Gift
shopping is one of those exhausting, sometimes terrifying, activities that
could be classed as an extreme sport!
Here
are some tips for surviving (and even enjoying) A Christmas Shopping
Expedition.
1. BE PREPARED
Take a page from Santa's book and make a list. Include all the
information you could possibly need. Include: people you want to buy
gifts for, what you are planning to buy them, where you will buy each gift
from (if you know) and expected price. Have alternative gift ideas just
in case your plan goes awry. Consider all possibilities.
2. HAVE A PLAN
This may sound the same as the first
tip, but it isn’t. Before you go anywhere, answer the following questions
and decide on the best plan for your circumstances.
·
How much do you have to spend?
(enough to buy it all in one day)
·
Which stores are you visiting? Are
they all in one location?
·
How much time do you have to shop,
the whole day, a few hours, half an hour?
·
How big are the gifts? Will they all
fit in the car?
3. BE SPECIFIC
Don’t fall into the trap of buying 15
boxes of shortbread biscuits in the hope that you are covering everyone and
then realise you have forgotten ten people.
A personal gift that considers each person will be more appreciated.
4. TAKE TIME
Don’t wait until Christmas Eve!
Purchase some items as you see them. Allow extra time so that if you
can’t find the perfect gift you were planning to get you are not forced to
give them a box of biscuits!
5. EAT FIRST When
we are shopping we spend far too much time in the food court. We are also
likely to spend money purchasing unnecessary snack foods or drinks while
shopping for gifts. So eat a proper meal and take some crackers
in your handbag. Alternatively, schedule time for meals and
budget for them too.
6. STAY HYDRATED
If there is a time you are likely to
get a headache, Christmas Shopping is one of them. Crowds, Christmas
Music, Children, Sales, long queues! AAAHHHH! Take some bottled water
along with you. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of headache and
prevention is better than cure!
7. DITCH THE KIDS
If this is one time a babysitter is
worth it, this is it!
8. STAY FOCUSED
You are shopping for gifts, not for
clothes or shoes or hats or jewellery. You are not shopping for
yourself. The quicker you get in and tick each item off the list the
quicker you can get home and relax.
9. SMILE and RELAX Don’t let yourself be sucked into the stress of
Christmas Shopping. Yes, you have set
goals and you want to get in and out as quickly as possible, but you can do all
this without turning into a Grinch! You have done the hard work by making a
list of people and gifts, planning which shops where and when. You can afford to relax and enjoy the
experience. Smile at shop assistants and
thank them for their help. Be polite to fellow shoppers, no matter how greedy
and cranky they may seem. Remember that
Christmas is a time of goodwill and peace on earth.
10. WRAP IT UP Know when to call it a day. If you are starting to get Grinchy, it might
be time for a break. Have a coffee and reset before getting back into it. If that isn’t working, go home and save the rest of the list for another day.
There you have it. Get listing and enjoy the experience.
