In a world that seems to be intent on doing everything quickly – fast broadband, fast trains, fast track – is it any wonder that we’re always getting ahead of ourselves? Last year, DFS put Christmas trees in their shop windows in September, and while we used to begin look forward to the Coca-Cola Christmas advert on December 1st, we can now expect to see it on our screens in November. It seems as if we are being rushed into the festive season, but is it for good reason? While we won’t be erecting our Christmas trees in August, we can’t see any harm in organising Christmas hampers and gifts well in advance…
You can save money
Buying your gifts in advance in the months building up to Christmas will enable you to spread out the cost, leaving you more money to spend on actually enjoying the festive season! Too often, we reach the holidays without a penny to spend on a rewarding hot chocolate! If you want to really save on present buying, we know a number of incredibly organised mums who start shopping in the Boxing Day sales…
Buy the gifts they want
If you’ve ever found yourself running from shop to shop trying to find that specific present for that very particular someone, then you’ll understand the importance of buying in advance. The most popular presents are the hardest ones to find as they almost always sell out fast – one of the most famous examples of this being the new Nintendo Wii in 2007. Children’s gifts are often some of the hardest to find, and hunting for the last of the season’s biggest gifts in the shops is often a source of great aggravation for some poor parents.
Have time to probe
If you have no idea what to buy someone, thinking about it well in advance often allows the chance to do some probing. Suggest things that they might like before they’ve even thought about Christmas to see if they agree and try asking them what their favourite gifts have been in the past; they’ll never suspect your ulterior motive, particularly if you’re asking in June! Don’t forget that people think about the presents they receive a lot more than you would have thought.
Avoid stress
When you have someone difficult to buy for on your list, such as your in-laws or your employer, don’t leave it until the last minute to panic about what to buy them. Panic buying will likely only end in them receiving something meaningless that they will probably ever use or enjoy. Instead, why not pre-order something you know they’ll love, like a Christmas hamper full of their favourite goodies? You could fill it with things you know they’ll appreciate, and pre-order it months in advance so you needn’t fret when the big day is looming.
By Laura Styles
