If you regularly leave all your Christmas shopping till the last minute - why?

[hunkermunker]

Did you not realise when it was or something?

I actually spend less if I do it later. some years I am super organised, some like this year I am very late and haven't done anything yet.

I have noticed that if I start early I am always buying extra stuff in a 'oh I wish I had bought that instead' sort of way.

I do hate all the shopping and excess actually but often find myself caught up in it all. This year I just can't be arsed and I'm hoping it will all somehow go away.

I also have a lot on, ds's birthday, redecorating the flat,infertility treatment, no leave paid or unpaid available from work before next year, and a father ill in hospital who I am travelling 1.5 hrs each way every weekend to visit to give my elderly frail mother a break.

At the moment Christmas and all the associated work is really really unwelcome tbh .

er because pay day isn't until the middle of december. and council tax is expensive you know.

i leave all the adults to the last minute i i normally buy food stuff so i don't have to inflict them with ridiculous junk they neither want or need. and i like going christmas shopping when it feels like christmas.

I like to save Christmas up until Christmas time.

We're always skint so we manage to wangle some cash usually in the week running up to Christmas. This year is different though - my work agreed to pay me my holiday pay in my november pay packet instead of December so I feel like I'm in unchartered territory shopping so early! I usually rush around the shops a few days before Christmas and if something is out of stock, tough!

Also, if we get stuff in the year, it would undoubtedly be found by little people. I find that their list varies too so its not worth buying them something that they want in August as they won't want it anymore in December.

I admire people who get it all done so early and wish I could be so organised AND that I could afford to do it!

Actually I am pleased to read so many people say its to do with money. Having just passed out at my online bank statement I'm pleased not to be the only one who has this problem.

I always think disparaging thoughts about people who do their Christmas shopping between Jan and August.. as in "FGS.. don't they have anything more important to think about/spend their money on?"

But that is probably mostly jealousy..

Honestly though.. getting from week to week in my life is such that Christmas really only gets acknowledged when it's THERE.. in my face!

oh you've out into words what I was trying to process earlier shiny. We need to meet sometime don't we (perhaps we can leave the ds terrible twins somewhere and just drink).

Each year I decide I am cancelling Christmas...............................

Each year I realise I can't cancel Christmas and therefore have to do last minute shopping.

Makes sense to me!

We live from week to week too. In fact, we often pay for Christmas with the two rent-free weeks we get in December (even when we're not supposed to use them because we've got arrears!).

January is even worse!!!

Because I love Christmas - and I want to shop
when it's Christmassy. I think it's really soulless to shop and wrap for Christmas in October - it seems somehow mechanical to me.

Cos I can't be arsed.

This year might come a cropper though. Not working in the town centre anymore, think I used to do most of it in my lunch hours. Really should start this weekend.

That would be fab Yurt. Drink.. yes drink!! (I wonder what the Demon DSs would make of each other... )

I always leave mine until the last minute, usually shop a few days before Christmas and do all my wrapping on Christmas eve. Not disorganised , it's just the way i do it.

I did it all early one year and was feeling very smug, but as Christmas approached and I got some festive spirit, I just had to keep buying the odd thing here and there.

By the time Christmas arrived it was like stepping into Hawkins Bazaar

Totally overwhelming! Luckily the children were very little then so I whisked most of it away and then brought it out bit by bit over the next few months.

I now reckon it is easier just to wait and have a splurge at the end.

DH has beaten me to it this year though! He announced last week that he had bought all of the children's presents He has got them some fabulous things! So I just have to buy the extended family adn friends presents which I will do on the internet!

Custy - what does he want that he can't have - just curious[stick beak out a bit further]!

Because:
a) I always leave everything to the last minute (yes, I need therapy)
b) I can't make up my mind on the presents I want to buy
c) I don't like being "organised" [see a)]

Lucy, you've reminded me of the late nights up wrapping lol! I might try to get it done early this year in the day while the kids are at school !!

soapbox, my mum is like that, she shops all year, its just a hobby. It comes in handy if she's seeing somebody she hasn't specifically bought for - she just opens up a big drawer and picks out something appropriate for them. I have to admit, I've taken advantage of it a few times in the past when we've been skint too

if i left it till the last minute i'd end up spending a bomb.

but pre-kids i did nothing but. i worked across the street from a terrific shopping mall and had load of disposable income and the malls stayed open till at least 10PM and often midnight in the US, so i'd nip in after work when the time got close and do it after going out to dinner with plenty of wine with my best friend.

[hello anniemac, will email you )