How to Buy Christmas Gifts Early
: Friday, August 13th, 2010 at 7:01 am 
: admin Christmas Shopping
I don’t know if you’re like me, but nothing puts a damper on enjoying the Christmas season like not having my Christmas presents decided on, shopped for, purchased, wrapped and labeled. In the past, I use to wait until November or December to start the process but it was so stressful, I finally decided I better start sooner.
Now, it is always my goal to buy Christmas gifts early so that I can finish before Thanksgiving, enjoy the entire holiday season and focus on the good stuff like family, friends and the Christmas spirit.
How does it usually go for you?
Stuffed like sardines along with other shoppers in a jangly-loud, jarringly-bright mall with everything picked over and the best stuff already gone or heading out the door as you watch? Twenty-five Vaseline smiles watching your every move as they all offer to help you find the perfect gift?
Anxiety mounting as you wonder if they will even like your presents and grimace over the ever-growing price tag for this holiday extravaganza? Sheesh!!
That does not sound like very much fun!
Perhaps there is a better way?
Start Early
I encourage you to get a head start on all the excitement by making your list and checking it twice long before the holiday season rolls around. In fact, I can help you get all of your shopping done before the season begins.
I promise you, you will thank me later!
The Three-Month Plan
Now, I propose taking three months to plan for and purchase all of your gifts. When I say three months, I am thinking August, September and October, but it could really be any three months between January and November.
Budget
And hey, please take your budget (VERY important) and your list of recipients into careful consideration.
If you’re going to spend $1000 or more on Christmas and you’re not Oprah, perhaps you will need more than three months! Take six, or ten. I am suggesting a plan that would require anywhere from $50-$200 per month instead of all at once.
But start from where you are. If you are reading this in September, then evaluate what you can do in the next two months to lighten the load and lift the burden.
Knock It Off
You also can review the list and look for less expensive versions of the gifts you were planning so you’re less likely to cry in January while everyone else is still thanking you for your extravagance. The gifts that mean the most to me are the ones that show me that the giver really cared about a need or wish or dream I expressed. The cost of the gift doesn’t matter to me.
Perhaps that is true of your loved ones, as well?
For specific suggestions about how to plan those three months of shopping, and more tips for making the entire process stress-free, go to holiday shopping tips.
There you will find a link for a free holiday shopping guide from the gift therapist, videos with holiday gift advice for shopping on a budget, and lots of other Christmas gift advice.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeanine_Byers_Hoag
Christmas Shopping
I don’t know if you’re like me, but nothing puts a damper on enjoying the Christmas season like not having my Christmas presents decided on, shopped for, purchased, wrapped and labeled. In the past, I use to wait until November or December to start the process but it was so stressful, I finally decided I better start sooner.
Now, it is always my goal to buy Christmas gifts early so that I can finish before Thanksgiving, enjoy the entire holiday season and focus on the good stuff like family, friends and the Christmas spirit.
How does it usually go for you?
Stuffed like sardines along with other shoppers in a jangly-loud, jarringly-bright mall with everything picked over and the best stuff already gone or heading out the door as you watch? Twenty-five Vaseline smiles watching your every move as they all offer to help you find the perfect gift?
Anxiety mounting as you wonder if they will even like your presents and grimace over the ever-growing price tag for this holiday extravaganza? Sheesh!!
That does not sound like very much fun!
Perhaps there is a better way?
Start Early
I encourage you to get a head start on all the excitement by making your list and checking it twice long before the holiday season rolls around. In fact, I can help you get all of your shopping done before the season begins.
I promise you, you will thank me later!
The Three-Month Plan
Now, I propose taking three months to plan for and purchase all of your gifts. When I say three months, I am thinking August, September and October, but it could really be any three months between January and November.
Budget
And hey, please take your budget (VERY important) and your list of recipients into careful consideration.
If you’re going to spend $1000 or more on Christmas and you’re not Oprah, perhaps you will need more than three months! Take six, or ten. I am suggesting a plan that would require anywhere from $50-$200 per month instead of all at once.
But start from where you are. If you are reading this in September, then evaluate what you can do in the next two months to lighten the load and lift the burden.
Knock It Off
You also can review the list and look for less expensive versions of the gifts you were planning so you’re less likely to cry in January while everyone else is still thanking you for your extravagance. The gifts that mean the most to me are the ones that show me that the giver really cared about a need or wish or dream I expressed. The cost of the gift doesn’t matter to me.
Perhaps that is true of your loved ones, as well?
For specific suggestions about how to plan those three months of shopping, and more tips for making the entire process stress-free, go to holiday shopping tips.
There you will find a link for a free holiday shopping guide from the gift therapist, videos with holiday gift advice for shopping on a budget, and lots of other Christmas gift advice.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeanine_Byers_Hoag