Christmas and July, in the same sentence? Sounds pretty loony, right? But, think about the last minute chaos, the disappointing gifts and the out-of-stock ingredients. Those are the things that do a pretty good job at turning you into a Christmas. However, all that can change, if you only start early. Here are five reasons that should convince you enough…
1) Research, planning and listing
How often have you been at the receiving end of a gift you don’t want to own even in your nightmares? The next thing you know, the thought of that person who got you that gift doesn’t really trigger too many fond memories anymore. The same way, when you’re gifting a loved one, don’t be that guy. There’s no emotional value attached with the clichéd Christmas cards and a box of chocolates. If you want to make it special, you’re going to have to make an effort. This basically entails planning way in advance, which in turn, gives you enough time to research for the perfect gift, make a list and start looking out for the same. Always remember, the more special the gift, the more advance the planning.
2) Budget!
Everyone, across every age group, has a secret wish for something they can’t really get on their own. If someone is hoping you’d be the perfect Santa for them, you don’t have much of a choice left, do you? But here’s the deal about these “most-wanted gifts”- more often than not, they end up being pretty expensive than anticipated. But that doesn’t mean you cower away fear as the festival nears. There’s a failsafe solution: start planning right away. Figure out the total expenditure; divide the cash into installments over the months until Christmas. And finally stash away cash every month in a piggybank, if you want. It may be a bit of an effort, but it certainly won’t put you under a crunch, nor will it let you or your loved one down. This is such a win-win for all parties involved.
3) DIY!
There’s something inexplicably charming and heart-warming about a handmade, personalized gift. Even more, when it takes a good measure of effort and a whole lot of prior planning out of someone. Go, DIY! It is one of the most fool-proof gifting ideas. And, you’ll be stunned to find how much easier it is in reality than it looks in your head. All you need to do is pay attention to your gift recipient’s likes and tastes, and create something personalized. Or, simply hit Google for ideas and inspiration. But obviously, the best DIYs are the ones that are meticulously done. And, obviously, to achieve that you have to start at a time when most people are still trying to figure out their Halloween costume, but well, it’s all worth it at the end of the day.
4) Off-season sales
We don’t have to dive deep into marketing and economics to understand the whole pricing strategy around festivals. You know the demand and supply thingy. And haven’t we seen how what would otherwise cost measly, becomes triple the amount around the festive rush. Be the wise and the foresighted one, scavenge for the off, end of season and clearance that usually crop in most high-end stores around the inactive season, like right now. For instance, something like an exotic fur-coat would cost far lesser if you pick during a time like now, when a fur-coat is the last thing you need.
5) Save credits
Most of the famous brands have a good loyalty program in place that lets you earn credits as you shop. So the more you shop from a specific store or stores, the more credits you collect, and the more credits you collect, the greater discounts you get at the end. This works amazingly if you intend to gift something grand, rich and of course, expensive. You can plan and save the credits right from the beginning, and then finally buy something gorgeous for that special someone, without even the slightest pinch on your pockets!
And, if people laugh at you in the face when you tell them you’re shopping for Christmas gifts in July, just smile and wave, and let the joyful squeals and yelps of your loved ones at Christmastime speak for you!
Today’s guest author, Jamie Watson, is a sales executive at Christmas All Year, an online Christmas shop that offers a range of baby products that will make your baby’s first Christmas even more special. He is a father of two and loves spending Christmas holidays with his family.