Holiday Shopping

You once loved the holiday rush. You lived for it. Finding a close parking spot amidst a sea of cars was a sport that you fine tuned down to a science. Being one of the first customers to arrive at a store was exciting. Of course, getting a good deal was as invigorating an accomplishment as running a marathon. Now, with a new job, your holiday energy has changed. You may not have the luxury of catching those early bird sales or able to spend hours shopping. But, you can still get things done.

The Internet is Your Friend

The internet is a wonderful convenience. It can save you some time. You can get a lot of holiday shopping completed on secured sites. No need to fight for a close parking spot. No crowds. You can take your time and browse leisurely. You can internet shop at 3AM or 3PM-whatever is most convenient for you. If you do shop online, please don't forget to consider the time it takes for items to ship. Allow sufficient time for your gifts to get to their destinations. Most sites, like www.eToys.com, for example, will reference deadline dates to place your order to ensure Christmas Eve delivery.

Not only does browsing the internet cut down on shopping stress, but it can also save some time spent gift wrapping. Some online stores will give you an option to mail an item gift wrapped and with a note. If you are shipping an over-sized item, however, the gift wrapping option probably won't be available.

It's a lot easier to hide gifts while you're shopping on the internet. There's nothing more frustrating when trying to shop under the prying eyes of curious, excited children in the store.

Finally, keep your receipts of the purchases you make. You can do this by saving your confirmation emails or printing out the confirmation page. Most stores online will give you the option to do both. Doing this will make things much easier and less stressful if you have to make an exchange or return.

Shop the "Old Fashioned" Way

If the internet is not your forte and you really prefer to do "live" shopping, try not to do it all in one day. Since most stores keep longer hours during the holiday, evening shopping trips may be the best thing for you. You can also utilize your lunch hour to pick up a few gifts too.

Break up your shopping time. So you have to go to the mall or wherever you shop more than once. This is beneficial, especially if you can't get a full day to shop. Plus your shopping task won't seem so overwhelming. If you're taking your children with you, which is always the case with me, shorter shopping times are best. Your kids won't be nearly as frantic during a long day of shopping when you're darting from store to store and neither will you.

Since time is usually crunched during the holiday season, your only option may be to shop in one day. Wear comfortable shoes and dress in layers so you can take something off if you get too warm. Dress your kids in layers too. You can bring along snacks and/or lunch for them to eat. This will save you money and some stress. Besides, you'll be fighting the crowds enough while you shop. You wouldn't want to fight them in the food court too. If your kids are just toddlers, a couple of small toys and a favorite blanket may be enjoyable and give them something to do while you shop.

Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!

As you prepare for your shopping day, have some breakfast before you leave. That may seem like a very simple thing to do, but a lot of times the first meal is often forgotten in all the excitement. If you are fortunate enough to get a head start by hitting one of those 6AM sales, definitely consider getting something into your stomach. Make sure your children have breakfast too. You will be using a lot of energy. Why not start the day off right?

Leave early. Getting a good parking space is a big stress reliever. Also, getting ahead of the crowd can be to your advantage. Have a list of the gifts you would like to buy and/or the stores you want to buy them from. It would be a good idea to have a back up gift list in the event you can't find the items you originally wanted. This will aid in saving you some time. You won't be frazzled if you get caught in the crowd. You'll have a specific method to your madness.

Relax You're Done

Now your shopping is complete. If you shopped online, your gifts are on their way to their destinations. If you didn't, you may now have lots of wrapping to do. Don't take on the gift wrapping task alone. Solicit some help from your spouse or other family members. You could even have a gift wrapping party where you and friends can meet together at your home and wrap away. Send the kids out with your spouse or to the babysitters. Have fun! It's the holidays.

And if you have little ones who just won't leave those gifts under the tree alone, consider putting them under the tree Christmas Eve after they are fast asleep. That way the presents stay wrapped until that special moment.

The Best of Both Worlds

Of course, you can always combine internet shopping and physical shopping. That way you can experience the ease of shopping from the comfort of your own home and the thrill of racing with the crowds.

Remember, you can smoothly incorporate all of your shopping into your new busy schedule. Your holiday thrill isn't lost, just refocused.