If you are not starting your Christmas shopping already, how do you do it?

[WaltonOnNaze]

I always start my shopping in the post Christmas sales and have just done an audit and have at least half the stocking stuff now from that. I have three kids so need lots of sticking fillers, plus two of them have December birthdays. I also need to give their GPs a list of ideas. I am just wondering if this is not you - and my friends take the mickey out of me so I know I am the odd one - how do you do it? Do you get in a panic come Nov/Dec then go to the shops and do it all in one day? I don't know I would find a stocking full of stuff for each kid if I had the pressure of doing it in a short amount of time.

At the moment I'm looking for summer clothes for our holiday. However, throughout the year I sometimes see bits and bobs for like my Mum or MIL which I will grab this year and make things a bit easier. I don't tend to get anything for the kids till later on though. But each to their own. Whatever works for one person doesn't necessarily work for someone else.

My dds are 14 and 10. I've bought some stocking fillers from claires 3 for £5 sale. Earring packs (rrp £8+ each), fluffy socks, Christmas soft toy, drinks bottle, hair clips, jewellery holder. Some Christmas themed craft bits from miniso between 23-45p each. Christmas sheet mask each in aldi for 29p each.

We play a bad santa game with family so picked up some great silly gifts for that as its my turn to host it. Spent £3.50 and got 6 gifts.

I stocked up on Christmas tissue paper 25p, money wallets 25p, wrapping paper 50p and some fabric gift bags £3.

I got my mum a scarf for £5 in a colour she loves.

I picked up some lush bath bombs for Easter gifts instead of chocolate.

I’ve bought some beauty bargains for a couple of Feb bdays and some bath and body works and some bits and bobs like that for dd’s for Christmas - thd generic type stuff. Main gifts are much closer to the day

I do mine in December, I save up.

Start end of Sept, probs already thought of ideas by then as I make note of things I see or people mention throuout the year. Do almost all online with maybe 5% done a craft Market for little extras. I do a stocking for my partner and buy lots for my nieces, often not asked for but much enjoyed stuff which needs lots of research (which I love). So it's not the biggest load of people to buy for but certainly not super simple. I also have some birthday on Dec and Jan I sort at the same time. Still manage it from end of Sept after my partner ls birthday, as this is my informal start date!

No way would I start yet. November is soon enough for me. I’ll then do a couple of shops in town centres, and buy the rest online or at the supermarket.

Yes, DH has suggested she gets it as Easter as the strange child doesn't like chocolate anyway!

Slightly baffled by some of the responses, the Christmas board is usually a very lovely corner of Mumsnet.

I buy stocking fillers now, I have five children to buy for and the 'tat' as some put it, is full price later in the year, for the exact same stuff, but 75%-90% off in January. I've bought crackers and wrapping paper so far. We are in a cost of living crisis, it really makes no sense spending more than necessary.

I don't really understand the idea that peoples interest and hobbies change so drastically in a year, mine don't, none of the adults I buy for change their interests and hobbies regularly. If you really know someone well, buying ahead of time is easy, even for kids. Yes they may have some new additional interests, but a complete personality change within a year is unlikely.

You do you OP, you're saving money and you're organised, nothing wrong with that. Many just put it on a credit card in December and try to figure out paying it off when the bill is due in January.

To me that is just taking all the joy out of Christmas, you're making it a chore needing it to be resolved so early in the year without any Christmas spirit, just very mechanical, how can gifts be thoughtful if they represent the giver a year previously?!

We save monthly throughout the year but I don't start thinking about it until September, I compile lists Sep-Oct and buy Oct-Nov usually. I do like to be done by December so all that is left is wrapping to enjoy the month. I certainly don't ever stress or panic.

What happens if you buy something in January for somebody and then that person gets it for themselves later in the year?

People really can't think outside of the box. If it's not how they do it, it's wrong and worthy of criticism. There are myriad reasons why you might spread out shopping. It might be the best way to afford it or you could have friends and family with enduring hobbies. Like I said up thread, my Mum saw something vintage - oo gauge rare steam train - she knew I'd like last February and put it away until Christmas. I've loved steam strains for 36 years, I'm not going to suddenly grow out of it. I might spot a vintage item of clothing or a book I know somebody would love or a signed copy of a poetry collection or a one off piece from a craft fair. It's neither joyless not a chore and I spend as much time and thought on those I love as somebody who shops in December. Christmas is about joy and goodwill to all men but sometimes on MN it seems to be about wilful misunderstanding and being nasty.

Slightly baffled by some of the responses, the Christmas board is usually a very lovely corner of Mumsnet.

This.

OP, there’s a thread that runs through the year about Christmas bargains you might like. Like you, I buy from the sales onwards and it saves me a fortune. Yes, tastes change but people don’t drastically change their interests so picking up nice stationary or stuff from Claire’s for the cupboard is always a great idea even just for birthdays or whatever. I never pay full price for crackers or cards or wrapping paper.

OP I also buy things in the Jan sales and throughout the year - not the main presents, but bits and pieces I think DD or other family will like! Stocking presents are meant to be quirky little surprises, not things the person knows they want - so if I see something nice now at a bargain price, why not snap it up? I feel pretty sure that things like little bits of cute stationery, erasers, trinkets, puzzles, jewellery, etc. are not going to go dramatically out of fashion with my 10 y o DD by next December. (In fact, I sometimes see stocking fillers and snap then up years in advance of when I’m actually going to give them…. <shock horror> 😂)

I also stock up on little Christmassy things for family children and DD’s friends, plus cards, gift bags etc. MIL is one of those rare people who actually wants and asks for generic toiletry and bath bomb sets; so why not pick ‘em up in the January sales at 75% off? 😁

I actually like knowing that I’ve got a few of the small trinkety items already in a box for the following year.