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A Well Organized Holiday Shopping
Season
by Shannon Southway
With decorations starting to line the store shelves in August (that’s
right, August) the Holiday season seems to hit full swing by the end of
October complete with a few eager radio stations starting their 24-7
Christmas song line-up on November 1st.
If November 1st indeed starts the Holiday season that gives us an entire
fifty-four days to complete our Holiday shopping. So, with nearly two
months of shopping days and more products available than ever, why does
Christmas Eve continue to be the single busiest shopping day of the
year?
This year you can avoid being part of that mob of frustrated shoppers
searching frantically for last-minute gifts by getting organized. By
creating a simple but effective shopping list you might find yourself
nestled by the fire this Christmas Eve rather than fighting for a
parking spot at the mall. Here’s how to get started:
Make the List and Check it Twice
You can create a list of names simply with pen and paper or, if you
prefer a little technology in your life, create a spreadsheet. Whichever
method you prefer, it will include the usual family and friends and
anyone else you need to buy a gift for such as teachers, letter
carriers, secretaries, etc. Go through your address book to scan for
names you may have forgotten. Now, jot down any gift ideas you may
already have in mind. Leave room for any recipients who may pop up
throughout the season like Secret Santas or new neighbors.
Set a Budget
Before you purchase a single gift you should designate a price that you
think is appropriate for each gift recipient on your list. You may end
up spending a little more or a little less, especially if you’re a
seasoned bargain-shopper, but it will give you an idea of where to start
from. Add up the entire list to make sure that the grand total is not
more than you can afford. If so, go back and make some adjustments
before you start shopping. Designating individual gift budgets also
makes it easier to control impulse spending and prevents an unexpected
balance on your January credit card statement.
Let the Ideas Flow
Now that you have your recipient list and a working budget it is time to
do some creative thinking about gift ideas. If you start shopping with
no idea of what you are looking for, you’ll spend needless hours roaming
aisles and waste energy at stores you buy nothing from. A great place to
start is by picking up a Sunday paper and browsing through the
advertisements. Store advertisements focus their marketing on gift ideas
at this time of year. Find stores with good sales and diverse product
selection where you may be able to shop for multiple recipients on your
list.
While you’re brainstorming you might think of a couple of gifts that can
be given to a number of different people on your list. For instance, if
you find a good sale on slippers you might be able to buy five or six
pair and give them to your co-worker, your neighbor, your grandma and
anyone else you can cross off the list with a favorite standby. If you
decide to use this time-saving trick just be sure they won’t all be
running into each other with their new (and identical) slippers on.
Shop Online
After you have made your list and jotted down some ideas, go online
window-shopping. Most major stores and many mom-and-pop shops have
websites where you can browse their product offerings and learn about
any Holiday promotions. If you find something you like you either have
the option to visit their storefront to make a purchase or you can make
a purchase online if available. Online shopping is a safe and easy
alternative to traditional malls. Look for a website that offers
security and a published privacy policy. If you would like more
information about website security visit Truste (http://www.truste.org/).
As an added bonus, most websites will ship a gift directly to the
recipient with a tasteful gift card. This is especially convenient for
out-of-town recipients as it allows you to skip that long line at the
post office.
Favorite Gift’s
When all else fails and you can’t possibly dig up another gift idea you
find yourself reaching for the ol’ standby, a department store gift
card. Avoid the unimaginative this year with a few easy and creative
gift ideas that you can give to more than one recipient on your list:
Fun and Easy: Purchase a disposable camera and a personality-fitting
photo album for a budget-friendly cost of about $25.
The Bargain: Your friends and family will love a lucky bamboo stalk in a
ceramic pot. Give it a holiday twist with a velvet red bow. For a
budget-wow, buy a small stalk and simple vase seperately for about $10.
The Practical Gift: A small coffee grinder and nice bag of coffee beans
will only set you back about $30 and is a great gift for anyone. Even if
they don’t drink coffee regularly, it is always nice to have for company
or special occassions.
The Hard-to-Please: Give the gift of art & fine crafts to the person who
already has everything. It is sofisticated and original and you can bet
your special person won’t receive the same thing from someone else.
Shop online at Artists’ Heaven (http://www.artistsheaven.com).
Ready, Set, Shop!
Now that your list is complete and your ideas are flowing, place a copy
in your purse or wallet and check off recipients as you shop. Make it a
point to buy a few gifts a week so that you aren’t left with a long list
right before the holidays. Be sure to keep your list updated so that
you’re never stuck looking at a great sale with no idea of who is left
to buy for. When the holiday season is over make a note of what you gave
each recipient and tuck it into the decorations box for next year. Your
list will be ready and you won’t make the embarrassing gift of buying
them the same gift next year.
About the Author
Shannon is the Director of Strategic Relations and Quality Assurance at
E-Integration, Inc (EI). E-Integraton owns and operates
24VOIP.com and
ArtistsHeaven.com,
an art and fine craft emarketplace. Email Shannon at
shannon@e-integration.net
or visit
www.e-integration.net for more information about the company.
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