nice knowing that I’ll be able to spend a bit each month and by December, I am ready to go and all I need to do is wrap everything. I also love that this means that my weekends in December can be spent baking, watching movies, and hanging out as a family.
In the past, Mr. Cereal has made fun of me for being so ahead of the game, but he is slowly coming on board to my ways. I can definitely tell that he starts thinking about his shopping earlier and earlier each year, which means that we are both way less stressed come December.
There are a couple of drawbacks to my plan, one of which is forgetting what I have purchased. I tend to hide my gifts once I purchase them and occasionally a gift goes missing and it is craziness when I go looking for it. The other thing to consider is that with little kids like mine, their wants and needs change all the time. So I try to wait to get their clothing items and real want items until mid November. This means that I have to remember to get these items, which in the past was not a problem but as we get busier and busier as a family, this could be a problem going forward.
What are your early Christmas shopping strategies? Or are you the last minute run to Target on Christmas eve type? I want to hear your plans!
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
I do the same thing now~ For me, it’s not so much the stress, but that way my budget is spread out and I don’t get hit with crazy bills Nov/Dec, since both my kids’ birthdays are in Dec!
pear / 1998 posts
The only problem I’ve found with this method is that more and more stores have limited return windows – so if I buy a gift in October, by the time I give the gift in December, the receipt is expired and they can’t return it.
clementine / 920 posts
@TemperanceBrennan: Good point about the return window. I usually buy things I am unsure about (ie clothing) closer to the holidays so I can include the receipt. Otherwise I assume people won’t be returning their gifts. lol
I do the exact same thing! I have a note on my phone to capture wish list items as they come up throughout the year. I also start listing all the people we typically buy gifts for and any ideas or purchases as they come up. Thankfully my LO is still young enough that I can hide everything in the same closet so it doesn’t get lost but I know it will become a challenge as he gets older and more curious.
blogger / kiwi / 626 posts
@snowjewelz: I have a January birthday, so I totally get the spreading it out. Sure makes it easier to pay for everything when it is a little at a time.
@TemperanceBrennan: I definitely try to wait until early to mid November to buy the clothing items and the “wants” in case they grow or change their minds. This gives me enough time to exchange or send things back.
@Bluemasonjar: Yes! The phone list means that I can start remembering things early in the year and modifying it as it gets closer to Christmas. One of the things I love is surprising one of my family members with something that they mentioned in passing months ago.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I don’t think it’s weird at all! I buy a year’s worth of kid gifts for birthday parties from amazon so that I am prepared.
blogger / apricot / 482 posts
I do this too, but not entirely intentionally. I just pick up things throughout the year that fit the gift recipient, whether that’s Mr. Dolphin, the kids, family, etc. I don’t necessarily have Christmas in mind and sometimes they become birthday gifts things I bribe the kids with on long plane rides, etc. I shop a lot for the kids at a kids’ consignment store, so if I don’t purchase it when I see a particular item, it likely won’t be there when I want it later on. I have a box in my closet specifically for kids’ gifts, which has also saved me if I need to pull something out for a last minute birthday party gift.
blogger / kiwi / 626 posts
@Mrs. Dolphin: I’ve been slowly picking up dress up clothes (princess dresses, pirate outfit, etc) for the kids when I go to the consignment shops. I am also in the mentality that I need to grab it now or I won’t see it again.
pea / 9 posts
I do this too! I got it from my grandma – she starts Christmas shopping during after Christmas sales from the year before. I started in August this year on some homemade gifts and purchased gifts for nieces & nephews and kiddos in September. This month I’m picking up Christmas pj’s for kiddos and working on wrapping gifts and my homemade gifts should be finished by thanksgiving so that I can actually enjoy the holidays and not stress.
pomelo / 5621 posts
I started shopping last month. We have already decided what we are getting DS and who will shop for what.
My sisters and I have stopped exchanging gifts and I’ll do something little for both sets of parents.
I’m taking a trip home at the end of this month and plan on having all my shopping done for my family. Then it will be cheaper to pay for an extra suite case then ship items.
I also keep a Rubbermaid in a closet and pick things up throughout the year when I see them on clearance or good deals.
pomelo / 5866 posts
I do a day on Zulily and Black Friday/Cyber Monday and then I am almost all done. It is the ‘almost’ that kills me.
We put all decor up on Thanksgiving weekend so we have a whole month to enjoy.
kiwi / 556 posts
Yes! We are usually mostly done by September. I love shopping year round!
guest
One of my husband’s coworkers has a savings account just for Christmas, and has like $50 from each paycheck automatically goes in there! They still probably spend more in December, but I need to do that!!