The Christmas Stocking Stock-up
Friday, 5th December 2008
It’s that time of year again, when Santa’s elves are working overtime in their work shop, and we’re all eagerly anticipating the start of the Christmas festivities.
Most shops will have been stocked up with Christmas gifts and ridiculous novelty items since October, and will have annoyed customers for weeks by blaring out Christmas songs prematurely. However, the majority of people won’t have finished their Christmas shopping yet.
Although my distaste for anything Christmas-related before December would seem to suggest I am rather cynical about the holiday, I am actually one of its biggest fans. And it is with a rather smug sense of pride and satisfaction that I announce that I have already bought all but one of my Christmas presents. Owing to my current success in this field, I have put together a list of my top tips, to help you maximise your Christmas shopping experience.
- My first piece of advice would be to make a list of who you need to buy for, any gift ideas you already have, and a budget. This will allow you to retain your focus, rather than wandering aimlessly, as you fight through the hoards of people all desperate to get home before dark.
- With regards to budget, it’s best to try your hardest to stick to it - unless of course money is no object, in which case I would like to be your friend. A good way of watching the pennies is to keep an eye out for sales and special offers in shops (at the moment The Body Shop are doing 3 for 2 on gifts). However, bear in mind that offers such as 3 for 2 are only useful if you want three of whatever you’re buying. It’s not a bargain if you only wanted one in the first place. The same applies to sale items, or unnecessary novelty gifts, which I do admit can pose a huge distraction to the unfocused mind. If you would never in a million years have bought it if it wasn’t on sale/in stock for Christmas only, chances are it’s not the ideal purchase.
- Which day you choose to set out on your shopping extravaganza is also important. It goes without saying (although I’ll say it anyway) that Christmas Eve is not the best time to choose, and if you can, it’s best to avoid Saturdays as well. Unless you have no time constraints, I also find it most useful to go Christmas shopping alone, as you’re less likely to get distracted. Stop once or twice for a rejuvenating coffee and cake break - this will lift your spirits, revive the mind and prepare you for another burst of inspired present buying.
- Think carefully about choice of Christmas cards - for many years now I have considered going into the card-making business, simply because of the lazy attitude some card-makers seem to adopt at Christmas time. Too many times have I seen the inner layers of cards stapled on upside down, and as a lover of all things grammatically correct I was appalled to find a card last year announcing ‘Your like a Mum to me’. If your experience mirrors mine, and you find the card selection too dire, making your own is always a nice touch. Although this obviously puts you at a slight disadvantage if you lack the creative gene.
- There will inevitably be some difficult groups of people to buy for: perhaps those of the opposite sex, or distant relatives. When in doubt, boring as it may seem, you’re best off erring on the side of predictability and buying something practical but dull, or edible, which always goes down well. And if all else fails and you’re tired of traipsing round the shops, get into the spirit of giving and buy them a very charitable ‘Congratulations you’ve bought a goat for a family in Mauritania’ gift from Oxfam. Then challenge them to complain without seeming selfish.
