December 25th is only a couple of months away! However, even though most of us have this special date memorized, the year’s most iconic holiday always seems to come as a big surprise.
Yes, Christmas is notorious for sneaking up on you, catching you off-guard and underprepared – leaving you in survival mode.
But why does it happen?
Well, first, you’re constantly under the perception that there’s plenty of time ahead to shop for everything you need – which might be true at the beginning.
But… then, you wait… you procrastinate…. right up until you reach a critical turning point where Christmas is literally just around the corner while you’re still on square one.
Gift-giving is one of the most central Christmas traditions, where people open their hearts as well as their wallet.
So, if you want to avoid the last-minute Christmas pressure, the best thing you can do is plan ahead.
Here are a few simple but practical tips that can help you cross the finish line safely – with your sanity intact.
1. Make a List
Start your project by preparing a list of who you need to shop for.
More specifically, begin by listing the most important people in your life, (your immediate family and closest friends), and then add people as needed.
2. Create a Budget
It’s important to handle holiday expenses with great care.
Unfortunately, many Christmas gift shoppers tend to get carried away and end up overspending.
So, by setting a budget for your entire holiday shopping, decide how much you will spend on each gift – and stick to it.
3. Fine-Tune the Plan
Now you know who your target giftees are and how much money you intend to invest (in each one and collectively). Next, you need make precise plans regarding when and where you will buy the presents.
Write down the exact gift or at least a broad idea regarding what you wish to buy for each individual.
Starting early gives you ample time to compare options both online and offline, look for bargains and deals, take advantage of sales and save money.
In addition, it makes the entire holiday season a lot easier, enjoyable and less stressful.
4. Get Organized
As soon as you begin to shop for your loved ones, keep a detailed list of what you have bought for whom, for how much and what you still need to purchase.
Moreover, keeping track of this gradual progress is necessary to ensure your plan is being executed successfully.
5. Last-Minute Gift Shopping
Sometimes, even the best plans may still have loopholes.
Perhaps you unintentionally forgot a person and did not include him or her on your list or maybe circumstances have changed or unexpected things have happened suddenly.There are scenarios in which you find yourself in a difficult position where you must buy or send a gift immediately when there’s almost no time left.
Unfortunately, if you find that you’re in a time-sensitive gift-buying situation, then you’ll need to act quickly. You also need to come up with good last-minute gift ideas, such as deliverable flower bouquets, gift baskets or alternatively – digital gifts.
There are many flower and gift basket websites offer same-day nationwide delivery. Plus, digital gifts can be sent and delivered online – even instantly, giving you a beneficial and prompt solution, even if you leave it to the very last second.
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