Is Holiday shopping leaving you broke, tired and rushed? It’s hard to find the right gifts for everyone on your shopping list. Here are a few tips to help make this holiday season a little less stressful and make your gifts something to remember:
Secret Santa Family-Style. Buying gifts for the whole family, or friend group, can be a bit overwhelming, for everybody. Instead, just set up a Secret Santa event in which everyone randomly selects a name of someone else involved. You can have everyone put their lists out to the group, or just let everyone choose for themselves. This makes the whole process much more amusing of an event. It’s usually a good idea to establish a spending limit, usually between $50-100
The Best Advice You Ever Got. Sometimes the best thing that you can give someone is wisdom. Try to think about something that has impacted your life in a significant w
ay and find a way to present that to someone who is in need of some advice or direction. Even something as simple as a CD or signing them up for a seminar that meant something special to you. This could be the exact kind of gift that they need.
Frame a personal, heartfelt letter. Sometimes sentiment can mean more than any gift you could ever buy. For someone who you believe could use some extra motivation or reassurance in their life, let them know how much they mean to you. Write them a letter or a note about what makes them so special and present it in something special, like a nice frame.
Keep a gift drawer. Whenever you wait to buy your gifts until December, or winter time, you almost always forget about the good ideas you’ve had for them or the store is already out of what you need. Instead, start putting away gifts much earlier in the year and stash them away somewhere safe. This will save you time and money when the holidays roll around.
Pre-Shop for Next Christmas This Year. After the holidays, everything that wasn’t sold out during the season immediately go on sale to rid the company’s inventory. Take advantage of the deals on wrapping paper, toys, candy and other holiday items.
Give Your Time. Sometimes the best gift you can give a friend is just a little bit of your time. Offer to babysit, help set up a party, or even give them a ride to the airport. Going out of your way to help a friend is the best gift of all.