When Do You Start?
Ah, Christmas shopping.
Every year I have the best of intentions. I think I’ll get started around August, maybe early September, which should give me a good four months to stockpile, search for sales and keep an ear open for what the kids are interested in. (They don’t get a lot but as they get older it just becomes harder and harder to buy for them.)
But by the time November creeps up my closet may have one gift per kid hidden if I’m lucky, though typically it’s still just my clothes and shoes. And to be honest, I even hate the idea of present shopping. I usually end up spending a weekend on Amazon at the end of November, taking advantage of free shipping options and hoping everything shows up in time (it always has!).
So when do you start your Christmas/Holiday shopping? Or rather, when do you plan to start your shopping as opposed to when it actually happens? Do you prefer going to the store or taking care of it online?
[image: sxc]
This is pretty much the first Christmas where my daughter is aware that she exists. So up until now, I have been able to wait until the last minute. Do you still have to buy gifts for your extended family members, siblings, and parents after you have kids? seems awfully expensive to shop for everyone..
Good to see I’m not the only one. I start each year with good intentions, but usually don’t have much purchased until the day after Thanksgiving. That’s when my sister in law and I do a marathon shopping trip. We have a blast and actually get quite a bit accomplished, even with the long lines, and we have a blast doing it.
I have already started. I posted about this twice in July in my Nifty Thrifty Thursday: Christmas in July posts. All year, I buy gift cards so I have the money put away. I also have one for the grocery store that I add $5 to each time I grocery shop. I’ll have the money for either baking or Christmas dinner on that card by December!
I use Amazon.com to keep a running list throughout the year. In May when my son says he wants a skateboard, I go to Amazon and add a skateboard to the wishlist. If by the beginning of November I haven’t found sales/bargains on the items on the wishlist, I just place the order on Amazon and get it shipped free to my home. Which leaves about a month to gather smaller (stocking type) stuff. And by ordering with my Amazon credit card I’ve earned $$ towards other Amazon purchases.
I have great intentions but generally don’t do any shopping until mid-December, which is about as much fun as it sounds.
My mother, meanwhile, called me the other day to ask me about what size I take if the only options are small, medium, or large instead of number sizes. When I asked her why, she said she had seen something to get me for Christmas. It was July!