Do you Christmas shop all year?

[pigletto]

I am sorry to even bring this up so early in the year. I can hear the groaning already

I was just thinking this morning that I'd rather go away somewhere after Christmas this year (kids don't go back to school until the 8th) instead of a big Christmas.
Then my train of thought skipped to shopping. I'd like to start looking at sales now and pick up a few things here and there for family and friends and be done with it. Maybe I could actually relax a little for the holidays this year!

So I thought I'd ask my fellow budget minded friends... Do you find this method works or do you end up with more than you needed because you shopped all year?

Any tips or ideas are appreciated. I am just loving the thought of making a list, finding what people would like on sale, and being done with the whole thing months ahead of time. Then we could enjoy the holidays with family and maybe go away right after.

 

[wishesuponastar]

I love to Christmas shop all year It got harder though with the kids since I don't really know what they are going to be into except I can always get crafts ahead of time and use those 40% off coupons at Michaels The grandparents and SIL and BIL are easy to shop ahead for also, especially if I am going to get a photo project or gift cards are easy to get early too. It's so much easier on the budget to stretch it out during the whole year rather than wait until November.

Where are you thinking of going on vacation??

 

[MagiKitty]

I'm a year-long shopper too. I find great sales and try to match what I find with potential recipients. The key is to keep the stuff altogether! I like to pick up little things for acquaintences, co-workers, small gifts. Also stuff for stockings. Adults are easier to shop this way also, but for the kids and teens, I tend to buy little items but hold off the real gift until later in the year, as their tastes seem to change all the time!

But small gifts like candles, glassware, books are great finds and great to keep around, not even for just Christmas, but for hostess gifts, and birthdays. Its good to have that stuff on hand....I also like to keep a stash of cards and wrappers from the dollar store just for these reasons.

Before the real holiday sales begin, I like to take stock of what I already have and figure out what I want to add to it. This way I know who's done and who else I need to shop for. I keep a list and I try to wrap a few times so by the time December arrives, I'm nearly done!

 

[PrinceCharmingsMom]

I Christmas and Birthday shop all year round...especially since I do the Elf on a shelf for my DS. Plus I get ALOT of really great deals on clearance right after XMAS that I can put up for Easter, Valentines and other little suprises. I keep Sterlite tubs full of goodies that are ready at anytime.

 

[21yankees]

I shop all year long. I just bought my odd a gift card for iTunes. Best Buy had them 15% off last week. It does get harder as they get older but there are some things each of my kids are still interested in that I can count on. Arts & craft stuff is a guarantee. Also I purchase books and some clothes too.

My shopping still picks up around September for the kids. For other relatives I'm able to shop w/o worry all year long.

steph

 

[LilyWDW]

I keep Christmas in mind all year round. You just never know when you might find the perfect gift and I don't want to pass on something just because it's March. This year, most of my shopping won't happen until October because I will be getting things while at Disney.

 

[disneychic2]

I don't Christmas shop per se but I am always on the lookout for bargains. If I see something really good, I buy first and figure out later who I'll give it to. Can't pass up a real bargain, right? Sometimes the perfect something goes on sale and it makes my day. Don't worry, OP, there are plenty of people who shop year 'round. Some just won't admit it!

 

[ilovejack02]

I keep an eye out for things, but usually don't start until September. I did though just buy a groupon yesterday for two cookbooks by a very popular local author. I purchased two , will pick the cookbooks up Monday when I am in town and put them away for DS8's teachers next year. Im praying we only have two teachers again lol.

If I see a good deal on Itunes card coming up I may start snagging those too .

 

[sydneysmom]

You know, I never used to shop for Christmas until at least October. But the past few years since the economy has been going down, I have been shopping all year around when I find something on a good sale.I've got 1 DD5 to buy for, 3 young neices and a 2 1/2 year old nephew...so we all know how expensive that can get !!

The beginning of the year Hasbro had a ton of great game coupons and did "game and pizza night". For each game you bought, you got a coupon for a free Tombstone Pizza. Well, Wal-Mart had the games on sale for $4.00 / $ 5.00. We got 4 games altogether, spent $8.00 w/ the coupons PLUS got 4 coupons for 4 free Tombstone pizzas in the mail for the rebate!! SCORE !!!

When the Disney store put the fleece blankets on their sale, I had the "take$20 off a $40 purchase " from buying Rapunzel..... I got a bunch of stuff for Christmas.... I got 3 of the Rapunzel blankets, personalized, for my neices. they are ADORABLE !!!! So I've got a good Christmas gift box going right now...... it'll make it alot less painful at Christmas time ! I won't have to lay out a ton of cash in December!

 

[Bearshouse]

I am on the lookout all year too. Like yesterday when Gymboree was having their red balloon sale. I snagged some jeans for Christmas for DD. But then my goal is to be done shopping before Thanksgiving and wrapped and ready to go by the 1st of December. I can hear the groans already!!!

DS's Bday is December 16th so I want to be able to just enjoy his birthday without worry.

Bearshouse

 

[casjen]

No. Last year I did and when it came time to wrap gifts etc I found my boys just weren't into some of the things I had bought earlier. This year I will wait until closer and then see. I think they are entering the "fewer bigger gifts" stage.

 

[miralys]

I gift shop all year long because it's easier on my budget. I don't have to spend as much in December, I can take advantage of sales as I see them, and most importantly, December is freed up. That month is so busy, I love not having to add shopping to the mix. Makes the holidays that much more enjoyable.

 

[eliza61]

I am sorry to even bring this up so early in the year. I can hear the groaning already

I was just thinking this morning that I'd rather go away somewhere after Christmas this year (kids don't go back to school until the 8th) instead of a big Christmas.
Then my train of thought skipped to shopping. I'd like to start looking at sales now and pick up a few things here and there for family and friends and be done with it. Maybe I could actually relax a little for the holidays this year!

So I thought I'd ask my fellow budget minded friends... Do you find this method works or do you end up with more than you needed because you shopped all year?

Any tips or ideas are appreciated. I am just loving the thought of making a list, finding what people would like on sale, and being done with the whole thing months ahead of time. Then we could enjoy the holidays with family and maybe go away right after.

Nope, not me. I'm a girl that likes her holidays in order. I hate when they have Christmas sales and it's not even labor day.

I like shopping with Christmas music and Christmas decorations and I'm one of those people who would prefer to have the holloween decorations down before throwing up the christmas ones.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

We have 6 kids, 3 of which have December birthdays. I shop all year long because it would be too much all at once. I've started my Christmas list for everyone, and I've begun shopping. I'd like to be finished by Thanksgiving, but we'll see. My goal this year is to find everything on sale.

 

[LilyWDW]

I am on the lookout all year too. Like yesterday when Gymboree was having their red balloon sale. I snagged some jeans for Christmas for DD. But then my goal is to be done shopping before Thanksgiving and wrapped and ready to go by the 1st of December. I can hear the groans already!!!

DS's Bday is December 16th so I want to be able to just enjoy his birthday without worry.

Bearshouse

I always try to have everything bought by Thanksgiving and wrapped by December first as well. Never seems to happen, but I still try! We just have to ship so much stuff that having it done early makes things so much easier (or would... it I did it).

 

[NYEmomma]

I like shopping with Christmas music and Christmas decorations and I'm one of those people who would prefer to have the holloween decorations down before throwing up the christmas ones.

I'm the same way... I LOVE Christmas shopping. Even the crowds. I like everything about the Christmas season.

But with us being on a budget (and me predisposed to spoil the crap out of DD), I do shop year-round for DD's gifts. Her birthday is the week after Christmas too, so I have to do double the present shopping for her. We'd break the bank if I didn't spread it all out and only get things when they're on clearance/sale.

We already picked up some things for her at the Disney Store during their going out of business sale.

Everyone else though, I shop for during the Christmas season.

I do make a lot of my gifts though, so I start on those super early. I'm the slowest crafter/seamstress in the world.

 

[katt95]

We are hoping to go to Disney around Christmas and that would be our Christmas (kids are teenagers)...maybe just a few stocking stuffers. We live 5 hours away from family so for our parents and siblings and grown nephews, I am working on gift baskets for each family unit....a little kitchen stuff, gardening, note pad and one gift card to restaurant. Still buying for the little kids but only three of them. Hope this works out this year. Spending a week with them at Thanksgiving, delivering the baskets then and leaving presents for the kids. Hopefully, no hard feelings. We'll see most of them again at a wedding in January. What do you all think?

 

[cricketgirl]

I shop all year long but not for my family. We buy presents all year long for the Childrens hospital so I am alwasy on the lookout for the sales and great bargins. A couple years ago I bout 50 Bambi Stuffed animals the larger ones for $1.00 each a the Disney Outlet. The we bought several other stuffed animals thoughout the year. Games, Puzzels, playdough etc... We had a jammed packed vehicle and the hospital was very grateful. I would love to have the money to go out and get every kid what they want but I haven't won the lottery yet!.
My family I now wait till closer to Christmas since they are 24, 25, 26 and much, much harder to buy for. Plus we have a December Birthday as well.

Before they got older I was always done shopping before November 1st. Mailed my card Thanksgiving day on the way to Thanmksgiving at the in laws.
Boy times have changed. Last year they went out December 1st.

 

[Zhoen]

I shop for all the holidays, all year. In fact, it would be fair to say I start Christmas shopping on December 26th!!! (when everything goes half-price). I have a closet in our home office (read as-"junk room") where I stash things away... all the half-priced toys I got on 26 December will be presents for all the "Mommy, Janie's birthday party is tomorrow, can I go??? Plleeaasssse" moments, and that sort of thing. Nondescript stocking stuffers became Easter basket fillers-- but most leftover easter stuff in NOT any good for christmas because it's all chicks and bunnies...

I also sometimes buy (new) things at yard sales that are for later-on gifts. I already have a set of kitchen prints for my father with the $15 Kohls tags still on them... I paid $2/ea. They'll fit his theme and I know he'll love them, so I 'm squirreling them away for Christmas.


Two days ago I went to the Bath and Body Works semi-annual sale (the ONLY time I ever shop there.) I bought 4 bottles of shampoo, a new shower gel and lotion I'd never tried before, and shower gel/lotion/spritz in a scent my sister recently mentioned she likes... Well, the shampoos were 75% off, and the lotions, spritz, and gels were "buy three, get two free"... and all put together, that amounted to *just* over $40, so I could use the $10/$40 coupon they had mailed me... so in the end, I paid $30 for 4 bottles of good shampoo, one bath gel and one lotion... and got a gel/lotion/spritz set for my sister for FREE!

So that will go in the "Christmas Closet" and will be given to her this Christmas by one of her children (She's widowed, so I try to make sure she gets gifts from her kids at Christmas. B&BW is one of their standard choices they like to get her, so if I can save $30, I'm gonna!)

But none of that means I don't still like to go shopping AT Christmas. I LOVE it. There's always something new my girls see or here about that they want, and there's things I decide later on I don't want to give... and I send those to charity. The closet is completely emptied at least once per year... so I feel ok about it. Whatever money I save on gifts, I either spend elsewhere, or try to save so that when I'm an old lady I can still afford to go shopping!

 

[pigletto]

So many replies already! Thank you everyone!

I too love everything about Christmas. I just find that the closer it gets to Christmas the more rushed we get. For example DH was commuting 2.5 hours a day last year and I work from home and can't leave to shop. So what ended up happening was he would get in after dark.. exhausted and needing to study for exams for his courses. We'd throw something in our mouths.. rush out the door, drive a half hour to the mall.. fight the crowds and everyone was CRANKY.

It just wasn't fun anymore. But weekends had to go to studying for him so evenings were all we had.

I think if our trip (no idea where yet) was the big family gift.. I could easily pick up some of the general items now. Like Itunes cards, or books etc.

My inlaws are fabulous as they like to do things with us rather than "stuff" so we always get tickets to some show or sports event.

Again, thanks for the responses..I am getting some good ideas.