Christmas Gift Shopping
Christmas shopping, are you an early bird or a last minute shopper?
Christmas shopping is a love it or hate it activity. Some people love the idea of getting out there and buying gifts, and for other people it fills them with dread.
Here at Gifts from Handpicked, we love the festive season, and for us, shopping cannot start early enough. So, with this in mind we have had a look at getting started early on your shopping vs leaving it all to the last minute, all to see which choice is better.
Being prepared with early shopping
For some of us, as soon as November comes around, it is time to start thinking about buying Christmas presents for our nearest and dearest. We will make a list, hit the online stores or shops and see what we can find.
Early shopping is great if you want to make sure that you are nice and prepared for Christmas, and also if you are the type of person that hates the idea of the Christmas rush. You are also going to be more likely to source popular toys or gifts, before other people even start thinking about their Christmas presents.
The trouble with early shopping is that you may not know when to stop, which means that you end up spending more and buying more gifts. You may also find that people (particularly children) change their mind closer to Christmas on what they want, and this can leave you with a possibly unwanted present.
Rushing around at the last minute
Whilst some like to be prepared, there are others that are happy to leave their shopping until the last minute instead. These people will be able to see what other people have already bought, and plan their own gifts around this. They can also wait and see if there are any big sales before Christmas, and then take advantage of these when buying their gifts. You are also likely to spend less than someone who starts early, as you have less time to overbuy.
The drawback of last minute shopping is that you may feel rushed to buy a gift, and you may buy something that you are not 100% sure the person will like. You also may find that some of the most sought after items are already sold out, leaving you without that much wanted toy and a possibly disappointed child.
As you can see, both of the options have benefits and drawbacks, which one you go for will really depend on your own approach to shopping. One thing is for sure, whether you are done by the 1st of December, or still looking on Christmas Eve, make sure that you enjoy the festive season and think about all the amazing times that you will be spending with family and friends!
Shop our Christmas shop for gift ideas for all ages, something for everyone.
