Every morning this week I've woken up thinking crap there's only some-odd number of days until holidays, which usually has less to do with holiday shopping and more about finals... they just creep up so fast! At the same time though, since I'm usually focused on finals I completely forgot about buying presents for family and friends, and end up doing the Christmas Eve trip with all the busy dads to the mall. Definitely not the way to find meaningful gifts for the people you care about.
So this year I'm following a couple easy steps to help ensure I don't end up scrambling last minute.
1) Write out a list of who you want to buy gifts for. This is SO easy to do, but how often do any of us actually do this? I always end up forgetting one or two people and buying a gift that I barely put any thought into. Think about any parties you're going to, family members you'll be seeing over the holiday, and friends who deserve a special thank you and write out a list so that you can't forget anyone!
1) Write out a list of who you want to buy gifts for. This is SO easy to do, but how often do any of us actually do this? I always end up forgetting one or two people and buying a gift that I barely put any thought into. Think about any parties you're going to, family members you'll be seeing over the holiday, and friends who deserve a special thank you and write out a list so that you can't forget anyone!
2) Think about what makes each personal smile. I can't even tell you how many times I've bought my sister a sweater for Christmas... and most of the time it's because I know she'll like it and I have no idea what else to get her. By planning early and spending even just 10 minutes thinking about what your friends will really love, you'll find gifts that won't end up in a trash bin before spring flowers are blooming. Pro Tip: Do a little back stalking of your friends on social media. You'll be surprised how much present inspiration you'll find on your best friend's Pinterest page!
3) Don't wait for Black Friday sales! While Black Friday might seem like the best deal you're going to get on gifs throughout the holiday season, countless studies have shown this isn't actually true. So instead of waiting until after Thanksgiving for those perceived deals, start taking advntage of every sale you see! For example, Nordstrom is having their fall sale through November 13th with so many amazing pieces, and you can be sure this is as good of a deal as you'll get on Black Friday.
4) Order everything online. I'm sure you waste hours every work browsing your favorite stores online... So, turn that mindless shopping into effective holiday shopping! Almost everywhere has free shipping and free returns, so take advantage of it and order presents, even if you think it's possible you might need to return them later on! Better early and safe, then sorry later ;)
5) Have back-up hostess and secret santa gifts! No matter the number of lists you write, you're bound to forget about some party that you need a little gift for. Instead of having to run out to find a crappy cheap gift, you'll be patting yourself on the back when you've already perused the gifts section of sites like Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom for the cutest small gifts! A few of my favorite go-to gifts under $20 are this mug, this beauty set, and this beauty dish.
While I'm trying to get ahead on all my gift shopping I am still finishing up my holiday content plan up until Christmas, so if there is a post you'd like to see please let me know in the comments!
3) Don't wait for Black Friday sales! While Black Friday might seem like the best deal you're going to get on gifs throughout the holiday season, countless studies have shown this isn't actually true. So instead of waiting until after Thanksgiving for those perceived deals, start taking advntage of every sale you see! For example, Nordstrom is having their fall sale through November 13th with so many amazing pieces, and you can be sure this is as good of a deal as you'll get on Black Friday.
4) Order everything online. I'm sure you waste hours every work browsing your favorite stores online... So, turn that mindless shopping into effective holiday shopping! Almost everywhere has free shipping and free returns, so take advantage of it and order presents, even if you think it's possible you might need to return them later on! Better early and safe, then sorry later ;)
5) Have back-up hostess and secret santa gifts! No matter the number of lists you write, you're bound to forget about some party that you need a little gift for. Instead of having to run out to find a crappy cheap gift, you'll be patting yourself on the back when you've already perused the gifts section of sites like Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom for the cutest small gifts! A few of my favorite go-to gifts under $20 are this mug, this beauty set, and this beauty dish.
While I'm trying to get ahead on all my gift shopping I am still finishing up my holiday content plan up until Christmas, so if there is a post you'd like to see please let me know in the comments!
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