Holidays Information

The Holiday Shopping Experience - Rewarding or Traumatic?


Picture this scenario! It's December 24th, the day of Christmas Eve. On this day you should be relaxing, enjoying time with family and thinking of all the precious memories you have created throughout the year.

No, wait! It's the last day of shopping before Christmas and you haven't even started to do your gift shopping.

You get into your car and fight traffic all the way to the local mall, only to spend an hour trying to find a parking spot. That is if you find one at all. You enter the mall in search of the perfect gifts and there is a stampede of people. Looks like everyone else is doing last minute shopping too!

You dodge the nudging elbows and stomping feet of the crowds. You're starting to feel claustrophobic, your stress level is starting to increase and you haven't even begun shopping yet!

Sound familiar? To top it all off, you browse through the stores only to find that meager offerings remain. The shelves are practically empty. What happens then? You spend too much money on something that your gift recipient neither needs or wants. Their gift wasn't chosen for them...it was chosen out of desperation.

Once again, you remind yourself that you will prepare far in advance for Christmas next year. The next Holiday Season arrives and you repeat the same traumatic shopping experience.

How many of us have waited until the very last moment to buy a gift for a loved one, friend or business associate? There is only three months left until Christmas and those days will go quickly.

Christmas is one of the most stressful events of the year. The expense of buying gifts and the pressure of last minute shopping can all take the joy out of the most joyful time of year.

Here are some tips to take the stress out of Holiday shopping this year:

1) Make a list of the people you will be buying a gift for before you go shopping. If you have a large family or friends to buy gifts for, it can get expensive. In our family, we have made the decision to buy only for the children. Another way to reduce costs is to have everyone draw a name out of a hat and buy a present only for that person.

2) Think of gift ideas for the people on your list and write them down. What are their hobbies and interests? What are their needs and wants? If you cannot come up with anything, ask the person directly for ideas. This will save you time wandering aimlessly in the mall in search of a gift and you will give a gift that your gift recipient really wants and will appreciate.

3) Buy a few extra gifts, for instance chocolates, so that you will be prepared just in case you forgot somebody or an unexpected guest arrives bearing gifts.

4) If possible, start your Holiday shopping a month or two before Christmas. It is never to early to prepare!

5) Don't forget about online shopping! Buy your gifts over the internet. You can find most gifts online, shop at your own convenience and you won't have to step foot in a mall.

If you follow these tips, you are on your way to a rewarding shopping experience and a less stressful Holiday Season.

We all must remember that Christmas is a joyful time of year. It's not about the gift you give or receive but it is about cherishing the special people in your life and spending time with them. Create new traditions and memories that will be with you for a lifetime.

Copyright 2004 Written by Lee-Anne Robert, owner of Cuddles 'n Gifts at http://www.cuddlesngifts.net featuring holiday gift baskets and gifts for any occasion. Check out the new Holiday and Christmas Gift Basket selection. With gifts this beautiful and classy, you will find a gift for anyone on your list!


MORE RESOURCES:

The Associated Press

Retailers brace for austere holidays
Rocky Mountain News, CO - 15 hours ago
In response, stores are planning to hire fewer seasonal workers, emphasizing value and rolling out holiday promotions earlier than usual. ...
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Show America What Europe is Made of with GolfPlanet Holidays
PR Web (press release), WA - 13 hours ago
With GolfPlanet Holidays new American breaks, they can enjoy the USA's finest courses in luxury, and prove that European golfers can still cut the mustard. ...


Charities already preparing for holidays
Macon Telegraph, GA - 14 hours ago
By Phillip Ramati - pramati@macon.com With the nation's economy reeling, Middle Georgia charities expect a surge of requests for help this holiday season. ...
Program 'alive and well' TMCnet
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New York City gets ready for holidays
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - 6 hours ago
New York City is a great place to travel during the holiday season, with a variety of shopping, parade and holiday decorations beckoning tourists. ...


The Free Lance-Star

Jewish holidays deserve respect
Allentown Morning Call, PA - 13 hours ago
... would be willing to go over the calendar with the county staff to make sure that the dates of meetings do not conflict with many of the Jewish holidays. ...
Closing school for Jewish holidays is matter of numbers Chagrin Valley Publishing
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Sukkot a festival that should not be forgotten phillyBurbs.com
Indiana Daily Student - Jackson Hole Star-Tribune
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Vancouver Sun

Home-for-the-holidays syndrome
Vancouver Sun,  Canada - 12 hours ago
Holidays are hard on everyone. You don't get to choose your family and you might not even like some of them, but you are obliged to eat dinner with them at ...


Telegraph.co.uk

Family holidays in Britain set to soar
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 16 hours ago
Almost a third of British families plan to holiday in Britain over the next year as the effects of the credit crunch hit spending. Caroline Shearing reports ...


Our ugly experiences during long public holidays –Businessmen
The Punch, Nigeria - 21 hours ago
By David Amuwa Observation of public holidays is a common practice among nations. But the number of holidays observed in a year vary from one country to ...


Telegraph.co.uk

Holidays are 'essential'
La Manga, Spain - 4 hours ago
The economic climate may be less than rosy; however, a majority of consumers still consider holidays in Spain and other foreign destinations as essential, ...
Holidaymakers return to travel agencies Telegraph.co.uk
Comment: the end of cheap holidays? Thank goodness Times Online
Holidays are a 'necessity' (09 Oct 2008) Go Travel Insurance
World First Travel Insurance - MK Financial Solutions
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Market Holidays Challenging Morgan Stanley Financing (MS, MTU)
24/7 Wall St., NY - Oct 10, 2008
This is a pretty sad affair right now, but holidays closing key markets on Monday are actually blocking this deal from funding until Tuesday, October 14, ...

Holidays - Google News

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