We are down to the wire and for all of you late shoppers, you'd better get to gearin' up! ;-)
The Mr. used to do his shopping for me on Christmas Eve. You can guess that some of the things he thought he'd be able to get were not available. It just ended up being way more stressful than it already was that time of year. Thankfully, he caught on that if he did it early like me, he would be done and the worst he'd have to do is wrap. I'm all about alleviating that shopping stress as much as possible.
I try to have all of my main shopping done by November 1st (usually just point and click) and then in the following two weeks, we'll go out to the store for stocking stuffers. I get any of the out of towners wrapped, addressed and boxed up mid-November but make sure to keep the lids untaped in case I decide to throw something extra in there. I like my gifts all wrapped for others so that as soon as the tree goes up, I'll have instant decorations. (We don't put our gifts under there, that's just mean.) I think I got that from my aunt being done so early but now she's not early like me anymore and always says "maybe next year."
It got me wondering about you guys and if I'm some kind of anomaly. Take this fun, quick survey and see who you lump together with more...the early birds or the fate tempters.
When do you do your holiday shopping?
Online? In store? A mix of both?
Do you wrap your gifts or gift bag them? (Or wrap them then put them in a gift bag?)
Do you use ribbons, tags and other decorations on your gifts?
Do you like to get lists from people or surprise them? (If you surprise them, do you include the receipt?)
Crowds at the store- part of the "fun" or avoid them at all costs?
Who do you buy for?
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Hard to copy paste and post on my little phone so here goes.
ReplyDeleteI never shop until my tree is up so I start the first weekend in December. I shop mostly online but get some things in store.i buy 2 super rolls of wrap after Christmas each year and that covers everything for the next year. My boys do Amazon lists early so I hit those first then get them cool things not on their lists as well. I like to surprise them with gadgets. I usually get something at the five and below that's just kind of a joke. Or I wrap up some random ugly find just to amuse them. I don't necessarily like the crowds but I do try to have the spirit in stay calm and relaxed in the chaos. I buy for my sons, my mom oh, and my nieces and nephews. I have four brothers I buy them nothing but I'll buy all their wives gifts LOL.
When do you do your holiday shopping? If I see something I know someone will like early in the year I will pick it up, but the bulk of shopping doesn't happen until December. I'm not even done yet.
ReplyDeleteOnline? In store? A mix of both? A mix
Do you wrap your gifts or gift bag them? (Or wrap them then put them in a gift bag?) A mixture. Square things get wrapped, weird shaped things get bagged.
Do you use ribbons, tags and other decorations on your gifts?
Some, but mostly just those stick on bows
Do you like to get lists from people or surprise them? (If you surprise them, do you include the receipt?) I'd like to get a list, but no-one seems to be forthcoming so I have to guess what they might like. I usually do a pretty good job of finding things they like, but won't have hurt feelings if they want to exchange the item and will give them the receipt. But I might make a snarky comment about "this wouldn't happen if you told me what you wanted".
Crowds at the store- part of the "fun" or avoid them at all costs?
I used to love the energy of the crowds, but now I just don't like people all that much.
Who do you buy for? family and a couple friends, so fortunately it's not a long list.
When do you do your holiday shopping? Late fall, I try to be done except for maybe a couple of small things by early December.
ReplyDeleteOnline? In store? A mix of both? Mix
Do you wrap your gifts or gift bag them? (Or wrap them then put them in a gift bag?) depends on the gift, but usually wrap.
Do you use ribbons, tags and other decorations on your gifts? yes, unless it needs to travel, then they may get added later
Do you like to get lists from people or surprise them? (If you surprise them, do you include the receipt?) mix. No to receipts, the surprises are usually things I know they will like
Crowds at the store- part of the "fun" or avoid them at all costs?
I hate shopping and loathe crowds.
Who do you buy for? Husband, family, a couple of close friends. He buys for his family.
I try to start earlier but most of my shopping is done in the week after Thanksgiving. I too mostly point and click cause I hate fighting traffic and crowds but that's another question.
ReplyDeleteI shop mostly on-line. I keep lists however so I don't forget what I've ordered. Unfortunately this year I ordered a Bulldog daily calendar for my hubs and then lost it. So I ordered another one and then promptly found the first one. But not promptly enough because it was too late to cancel the second calendar. So youngest son is getting a Bulldog calendar even though he has a Wheaten Terrier.
I have always wrapped gifts. I think it's more fun to open a package than look inside a bag.
This year I bought a bag of bows and stuck them on the gifts. I use the peek and stick to/from gift tags.
A couple of people on my list keep a wish list on Amazon and I use it. Sometimes I ask the person for ideas. We used to hand out lists but that takes the fun out of it. I enclose a gift receipt with my gifts however just in case.
I don't mind shopping but I hate crowds and even the traffic is worse right now .
I buy for 3 sons, their 3 wives, 5 grandkids, my father-in-law and of course special gifts for my husband.
Done and wrapped by Thanksgiving. Pretty much every year. I watch for things, to catch my eye, I do not shop from wish lists. But I do keep my ears open in case they mention something. So I shop all year and build a stash.
ReplyDeleteWhen do you do your holiday shopping? - All year long and will go right up until Christmas Eve
ReplyDeleteOnline? In store? A mix of both? - Mix
Do you wrap your gifts or gift bag them? (Or wrap them then put them in a gift bag?)- Mix. It depends on how easy it is to wrap
Do you use ribbons, tags and other decorations on your gifts? - Yes, that it part of the fun of wrapping gifts. I'll also use Christmas Ornaments to decorate a gift as well.
Do you like to get lists from people or surprise them? (If you surprise them, do you include the receipt?) - Mix of both. I ask for lists but I don't confine myself to them.
Crowds at the store- part of the "fun" or avoid them at all costs? - Avoid at all costs
Who do you buy for? Family and one friend.
I do my holiday shopping throughout the year and have gotten better about snapping a pic and wrapping the gift and labeling it. The problem is when I don't put all the presents in the same place, then I can't remember what I bought! LOL I buy a good chunk of gifts in November for certain items.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely more of an online shopper since most people I buy for tell me what they'd like so it's easy to hunt and peck around. I'm probably 70/30 for online/in-store shopping.
I wrap most gifts and will use bags or boxes for awkward-shaped things or to disguise what the item is if possible. And I do wrap and put in gift bags for people I'll see face-to-face.
For mailing gifts, I'll use stickers and such and not so much with ribbons or bows unless it's to hold something together with a lid that will pop off. For in-person, I tend to do more bows and do-dads (although this year I didn't do much of that at all for some reason).
I have a few friends who give me lists and I find that to be very helpful. I keep the lists and can use them down the road for birthday presents and such as well to mix things up a bit. I have a couple of friends who don't do lists so then I get creative and do more of that hunting and pecking for things. =o) I always try to give receipts for gift cards, but rarely give receipts for other items, unless it's clothing that I picked out on my own, so they can exchange for something else if they prefer.
Avoid humans at all costs when possible. ROFL
I buy for a few family members and friends.