Impulsive Christmas Shopping

Impulsive Christmas shopping is a problem which plagues many of us and it can have a variety of complications. Some of the problems which often stem from impulsive Christmas shopping are going over budget, buying frivolous items, and even forgetting about items that were already purchased. All of these problems can pose their own set of dilemmas. It is important to remember that, although there are many problems associated with impulsive Christmas shopping, there is also some merit to this shopping tactic.

Going over budget is one of the major concerns of impulsive Christmas shopping. A common scenario is to pick up a few small items each time you go out Christmas shopping. These gifts may seem small and seemingly harmless to your budget but they can add up over time. For example you may only be purchasing items which cost a few dollars, but if you buy enough of these items, you could find yourself hundreds of dollars over budget without even realizing it. One way to combat this problem is to write down each item and the price of every gift you buy. This will help you to be aware of how these small gifts can add up and may prevent you from shopping on impulse in the future.

Purchasing frivolous gifts is another problem associated with impulsive Christmas shopping. You may see a few small items which you think will make cute gifts at the time, but after you purchase them, you might realize they are actually quite silly. When this occurs you have two choices: you can either return the item and replace it with a more meaningful gift, or you could keep the item and give it to your friend or relative anyway. If you opt to return the item, you may find yourself pressed for time to find a replacement gift, depending on when you started shopping. If it is close to Christmas already, you may have difficulty finding something at the last minute and you may have no choice but to give the gift you purchased on an impulse.

Another problem often associated with impulsive Christmas shopping is forgetting about items you have already purchased. If you purchase a number of small items on impulse, you may put these gifts in a safe location and then completely forget about them. When this happens, you may end up buying additional gifts for those on your list who were supposed to receive the gifts you already purchased. This can cause you to go over budget and can also create unnecessary stress.

While there are many problems which are often associated with impulsive Christmas shopping, it is important to remember that sometimes impulsive Christmas shopping is a good idea. When you see an item that you just know will make the perfect Christmas gift for a friend or relative, and you purchase the item without giving it any thought, that is the exact definition of impulsive shopping. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Buying a gift on impulse is not a problem when the gift you purchase is a great gift for the intended recipient, but impulse Christmas shopping becomes problematic when it causes the shopper to go over budget or to purchase items they wouldn’t normally buy.

Making Your Christmas List

Almost everyone who celebrates Christmas knows all about Santa’s good list, as well as his naughty list, and most people do their best to avoid being placed on Santa’s naughty list. While the concept of Santa’s good list and naughty list is a fun way to convince children to be on their best behavior during the Christmas season, the concept of a list should be one that all Christmas shoppers adhere to while they are doing their Christmas shopping. In fact, Christmas shopping should be filled with all sorts of lists. You can create lists of everyone you plan to give gifts to this year, lists of potential gift ideas, and even lists of the actual gifts you select. All of this list making may sound tedious, but lists can be very helpful.

Making a list of everyone you plan to give a Christmas gift to should be the first step in any Christmas shopping expedition. This list is important because it gives you a handy reference to all the people you should keep in mind while you are shopping. It also gives you an idea of the total number of people on your Christmas list. Knowing how many people are on your list is important for setting a budget.

After you make this list and set your budget, it is a good idea to make another list of potential gift ideas for each person on your Christmas gift list. It is a good idea to brainstorm and try to come up with a few good gift ideas for each person on your list. When you are out Christmas shopping, you will have some idea of where to start your search and you will have a few choices if you are having difficulty finding one of the items on your list of suggestions. You may find items which are not on your list but are perfect for the person you are shopping for, which is fine. It is important to remember your list of suggestions is just a starting point and if you find a more appropriate gift that is not on your list, it is a good idea to purchase this gift instead.

While you are Christmas shopping, you should also keep a list of the items you actually purchase for the people on your list. If you have a particularly long list, you may have difficulty remembering all the items you already bought. Keeping an updated list of the gifts you’ve already purchased will minimize this problem. This list also comes in handy when it is time to start wrapping all the Christmas gifts you purchased. You may have a closet full of gifts, but you may have trouble remembering which gift goes to which recipient. If you’ve kept an accurate list while making your purchases, this should not be a problem.

Early Christmas Shopping

If you are one of those people who gets their Christmas shopping done early every year, you probably find you are the envy of your friends around the holiday season. This is especially true if you make a habit of letting others know you have already finished your Christmas shopping. The vast majority of people do not get their Christmas shopping done early and may be envious of those who manage to finish their shopping early. The fact that most Christmas shoppers wait until the last minute is evident by the crowds who fill the malls and shopping centers in the final days before Christmas.

If you are one of the people who always finishes Christmas shopping early, you may already have a method to accomplishing this goal. However, if you are like the majority of people who spend every year Christmas shopping at the last minute, you might find some of the following tips helpful.

One of the best ways to get your Christmas shopping done early is to try to do a lot of it in the first couple of weeks after Christmas. Although the stores are usually quite crowded on these days, there is not the same sense of urgency which prevails in the days just before Christmas, so the atmosphere is more relaxed. Also, many stores are holding sales, so not only can you do a large portion of your shopping, but you are also likely to save money in the process.

Another way to get your Christmas shopping done early is to plan on doing all of your Christmas shopping online this year. This is an excellent idea because most retailers will wrap the item for you and ship it directly to the recipient. You will pay a little more for these services but the convenience of not having to do the wrapping yourself and avoiding long lines at the post office is certainly worth the extra fee. Committing to Christmas shopping online really helps you to get your shopping done early because you know you have to make your purchases early in order for them to arrive on time.

Another way to get your Christmas shopping done early is to plan on purchasing two gifts for each person on your list at the time of their birthday. You can give them the first gift for their birthday and store the other item away until Christmas. This helps to get your shopping done early, so you can avoid the hassle of going to overcrowded malls and shopping centers and searching for last minute Christmas gifts. If you follow this simple strategy, when the Christmas season arrives, you will already have most, if not all, of your Christmas gifts purchased. You can spend your time relaxing and enjoying the holiday season instead of running around trying to find the perfect gift for each person on your list. While this strategy is effective, it is important to note you could be destined to some last minute shopping if you have people on your list who have birthdays in late December. In this case, you will have to plan ahead and purchase their birthday gift and their Christmas gift early.