Christmas shopping is stressful enough at the best of times but this year, thanks to lockdown, there’s less time to visit the shops, more competition for online delivery slots and far less money in the bank for many of us. Do you have a creeping feeling of dread that your budget just won’t cut it when it comes to creating a memorable Christmas? Are you completely out of ideas? Read on for a Christmas shopping strategy to keep you in control and minimise your stress.
I don’t know about you but these are the typical thoughts running through my head at this time of year:
- So-and-so never likes anything I buy… what should I do?
- The kids keep changing their minds about what to put on their lists!
- What to get for the person who already has everything?
- How can I get all of my shopping done when I have no time as it is?
- What should I buy for teachers, bus drivers, babysitters, the postman?
And of course, on the minds of just about every holiday gift-giver:
- How will I manage not to go broke this year?!
The best way to reduce Christmas gift-giving (and receiving) stress is to be upfront about what’s going to happen. Before a solid plan can click into place, there needs to be a frank discussion. Sit down with your immediate and extended family. Or, initiate an email conversation if that feels less awkward for you.
Ask questions like,
- How much should we agree to spend per person this year?
- Are we doing gifts for the adults in the family or just the kids?
- What about a Secret Santa Grab Bag? This is a fun way to reduce the number of gifts to buy at Christmas time.
Something for Everyone
One good solution for Christmas is to come up with a theme that reduces the amount of factory-made, shop-purchased “stuff” that everyone is so tired of receiving year after year only to see it break after a few uses.
“Experience gifts” could be a great solution for the family who enjoys spending quality time or travelling together. Instead of sweaters and toys, you can plan a family outing, such as a museum trip, or themed event, like a hockey game.
Adults might opt to swap smaller, thoughtful gifts like a photo collage or picture mug, knitted mittens or a cosy throw for the sofa.
Gift certificates to things like a massage therapy session, pottery lesson, cigar bar, or golf outing could make a fun and exciting Christmas present for the avid hobbyist in your life.
Wine or beer and a set of glasses, or food gift baskets (could be homemade, could be store-bought) make nice gifts for the holiday host and hostess.
Teachers’ gifts can be homemade to save money, and you can do a bulk prep night if you’re crafty or handy. Think candle pouring, essential oil-based homemade soaps, or hand-painted votive holders. If you’re not the maker type, how about a gift card for Krispy Kreme or Starbucks? Coffee and tea are always well received, and won’t break the bank.
Being on the Gift Receiving End Can be Stressful, Too
How to handle gifts that you can’t use, so you won’t end up giving the gift-giver the wrong impression, and be looking at a decade or more of fuzzy slippers which you never did like, year after year?
Be grateful but honest. Timing may be the key as well. You may not want to blurt in the middle of the family gift exchange, “Oh, boy, ANOTHER year, another bad tie!”
But after some time has passed, you might gently explain to the gift giver that the tie (or whatever it was) isn’t quite your style, and you can ask if someone else in the family can make better use of it.
Another solution for less-than-ideal gifts is to stash them in a box in the attic and file under “regift.” We get enough invites in our lives that this hopefully won’t be an issue, as long as you circulate the gift into a different social circle. (If grandma gives you an ugly sweater that you really can’t stand, better to give it to a friend or use it at the office grab bag party, then wrap and give to your sister).
Avoid giving and receiving unappreciated or unwanted gifts in the first place by initiating an open up-front discussion about who needs/wants what this year.
You might learn that your £50 is better spent on a new shaving kit for your hubby than that scarf and hat set that you planned to spend knitting (which would have itched him anyway).
How to handle the tough topic of Christmas gifts and Santa, with kids?
First, have your children make a firm decision on what they’d like to see on their Christmas wish list this year. Tackle the task early, so that you can be sure the items are in stock. Explain to the children that Santa’s toy shop does run out of merchandise, and if we don’t put your order in they might miss out on getting what they want. “Mail” their lists to Santa right away, so they won’t be tempted to make changes.
One idea is to have your child list 2 or 3 big-ticket items, plus an assortment of smaller-sized (read: lower-priced) gifts. Explain to your kids that no matter how good they were, Santa can’t always make the ultimate gift happen for every child.
Staying Within Your Holiday Gift-Giving Budget
If you’re concerned about the holiday budget, you should be. People tend to go wild with spending at this impulsive, generosity tinged time of year.
Remember also, though, that time equals money. You might be tempted to try and break down the doors for those rock-bottom toy deals… but at the expense of what or whom else in your life?
If you feel uncomfortable driving to the shopping centre in bad weather or after dark, then don’t try to be a hero. You can avoid a potential car accident, or a panic attack from trying to accomplish one too many tasks all in one day, simply by ordering Christmas gifts online, paying a bit more and splurging on shipping.
Another way to tame the gift-giving budget this year is by penny-pinching some other aspect of your life. Worried about money? Give up your takeaway pizza or Chinese this month. Or, find creative ways to make a little money to lavish on family and friends.
House cleaning, odd jobs, and setting up small gifts to sell, like hand-painted picture frames, could help you increase the balance of your bank account before you head out to shop for presents.
What about stress around receiving gifts?
To avoid stress when giving and receiving holiday gifts, approach with an open mind, open heart, and laid-back attitude. If someone gives you something you really don’t care for, don’t sweat it. These days, we’re never too far from a donation bin, and if the person doesn’t see you with their gift in the future, maybe they’ll take the hint.
If the person who never seems to appreciate your carefully selected Christmas present for them, just shrug your shoulders and realize this is just one day in a long year, which will be over before we know it.
Helpful links:
Tips To Make Sure You Don’t Break The Bank This Christmas
8 Ways To Save Cash For Christmas Now
Brilliant Ideas For A Creative Family Christmas Card
Christmas Shopping? 8 Ways To Keep Your Cool
To go to the gym regularly
To be more assertive about making decisions!
My New Years resolution is to be more active and save more, spend less.
I aim to volunteer more
To cut down and live a healthier life after pigging out at Christmas x
My new year resolution is to spend more time with my mum
To lose some weight and be more active
To cut back on sweet stuff like biscuits and cakes…..mmmmm Cake!!
To stress less about stuff I cannot control and focus on stuff I can
My New Year’s resolution will be to try to lose a little more weight.
I’m not making any this year because I don’t want to feel like a failure when I don’t keep them but I will try to get a bit fitter and healthier
finally lose the baby weight
To get a bit more healthy
Aiming to keep as healthy as possible
To lose some weight
To complete the ‘Walk a 1000 Miles’ challenge. Haven’t managed it this year but am certainly aiming for it next as it will help me lose some more weight!
I’m not making any this year because I never keep them
My resolution is to use my car less and my bike more.
To live each day as fully as possible
To walk an average of 10000 steps every day.
I don’t make any, has I never stick to them
It’s a big wedding anniversary this year so my resolution is to get back into shape and try to get somewhere near my size when I got married. I’d love to try on my dress again, it’s beautiful and I felt amazing in it!!
I would like to stop smoking in the new year so have signed up to a stop smoking service at my local hospital. Thanks for the chance to win x
Start going back to the gym.
To worry less about things I cannot have any influence on
I plan to go for a daily walk
To start believing in myself
To get fitter
I’m not making one, I’m just going to continue with everything I achieved last year such as quitting smoking and losing weight.
to try and be more patient
I have made a list of all the d.i.y jobs to do inside the house and am determined to finish all of them next year.
My NYR is to be more sociable! This year I have really focused on myself to better my mental health. I’ve had to distance myself from family and friends, stick to a daily routine and just take care of myself in the tiny details of each day. It’s been a “comfort zone”, but in the new year, I want to push out of it, be more spontaneous, and be around others more ❤️
Get my shoulder mended and try to decorate the whole house!
To find myself a hobby.
I’m going to try and quit vaping.
My new years resolution will be to get my health concerns with my ms in order in hopes to have a second child by 2021
I will try to improve my fitness levels!
To enjoy every day and spend more time with my family
Mine is to grow more vegetables and eat less meat!
I want to try and be more savvy with my money in the new year
To eat more healthy and cut out sugar
Stop making resolutions that I dont keep!
I’d just like to eat more healthily and get out walking more often
To get a lovely new job.
Lose more weight and try something new
It will be the same as usual, to declutter my house!
I want to reduce the pressure on myself and the expectations I have of myself, and give myself time to get through all the things I never get chance to, some that I want to do and others that I need to do
To finally transfer all our old home videos on to dvd, I bought the machine to do it ten years ago!
do more exercise
My life has been hold for a long time so next year I want to travel more.
to live life to the fullest.
To take the stairs at work instead of the lift – I only work on the 4th floor, so it shouldn’t be too hard!
To do more crafting and making
To pass my driving test
My new years resolution is going to be to get healthier. Not join a gym but eat the right foods and drink the right drinks.
To be able to drive in 2020. Thankyou for the competition x
to lose weight!
To do more nice things for myself. To give myself rests and make myself feel good!
to stay on top of the ironing pile a bit better!!!
To seek discomfort more. I have gotten to used to my comfort bubble so to speak and I want to get out of that and have more adventures by saying yes to new things and doing things that challenge me.
My new year’s resolution is to stay on top of my finances and not waste money!
Be better at planning my time each week so I can be more productive!
Be the best mum I can be to my 2 week old baby boy
To work harder on my healthy eating plan.
I want to save more money next year x
I never make them because I don’t keep them
To eat healthier
To relax and stop letting little things bother me. Life is too short for things like that and I need to start realising that!
I honestly don’t know! I think it might be to appreciate the simple things more
To be healthier and to walk more – Be more active generally
To overcome past pain and regain confidence…..
To be healthier.
Lose weight!
My resolution will be to save more and spend less!
to stop eating so much junk food
Stay positive and not sweat the small stuff
To stick closer to my exercise regime. I’ve lapsed on and off over the last few months
keep eating healthy and losing a bit of weight
To maintain a healthy diet.
i dont make new years resolutions as i never keep them
To lose weight
To drink more water. I’ve failed miserably this year!!
To try to stop worrying about the future and enjoy the present
I don’t make them to ensure i don’t break them
To stop eating chocolate!
To try and do more on weekends when I dont have work!
I need to get more excise and eat more healthy foods. Most of all drink more water.
To walk to work instead of driving to help with getting fit
To do a bit more exercise and drink less 🙂
To start meditating regularly xx
I need to get back in the swimming pool!
To move house and to also have more confidence to drive to various places
I am at the beginning of trying to rid myself of anxiety, so hopefully I will continue on my journey of overcoming this life-crippling condition.
The same one as last year (it’s the only resolution I’ve ever kept) to be kinder to the environment,
Rather than make resolutions, I’m just going to continue with healthy eating and regular exercise.
To try and be more active and healthier
To prevent any bad luck!! Had enough for this year!
to travel more! and make time for fun
To try and start afresh, this year has been a bad year so I need to make some changes in the new year to start feeling happier again
Mine will be to do a ramdom act of kindness for someone every day.
To not worry too much about being overweight- need to enough life, but not too much!
To read more than I did this year 🙂 I aimed at 24 books this year, but want to see if I can make it 30 next year.
I just want to keep up the progress I’ve made this year being more organised and on top of things.
Healthier eating x
To be more active.x
I’ll make one then it never is fulfilled , usually to be more organised this coming yeat
I never make them but good luck to you all that do.
To keep healthy in my keep fit regime, and remain positive.
My resolution is to make no new years resolutions as I know I won’t keep them…. but what if I keep this one ….?
to keep saving.
For me it will have to be to eat more healthy and eat less meat
I really would like to be more financially secure and have lots of savings x
I am going to try and relax more. I spend soo much time looking out for everyone else.
To spend more time taking care of myself rather than worrying about everyone else.
Drink more water.
To start running again and implement better eating habits to set a good example for my son (due in less than four weeks!)
I’m going to try to worry less! I’ll do my best but I don’t hold out much hope!
To clear all our credit card debt within 6 months
My resolution will be to get more exercise
to try and be more healthier and more positive
I never make them, I find it more depressing when you inevitably break them so don’t other
I’ll be honest, I don’t normally make them but I will promise myself to continue swimming <3
To try and live a healthier life being recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic. I’m not overweight, but intend to watch my carbs and exercise more x
I don’t tend to make any, but I do have plans to finish decorating all the house and get our loft conversion done!
to be clutter free i started doing the kon marie of the joy of tidying up but need to start again
My New Year’s resolution is to stress less! I bet it won’t happen!
Try and live life in the day, one day at a time!
Move out of my parents home, again! Been saving for 5 years since my divorce to gain my independence back
Learn a new skill and cook from scratch more.
I don’t make them really. I prefer to try to make improvements on an ongoing basis!
To be happier, healthier and learn to crochet
To continue to take a daily walk – great exercise and fresh air
I want to lose weight off my stomach
To enjoy more of the simple things in life
more excerise !
To not make any resolutions I’m unlikely to keep!!
stick to eating healthy!
To be kinder to myself and learn to say no
Be kinder to myself and to try and stop stressing!
To eat five pieces of fruit or veg a day ! 🙂
To make time to get out walking in the Lakes more regularly
To lose weight so I can have my gallbladder removed.
I’ve not even thought about it but I more than likely won’t bother. I tend to make changes when I feel something isn’t going well as I’m more likely to stick to it then rather than at New Year.
Mine is to not get so stressed over silly little things
get healthy, save more money and get home decorated
Pretty much always to exercise/lose weight and read more books!
My new year’s resolution for 2020 would be to cut down on the amount of salt that I consume.
We don’t make resolutions at New Year as such, but do constantly review things throughout the year, at 2 or 3 monthly intervals.
To stop being such a people pleaser.
I want to eat healthier
I want to do more exercise & drink more water
To have a good clear up of my house.
To appreciate how lucky I am in my life!
To only buy things we really need and start trying to save
I expect it will be the same as always – not to buy any new craft supplies apart from replacing essentials as they are used up. And as always, I’ll not make it to the end of January before I break it – although I’ll try to beat last year’s failure date of January 2nd.
my new year’s resolution will be to continue to take a walk daily, and to exercise 3 times a week.
To give myself a kick up the proverbial and get on with life!
To continue to declutter my house and to not buy anything else until it is done
Well every year I make one & then fail somewhat but I have nearly lol kept last yrs going so I am going to carry that one over this coming year.
Be more Optimistic! Always being a glass half empty kinda gal but I’m trying lol.
Not sure yet!
I want to be able to budget better and save more!
I need to put myself first more often and learn to say no once in a while
You know what, I haven’t thought of one yet. I have already kind of changed my lifestyle a bit in the past few months for better health and that would usually be the type of thing I would say. Hmm, I think maybe I need to try and be a bit more social. I find it hard to make friends, I let my disability hold me back and make me more awkward than necessary and it leaves me lonely and unhappy sometimes. I need to gain some confidence!
To say out loud something positive about myself every day in the morning before the day starts & before bed to say out loud what my best part of the day was.
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions any more as I never used to stick to them anyway – would probably be something like “eat less junk” 😀
my resolution will be the same as every year, to not stress and worry so much, no doubt it will only last a very short while again!
Self care – seem to have lost me somewhere this year – time to rebalance life
My resolution is to be more active and learn a new skill
To lose weight, ready for my friends wedding
To be kinder to myself.
To get my blog up and running, no more excuses!
I never make any as I always break them within weeks. My normal one is to cut back on alcohol but that never happens
I have a list. To give up smoking, to seriously save for a deposit for a mortgage and to exercise properly and sort out my diet!
Get some decorating done is at the top of my ist.
To get back into shape
lose weight
To visit my mother more often & take her out.
I would love to have a new career
To exercise and tone more
To complete the 1,000 mile challenge earlier than I did this year
To continue with my not drinking alcohol 7 months now
To stop with all the fizzy drinks.
Lose weight, get fit!
I seriously never make any!
The same resolution as last year,to lose weight.
To appreciate everyday and be thankful for the smallest things, even on the hardest of days
Enjoy life to the full!