Christmas is thundering toward us like a steam engine fully stoked. Anxiety levels are starting to rise as each day is marked off the calendar. Being prepared both in mind and body can alleviate the Christmas jitters. Having a well-thought-out plan can make shopping during the holidays uncomplicated and reduce post-holiday credit card debt.
What Can We Do To Prepare Ourselves Before We Start Christmas Shopping?
First, we have to be in a certain frame of mind. Preparing your body and mind is the first step. Rushing from work to overcrowded department stores is definitely out of the question. Make sure you are in a good place, spiritually and bodily. This requires a well-rounded meal so that your body is fueled up. A soothing bath or shower, meditation, yoga, or anything that can contribute to a feeling of well-being, will start you off on the right foot.
What Do We Plan Ahead Of Time?
Santa Claus has a list for a reason, and so should you. Each shopping excursion should be short and productive, so keep your list to no more than ten people or presents. Any more than that on one outing will wear you down and make the shopping a chore rather than an adventure. Always have a budget for each gift. This will diminish your credit card debt after Christmas and will give you the best bang for your buck.
Make a Christmas Shopping List
Balance your list of easy gifts to buy with those that may be more difficult. From the grandma who has everything to your nephew who just moved out of the house, write down gift ideas for each person on your list. It narrows the search for you and helps you combine gift searching in one department. This alleviates aimless wandering and impulse shopping.
Although there is a time and place for improvisation, it is always best to start out with a basic Christmas shopping list. Write down the name of each person who you are planning on buying, or making, a Christmas present for. Then, be sure to write down a few ideas that you feel may be useful during your Christmas shopping trips.
For example, let’s pretend that you know that you want to purchase something from Bath and Body Works for your sister. Once you get to the store, you will then be able to decide which product you want to choose as a Christmas gift. Without that starting idea, you will probably not even know where to begin your Christmas shopping for any given person on your list. It will also help prevent you from forgetting a Christmas gift for someone special.
Set a Budget for Christmas Shopping
Setting a budget for Christmas shopping is extremely important. Many of us don’t want to spend too little, but at the same time, we certainly don’t want to spend too much on Christmas gifts. The best thing that you can do is determine an exact number that you will not go over for each person on your Christmas shopping list. Although you may choose to go slightly below this limit, it is best to try to stick to your Christmas shopping budget as much as you possibly can. This will also help you stay relatively close to your overall Christmas list.
Shop During Sales, Avoid Huge Ones
If you are the type of person who likes to avoid any type of added holiday stress, then there is a good chance that you will not want to go shopping on Black Friday. At the same time, you will probably want to make sure that you do hit some sales. Many stores have a few sales between Black Friday and the week before Christmas. To avoid extra Christmas stress, you may want to consider doing your Christmas shopping during this time.
Determine if You Want to Christmas Shop Alone
Some people do well when they shop with others, mainly because they do not get bored, but also because a friend or family member may have Christmas gift suggestions to offer. On the other hand, there are people who do not get any shopping done when they are with others because they find it too much of a distraction. It is important for you to determine if you want to Christmas shop alone or accompanied by a friend or family member.
While it may seem insignificant, it can really have a huge effect on the amount of stress that you endure due to Christmas shopping. Just imagine having to go through another painful day of shopping that you may have been able to take care of yourself if you had not joked off with your friends so much.
When Is The Best Time To Do My Christmas Shopping?
Many large stores like Walmart have truly blessed the Christmas shopper by staying open all night during the Christmas season. The stores are like ghost towns compared to the daytime peak hours.
Christmas shopping can truly be painless and satisfying if you are prepared both in mind and body. You can survive the Christmas season both financially and mentally if you plan a list, stick to it, and shop in the stores during their low-traffic periods. Remember your survival guide to holiday shopping and embrace the Christmas spirit.
The holiday season is one of the most stressful times of the year. With so much shopping to do and so little time, there’s no wonder why the Christmas shopping season is the time when many of us tend to experience the most stress. Here, we will take a closer look at five tips that help you experience the most stress-free Christmas holiday.
These are just some of the many Christmas shopping tips that may help you experience a stress-free Christmas. Since this is the most stressful time of year, there is a good chance that you will want to use these Christmas shopping tips to your advantage.
More importantly, however, it is important to remember that Christmas is all about giving. You should not feel completely miserable about having to go out and find Christmas gifts that everyone will appreciate. Choosing a gift that really comes from your heart, no matter how small or large it may be, is the best way to go!
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