Is it too early to start talking about Christmas? Never! Christmas is one of the most exciting times of the year for so many reasons. However, one of the most exciting reasons is the ability to put a smile on someone’s face with a gift! You’ve been wondering what to get your family, friends, significant others and you’ve finally got it narrowed down, so, when is it safe to start Christmas shopping this year?
There is no right or wrong time to start Christmas shopping, but there are best times. What you want to keep in mind are the pros and cons of starting Christmas shopping early or starting Christmas shopping a little later. There are pros/cons for both, but ultimately one does outweigh the other!
What is the best time to start Christmas shopping?
The best time to start Christmas shopping is when you have your list planned out and can financially afford to start the gift shopping!
You want to take into consideration what you’re planning on buying for everyone and where you’re planning to buy the gifts. For example, if you’re purchasing a rare gift item from an online vendor off of a resale sight, you may want to make that purchase early. This is so the gift arrives on time because that gift is in the hands of an individual rather than a company.
You may also want to consider where you’ll be doing the gift wrapping. Here me out on this. Let’s say you will be traveling to your hometown this Christmas to see family. Are you going to order your gifts to your hometown or are you going have them shipped to your current location and bring them on the plane with you? You’ll want to start shopping with enough time to have the gifts sent to where you need and provide time to wrap them.
Most people say the best time to start Christmas shopping is roughly a month before Christmas, but again, there are pros and cons. Let’s break them down!
What are the pros to starting Christmas shopping early?
First of all, let’s define “early”. This little word can have a variety of definitions, but most people consider “early” to be shopping before Black Friday, instead of on or after it. There are plenty of pros to starting your Christmas shopping early however!
Getting it done
Christmas shopping, whereas it is an enjoyable experience, can also be stressful for some people. When you start Christmas shopping early, you get it done and over with. It becomes one less thing you have to think about. By crossing this task off your to-do list, you get to focus on other holiday fun like baking Christmas cookies, carolling, watching movies, singing songs, etc.
More money to spend
When you start Christmas shopping a little early, you have the option to span it out over multiple paychecks. You can buy a couple gifts/week instead of trying to buy everything at once with a single paycheck! It decreases money worries and insures you have enough to get your loved ones what they want, need, and deserve this holiday season!
Less stress
Starting your Christmas shopping early can reduce your stress levels around the holiday season. You won’t have to worry about finding the best deals, standing in long lines, hoping things will arrive on time. No. You’ll get to sit back and watch everyone else deal with that chaos while you’re sipping hot cocoa and listening to Christmas carols!
Reduce risk of shipments not arriving
Many stores right now are experiencing stock and shipment issues. By getting your Christmas shopping done early, you’re less likely to run into issues with supply and shipping. If you choose to wait, you may end up missing the opportunity to get the item to you want or will have to accept a late delivery.
What are the cons to starting Christmas shopping early?
With every pro comes a con and just like any other topic, there are some cons to consider before you start Christmas shopping early this year!
Forget the good deals
Starting Christmas shopping early often means missing out on the best holiday deals! Most of these deals begin on Black Friday and remain until a week after Christmas day. If you start Christmas shopping too early, you will not get to take advantage of these deals. You’ll likely end up paying double for your gifts if you start too soon. If you wait, and start Christmas shopping a little later, you’ll get to take advantage of these sweet deals!
Kids are unpredictable
Another downside to starting Christmas shopping early is that if you have kids, you know that they change their minds practically every minute. The last thing you want is to get your kids Christmas gifts only for them to tell you they took it off their wish list to Santa!
Also, most ads for Christmas gifts for kids don’t come out until just before Black Friday so you’ll be missing out of the opportunity to get some pretty neat toys for your kids at incredible discounts if you start shopping early.
Spend more
The final downside, and probably the most influential, is that you are more likely to spend excess money on Christmas gifts if you start shopping early. However, we don’t just mean because of the sales you’d be missing out on. When you start Christmas shopping too early, you end up buying more and more gifts for people as you have the time to accumulate such gifts. When you wait, you’re more focused on getting what you came for and getting out!
Christmas shopping is one of the most exciting parts about the holiday. It’s a chance for you to show your love by giving someone something you know they want, need, or would enjoy having. It’s a unique way to show your love and put a smile on someone’s face. Whether you choose to start shopping early or later is up to you. Don't get pressured by friends and family saying they sorted there Christmas shopping in October, just relax, plan out the gifts you want to buy and take your time. If your worried about gifts selling out maybe start a touch early, there are plenty of alternative options to buy more local handmade gifts like Etsy or Deelux Happiness :) :)
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