Why you need to start your Christmas shopping now

The older I get, the more I love Christmas. It does help that I have two young children who look forward to this magical time of the year as much as their birthdays – the anticipation of Christmas is unavoidable in our house. I have also worked in retail for many years, where Christmas planning starts months in advance and perhaps it is this planning that kicks my excited anticipation of Christmas into overdrive. On the flip-side, I am fully aware of how stressful Christmas can be – financially and emotionally. Just thinking about how many presents need to be bought, what food needs to be purchased and prepared (and how much money this all costs) can send anyone into a state of overwhelm. Not to mention spending precious holiday time with challenging relatives. The only solution is to plan early. By getting all the boring (and expensive) stuff out of the way, you free yourself up to enjoy the fun festivities of Christmas, like parties, carols, etc. 




Do these five things NOW to make your life easier in December:

1. Plan what you need to buy for who
Think of at least a couple of options for your recipients so you have a back-up plan if your first gift isn’t available, or ends up being out of budget. 

2. Set a budget (for gifts, food and decorations) and spread out the cost over the next couple of months. Don’t leave all your purchasing until December (unless you think some of your purchases will go on special), or your credit card bill will be insurmountable in January. Once you’ve worked out your budget, this will also motivate you to stop spending money on things you don’t need until after Christmas (or add them to your Christmas Wish List!)

3. Get overseas gifts in the post by beginning of December
Posting a parcel to the UK usually takes 6 working days to arrive, but over the busier Christmas period delivery time will increase. The best bet is to get your parcels away at the beginning of December, when hopefully the queue in the post office is also shorter. This means that the sooner you start shopping for gifts for family and friends overseas, the better chance you have of meeting this deadline. 
Use Australia Post’s Delivery Calculator to work out delivery times for overseas and in Australia.  https://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/calculate-postage-delivery-times/#/

4. Shop around and save
There’s nothing worse than running around, fighting the crowds trying to purchase gifts days out from Christmas. This is when the risk of impulse buying is at its highest. The earlier you start your shopping, the more time you have to browse shops (local and online) to get the best prices for the gifts on your list, and maintain your budget. 


5. Don’t limit your shopping to gifts
Stock up now on other Christmas purchases, such as food, booze, gift wrapping, cards and decorations – even your outfit for the Christmas party. 

The more you can purchase now, the more free time you’ll enjoy in December so you can actually make the most of the Christmas festivities by being able to relax, socialise and stay away from the shops. 

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Christmas Countdown Checklist: December – Week 3 and 4

Not long to go now! This week…

1. Last minute cleaning i.e. vacuuming, clean bathrooms, mop floors.
2. Mow the lawn and ensure pot plants and front door area is neat and tidy.
3. Assemble gifts under Christmas tree. Check gift list to ensure everyone is covered.
4. Clear out freezer and organise ice and ice buckets/eskys for Christmas Day drinks.
5. Collect any pre-ordered meat and seafood.




The ‘night before’
1. Set the Christmas table
2. Relax with a nice glass of something chilled – you’ve worked hard and deserve it!

Christmas Countdown Checklist: December – Week 1

This week…

17. Stock up on booze – beer, wine, bubbles, whatever your beverage choice is for the silly season.

18. Decorate your tree

19. Stocktake your tableware, including: glassware, crockery, cutlery, linen, etc. Mr Gift has some beautiful ice buckets and decanters to help you entertain in style.


Image from Freshome.com

20. Finish posting cards to friends and family in Australia

Read our Christmas Checklist for other weeks here…

Christmas Countdown Checklist: November – Week 4

This week…

1. Locate and unpack artificial tree and check all ornaments are in good condition.

2. Purchase additional ornaments if necessary.


Image from www.freefever.com

3. Finalise any hair and beauty requirements/appointments to ensure you look your best for upcoming Christmas parties.

4. Check pantry and purchase crackers, chips and other nibbles that will last until Christmas (you will also be prepared if visitors ‘drop in’).

Read our Christmas Checklist for other weeks here…

Christmas Countdown Checklist: November, week 2

This week…

1. Get online shopping done and dusted (don’t forget to visit www.mrgift.com.au on your online travels). 

2. Are you staying at home for Christmas? If so, now is the time to check you’re ready to host a crowd. Check entertaining/outdoor areas i.e. outdoor lights are working and outdoor furniture is clean and not broken. The same rule applies to indoor furniture – check that your table is big enough and there are enough chairs – there’s nothing worse than a last-minute scramble to rustle up extra chairs.

3. Now is the time to stock up on wrapping paper, cards and gift tags. Shop around and look out for specials on these items.

http://www.sixthings.com.au/Shop/Doublesidedxmaswrappingpaper.aspx
 


4. Finalise Christmas card list.

5. Visitors staying over the Christmas period? This week check that you have enough bedding for them and set up your guest room so that it’s ready to go

Read our Christmas Checklist for other weeks here…

Christmas Countdown Checklist: November, week 1

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is now less than 2 months away!

It seems like such a long journey from now until Christmas Day, especially when you think about all the shopping, cooking and house preparations that need to be made before then. If you’re fed up of the last-minute Christmas rush every year, don’t despair – it’s not too late to get organized. We’ve created a series of short week-by-week lists with key jobs to do before the big day. We hope this helps make Christmas a little easier this year:)

This week…
 
1. Who do you need to buy Christmas presents for? Write a list and start shopping for gifts online. www.mrgift.com.au has all your men’s gifts covered – including the men that are hard to buy for!
 
2. Don’t promise yourself “you’ll get around to it” anymore. Bite the bullet and book a cleaner to spring-clean the house (after all, Spring’s nearly over!)

 
3. Are you going away for Christmas? Is your pet going with you? If not, start making holiday arrangements for your pets now – most boarding kennels book up quickly.
 
4. You know you’ve got a month of unhealthy eating in front of you, so focus on eating healthily and exercising this month. Maybe even do a detox – you won’t feel so bad when it all goes out the window next month!

Read our Christmas Checklist for other weeks here…