To not be doing my christmas shopping

[tarantino123]

It seems everyone has already done their christmas shopping, or else is planning to do so by Thursday. Is this primarily driven by covid/lockdown or are people usually this pre organised?
What's the main reason ? Is it to spread the cost?
I never do mine til 2nd week of December and never have any issue getting things. I put my money every month from July ish to save up.
If you buy so far in advance, how do you even know what people would like that early ? Also if it's > 30 days since you bought the item, the recipient won't be able to exchange it if it's too big/too small/they get duplicates- how do you deal with that?
My extended family are panicking to get to shops. I mostly order online so i'm not bothered. This time i'll just get stuff online if shops don't reopen before christmas.Most retailers have this option.
What's the rush ? Am I missing something ?

squirrelblanket that's the best advice I have heard that you should buy yourself the best christmad gift. I am totally doing that this year

I'm almost done in terms of ordering but lots outstanding to be delivered

I order quite a bit from independent stores and Etsy so the lead time tends to be a little longer .

Also ds is at uni and if the worst happens and he's not allowed to come home I want to be able to send his presents to him in good time

I don't tend to do any until December but I might start a bit earlier now just in case.

Most shops extend warranty to exchange from November. So yes you can change things. Best starting early sk you can buy as offers come up if you leave it to the last minute you miss the best deals.

I've just ordered my girls presents tonight and even they were a little difficult to find as they out of stock in a few places already which is what made me order. Im leaving family gifts until next month as they obviously won't be as specific.

I normally like to have everything organised in November, so I can just relax and enjoy the weeks before Xmas without a big list of things to buy, on top of all the trips and visiting. Unfortunately not applicable this year.

Also, one year there was heavy snow, and all our presents got delayed - can't risk that with young kids.

Finally, I keep reading that people should shop early due to potential delivery delays, given that less people will want to go to the shops.

So... those are the reasons I'm basically done with my shopping.

I'm also bored, and planning xmas as there are no holidays to plan.

There is no large family to buy for my dc so if I don't 🎄 doesn't happen.

Normally I buy throughout the year I've not gone wrong yet with dc.

I'm currently nearly done.
Only dh to buy for now.

I work for one of the major courier companies and we are expecting to handle three times as many parcels at our busiest point this Christmas. The advice from ops is to order early as the network is very likely to become overwhelmed in December, despite all the additional measures put in place.

That should say three times as many parcels as our busiest point last year.

I always start early as I like to make a fuss of the dc and enjoy planning their stockings etc. I’m usually shopping right up until the middle of December for extended family etc though. My db traditionally heads to the city centre for a drink and to do his Christmas shopping at lunchtime on Christmas Eve so Covid will upset his usual plans this year!

I normally tend to do it early, and have most of it done before December. I'll pick up things I see that I may not see again or in good sales, earlier in the year. And from September onwards, I use it as an excuse to make me go out at lunchtime and walk - I look to see what's around, and go back another time to get things.

December tends to be really busy for me at work (year end pressures and often overseas travel to fit in); with my Cub pack (our year ends with the calendar year, not the school year, so we have older ones moving up, new ones coming in, lots of paperwork and liaison with Membership Secretary and Section Leaders in the boys and girls Scout Sections, as well as finishing badges to award and planning the end of year party); and socially (lots trying to see us, family wanting us to travel, choir performance to rehearse for and do) etc, quite apart from organising Christmas.

And with a large family, scattered literally across the globe, that is presents for roughly 50 people, and usually 60+ cards to write and send as well. And organising our own family celebrations at home or packing and organising for extended family celebrations somewhere else.

So buying before December is important to keep my sanity.

@Ideasplease322 in my family people don't tend to start thinking about Christmas until nearer the time, and if I bought things now that I thought they might like, they would probably start approaching me in December with ideas or lists. They wouldn't really mind if I said I had already bought something. But for the teenagers particularly I could do with any requests! I think I am going to suggest that this year we either cut right back on gifts for adults or think a bit earlier. That said, I would not be surprised if we end up exchanging gifts much later than Christmas due to restrictions on or risks with meeting up.

I haven't really started. My children are either adults or secondary school age so it's not quite as desperate to make it magical as it was a few years ago.

My eldest dd has got hers already - a laptop - she needed to do her CV and make applications and was trying to do it on her phone! So I only need to get her some small bits to open.

I have a good idea what my younger two want and will order their main gifts online. They might miss out on some of the 'filler' gifts this year which I would pick up in store but it also means I might be more careful in what I buy.

I can't. I don't know which of my fosterlings will still be with me if any.

I’ve bought dc’s main present as they are getting phones so wanted them sorted sooner rather than later. As they are getting phones they won’t be getting a huge amount else so I’m not too worried. I don’t buy stocking filler tat either. Not doing presents for adults this year so all in all feels quite low pressure!

I always like to be done with most present shopping by the start of December so that we can enjoy Christmas activities like seeing Santa, putting the tree up etc in December with no stress.
I saw this coming so have already finished my present shopping and have cleared a freezer drawer to start on food prep.

I work in retail so I always try to get the bulk of my Christmas shopping done in October/start of November because I am usually busy late November/December with the extra hours (I already do 40-45hrs a week over 5 days) and general Christmas overload at work.

If my shopping is done then it is one less thing I have to squeeze into my ever reducing free time in the festive period. It means I have more time to do festive activities with DD and to just take some time to relax and enjoy the downtime without having to stress about what I still have to do.

I said : buying gifts 7-12 weeks in advance... How do you know it's something good the person will like?

Ideasplease322 said : Why would the time make a difference?

Coz people change their minds what they like. Especially little kids who suddenly fall in love with XProduct a week before their birthday.

One yr I bought DH some lovely nested tables: naturally on 14 December he bought himself some. Sent mine back.

DS loved Ben 10 things... 2 weeks before his birthday, he stopped caring about Ben 10. Got some birthday Ben10 gifts that went straight to charity shop.

DS is currently dithering about what kind of laptop he might like. Still doesn't know.

DD follows fashion & fashion changes quick & constantly.

Some relatives like to buy for DC, we need to discuss the few gift ideas I have for each person so the relatives & me don't duplicate buy the same things. Relatives won't be interested in buying until start December. Need to think carefully about them having the 'easiest' things to find & buy.

I'm wondering if early-buyers choose lots of very generic stuff as 'safe' gifts.

I've read stories here, people who bought gifts months in advance & then misplaced them & couldn't find them for the birthday or Xmas (!).

I always do mine as soon as the Christmas stuff arrives in the shop. I like everything wrapped before our tree goes up and elf on the shelf max other festivities start so we can relax during December.

As a single parent on a relatively low income I start early. Dd is at an age where things are expensive and the last couple of years has taught me that a lot of shops no longer do offers in the run up to Christmas and tend to do bigger offers in the summer...ie the LOL winter disco house she was desperate for was half price in August in Argos when everyone else still wanted £250 for it. Having looked recently it is still around the £200 mark.

I am making many of our gifts this year so have had to prep early to as its difficult to buy fabric online without seeing and feeling it!

I finished my Christmas shopping a few weeks back. I usually have it done by the end of November anyway but started a little earlier this year following the warnings from retailers & courier companies around shopping early. I love Christmas so like to shop early so I can enjoy the build up without the stress of busy shops. This year I’ve also made a point of shopping local and with independents who really need the support at the moment, this inevitably takes longer than a big Amazon order.

I don’t pick ‘generic’ ‘safe’ gifts as an early shopper, nor to I misplace gifts. We do only buy for close family though which maybe makes it easier.

Not doing it at all this year other than for the 5 year old. After the utter bloodbath 2020 has been for me and my family... just can not be arsed.

I have a week's leave booked in November and planned to spend a couple of days Christmas shopping....I usually buy pretty much in one day for family. Often buy tickets to shows etc for parents so that is out. All adults though. It was only the kids that we used to get early. So I had better start looking online else it will be all from Sainsbury's!

I usually leave shopping till late and this year I've been much more organised and have most things for the kids (who obviously have far more than anyone else so 80% of overall shopping is done).

It's been really great. I've found since having DC that I usually have a pang of guilt each year because I felt like I've gone to the shopping centre with the aim of getting them a decent pile of presents and just sort of picking stuff up that looks okay.

This year I've created a carefully curated list of stuff to get. It's been really fun as a Christmas lover to spend so much time and care and it actually negates the over consumerism as I'm not just blindly buying crap.

It also means I'm more relaxed as I can wrap in advance instead of on Christmas eve or the equally busy for me 21st - 23rd. And it gives me time to source stuff that is harder to get hold of or out of stock - if this stuff was out of stock in December then obviously it would be a no go but I've got weeks to sort it or find a decent replacement.

I don't get the supposed drawbacks of the presents not being nice or something people like if they're bought 8 weeks instead of 1 week before Christmas. Or the duplicate thing - if you are shopping earlier than most then you just communicate what you have to other buyers.

I don't see any problem for people buying gifts in December, for me personally it was stressful but perfectly doable and even more so if you are organised which I really wasnt. You do seem pretty judgemental of early shoppers though which seems odd and defensive.

One thing I can't abide though, is to start shopping before the festive period starts, I.e. in summer, but for me autumn is festive enough to start shopping!

Oh and I do agree with saving some shopping for when things are ultra christmassy! In normal times I like to have a day out in mid to late December buying bits for DP and sitting in a cafe wrapping them. Doubt that will be happening this year but I can hope.