Start Your Christmas Shopping Now. Yes, Now!

In case you haven’t noticed, holiday catalogues have begun showing up in your mailbox, holiday displays are up in some stores, and holiday movies (at least on the Hallmark channel) and commercials are appearing on the television…all before Halloween!  What’s a consumer to do?  Don’t fight it, that’s what.  I constantly hear the common refrain of, “Christmas arrives earlier and earlier every year.  They can’t make me shop before I’m ready!” from my parents, wife and various friends.  You know what?  I learned years…decades ago, to just roll with it.  When the pumpkins show up on porches, I start Christmas shopping and here’s why…

• Avoid all the chaos, crowds and concomitant stress associated with them. Why not eliminate your inner procrastinator for a few months and get ‘er done.  Imagine leisurely meandering through empty stores in search of that perfect gift or spending some serious time online crafting an awesome personalized gift for that special person in your life…all in a stress-free environment.  Ahhhh, I need some chamomile tea.
• Save money…as studies show that people spend more when “panic shopping” at the last minute and they often times purchase a gift that the recipient neither needs nor wants. Take some time and plan out your gift purchases (it’s called a budget) and save.  You can also save money with online purchases by avoiding exorbitant, last-minute shipping charges.
• Gives you more time to locate bargains and not just on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Many brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers offer discounts prior to Thanksgiving, particularly on the Monday prior to turkey day according to professional shopping experts.  I didn’t know such a thing existed until I researched this post.
• Allows you ample opportunity and time to ensure you purchase gifts your recipients will just adore. In other words, it gives you plenty of time to put some thought and effort into the gift giving process.  Rather than get dad yet another tie, why not spend a little time and design him a heartfelt personalized gift here: https://www.uncommongoods.com/gifts/personalized/personalized-gifts
• The stores are just now getting in their Christmas stock which means you have a full choice of selections, sizes, styles and colors. If you wait until the there’s only one page left on your calendar, you just might be forced to settle on a gift that fails in one or more categories.
• You get to spread your spending out over two months rather than two weeks and that matters when that credit card bill shows up in January after you did all your Christmas shopping during the days just prior to Christmas. ‘Tis better to take two small hits rather than a single large one.  I think I got that line from a long-forgotten Christmas carol.

I consider Christmas shopping to be similar to an extended hunting expedition, but instead of searching for critters to kill I’m hunting for bargain gifts that match my recipients wants as closely as possible.  And, obviously, the sooner one begins that hunt, the better the end results.  Good (gift) Hunting and Happy Holidays!