If you normally buy presents/paper/etc in December, have you ho if they them early?

[Soubriquet]

I know you shouldn’t believe everything you see online but I must admit I was a little concerned to read about a shortage of presents, wrapping paper and other christmassy bits was going to happen.

I have therefore already bought all the wrapping paper I should need, two advent calenders and a gotten a head start on present buying. I’ve already bought two presents that are “in demand” for dd as they are supposed to be this years top toys. There are others coming too.

So how about you? Are you starting early? Or risking it and leaving it with the hope that everything are an exaggeration.

I've got the advent calendars. Nothing else is indispensable.

No, but I don't have the mental capacity to have thought about it before now really. There is always a frenzy around the supposed "top toys" though which makes them hard/ impossible to get hold of, so it is sensible to have already got those while they are available. If there's no Christmas wrapping paper, I've got birthday wrapping paper that doesn't say Happy Birthday (some with stars on, some with unicorns on) that will do.

Yep I started early. I saw that Apple have been issuing warnings about the latest iPhone model - not as many will be produced as had been planned due to issues with chip supplies. I was planning to get my mum an Apple Watch so figured there was no harm in buying it early just in case.

I've finished! I start in Sep in the aim to be done by Nov 🙈
Still need to buy paper though. I didn't know there was to be a shortage!

I've finished. Bought and wrapped by September.

I've not bought a single thing 😂

I just cannot start earlier than December.

Got a food shop coming later and added some wrapping paper to it, just because it's so awkward to carry around the shops if you're out.

I'm already done bar wrapping paper but I have plenty of left over bits in the drawer.

We use reusable wrapping for family presents anyway.

I have bought advent calendars (where I live they always sell out early, never one to be seen last week of November before Covid/Brexit), Christmas Chocolate and the Christmas dinner is already in the freezer (I usually buy a fresh Turkey but DP insists that Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the Turkey so I've bought a frozen one just incase the shortages turn out to be true).

Two items that I want for the DC are already sold out everywhere so it's a case of daily checking!

Mostly we give gift cards as presents so no hurry there.

I’ve bought the grand total of some bauble earrings and a reindeer badge. And Christmas cards for the DC.

I just have the kids stocking fillers, DP and the advent calendars to buy.
But that is because we are moving 4 weeks before Christmas and I can’t deal with the thought of moving house, starting a new job and doing all my Christmas shopping!

I started in September. Had to order a couple of things from the US that DS wants (bloody YouTuber merch) and they're still not here, so I'm glad I did! Also pre ordered my Christmas food and been stocking up on alcohol and soft drinks. I'll buy some paper tomorrow.

I always make sure I have paper before I start buying so I can wrap up as I go along. I try and get it in the Jan sale.

I've bought some bits but I always start October time as I have one ds birthday Christmas and the other is January

No I can't mentally focus on Christmas before December, plus I can't afford to buy early.

I always start in the January sales: paper, cards and bits & bobs. Am about 80% done. Want to get DH a new Fitbit, no idea if I'll struggle with that though.

Other than my mum, and writing cards, DH and I are both completely done.

Presents all bought. He’s wrapped all of his, I’m half done. Fresh food is all ordered, meat is in the freezer, sweets/drinks are bought and stashed. We’re supposed to be going away but I was a bit concerned about restrictions so planned for home and away. Christmas activities throughout December booked and paid for.

I love a leisurely December and I feel like I can relax and enjoy it now without worrying about how much time I have left to find the perfect gift or whether Britain is going to run out of pigs in blankets. Also, it means I can afford to do things in December because I spread the cost out over months, rather than leaving it all until November and December. January sales are a brilliant time for getting really nice cards and wrapping paper.

Surely a wrapping is shortage is a good thing as it will encourage us to re-use household packaging and ditch this wasteful habit?

Presents - charitable donations make an excellent gift and will never run out!

This Christmas over consumption is so grim

I've never left it until December to start shopping. I'd be in a panic if I did. I need to be prepared and usually start thinking about what to buy around October. This year I have a few presents bought already and Santa is sorted - mainly due to the fear of shortages later on.

I’ve pretty much finished . I’ve got two more small things to buy for dd and a couple of stocking bits that I can pick up with the weekly food shop. I do it this way every year though to spread the cost. I have a few January birthdays in the family and I’ll never forget the year where I left it all until December and spent January worrying how I was going to afford the birthdays. From next January there will be two dc’s birthdays in Jan so I can foresee me starting earlier again!

I started in September and I’ve bought for our own three DC and 3 nieces already, and wrapped most of it. I don’t normally but wanted to make sure if there were delays/shortages then all of the children would still have their presents. So it’s just adults to buy for now.

I think I’ll do this with most of the presents for the children from now on though, it’s usually a mad rush from end of November until Christmas so I’m glad that’s all done already now.

I’m baffled at people who do a lot of their present shopping in January

How do you manage come Christmas when the dc want the latest craze that’s just been released? Do you just add it to their pile?

@Soubriquet

I’m baffled at people who do a lot of their present shopping in January

How do you manage come Christmas when the dc want the latest craze that’s just been released? Do you just add it to their pile?

I buy Stocking fillers and wrapping paper in January I rarely buy big ticket items unless I know its a certainty they will still like it in 12 months time