Costly Mistakes to Avoid During Early Christmas Gift Shopping

Remember when grandma gave you those sun glasses and flip flops in December? Or how about the time your sister gave you a perfume that had turned yellow by the time you ripped the wrapping paper off of it? Yes, we've all been victims of year-round Christmas shoppers. You know, the people who start their holiday shopping cart marathons on January 1^st every year, looking for bargains and easy ways to stock up without going broke. While the idea has its merits, the results are often mediocre, at best. The following is a compilation of common, and some not so common, mistakes that can be avoided with simple budget saving strategies for year round Christmas gift purchasing.

First, no matter how tempting that bright red super-saver sale tag might be that beckons before you, never purchase warm weather clothing for anyone as a Christmas gift. Part of the fun of Christmas is getting something you love and can use immediately. Even adults get disappointed when they have to wait until spring to use something they just received. It simply takes the fun out of it. Also, giving warm weather clothing at Christmas is a dead giveaway of your less-than-extravagant shopping habits. If you want to give someone clothing at Christmas that you won't have to pay full price for, look for boots, gloves, and sweaters to go on sale during early spring. Keep the tanks tops and Capri pants on the shelf, and give cold weather-appropriate gifts that can be enjoyed immediately.

On that note, only purchase clothing for general recipients if you're doing your Christmas shopping early, rather than buying for specific individuals. People lose weight, gain weight, and have sex change operations. You never know how a person's needs will alter over the course of a year, so buy clothing that can be interchanged with other recipients at the last minute in order to get the best deal.

For the tweens in your life, consider taste changes that might occur over a twelve month period. While adults tend to want the same things over extended periods, kids and teens between the ages of nine and thirteen can have dramatic changes in their tastes and desires over a very short time period. In other words, while your niece may have loved the Barbie doll you bought her last year, she might scorn you this year if you buy her another one. Think about what grade your tween gift recipients will be going into and how quickly they are developing emotionally, physically, and mentally with each passing year. Even if a child's toy may seem appropriate right now, something a bit more teen-friendly might be appreciated more when the next Christmas rolls around.

Next, be careful to note expiration dates, shelf life, and potential storage damage that can occur when making early cosmetic and perfume gift purchases. What many early bird Christmas shoppers, especially those of the male variety, don't know is that foundation, lipstick and mascara can become completely useless after a few months in storage. Even if they are stored correctly in the proper temperatures, their formulas are not meant to last forever. The same holds true for perfumes, which can turn colors, change scents, and become much less fragrant and powerful over time. If you must make these purchases early, try not to do so more than two months before the gifts will be opened.

Finally, avoid purchasing "fad" gifts while making your early Christmas gift shopping rounds. A common and very costly mistake many year-round holiday shoppers make is scrambling to find a way to buy a gift for a recipient that was hot in say, February. Fads are always short lived, and often the price tags on these items plummet just a few months after they debut (think Nintendo Wii and PS3). Shopping early might actually do you more harm than good in this circumstance, so always let a product's popularity die down just a bit first. Pitching your tent in front of stores awaiting first shipments of the next Tickle-Me-Elmo might be a bad idea in hindsight.

Remember, the key to truly finding a bargain during your year-round Christmas shopping is to avoid the mistake of letting everyone know that you've been manning the aisles since Santa ate his last cookie. Gifts for Christmas, and any occasion for that matter, should always seem fresh, innovative, and thoughtful. While you can certainly search for a good deal in the process, it's best to let your recipients think that money was no object. If you can accomplish that, well, Christmas just got a lot merrier for everyone on your list.