Christmas Gifts
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'Tis the season for good spirit, good cheer and good tidings. Yet somehow Christmas shopping doesn't quite fit. For many, it is the ultimate challenge--the deadline, the budget, the crowds, and the eternal question of what to buy for whom. Don't let shopping suck the joy out of your season. This guide will help lead you painlessly through the pre-holiday season so that you have time to focus on other enjoyable holiday activities: Decorating, planning parties, or just plain kicking back with your friends and family.
Read on to get some basic pointers on how to buy Christmas gifts, along with some ideas for traditional Christmas decoration gifts and alternatives to classic gift giving.
Basic Pointers
Who Gets a Gift
Before getting to specific gift ideas, you need to have a very clear and organized point from which to start. Otherwise, you can either A) forget to buy for important people in your life or B) spend much more money than planned. A simple way of tackling the gift giving issue is to sit down for about 15 to 30 minutes and do some brainstorming at least a month in advance (if not further) to the holiday season. The earlier you plan, the easier it will be to casually shop around for deals, receive any shipments that you order, and cautiously work within your budget. For a good head start, holiday planning should start around the end of October.
The first list you need to make is one that includes everyone you know you want to buy a gift for. This may include:
- Immediate and extended family, or your in-laws.
- Coworkers, business contacts, clients, or your boss.
- People from your social circle, including friends, acquaintances, neighbors, postmen, and the like.
Categorize who is an A list (someone you HAVE to buy for), a B list (someone you probably should buy for, and a C list (someone you would like to buy for if you have the money to do so).
Unexpected Gifts?
It never fails--you think you have finished your shopping, then low and behold, long lost Aunt May shows up at your door with a gift for you. To keep in good graces with all during the holidays, you might want to set aside a few bucks to get some "safety gifts". You'll never know who is going to stop by unexpectedly with a gift or who you might happen to forget to put on your list. A fail-safe way of keeping from making someone feel bad is to buy a few inexpensive, generic gifts to have wrapped and ready to go for when you have a spontaneous gift giving moment. Small gift baskets (pre-made or homemade), chocolates, wine or champagne, baked goods, Christmas ornaments, bath and body gifts, scarves, picture frames, or other small items can be wrapped without a tag or name on them so that you can give them on the spur of the moment.
How Much to Spend
Remember that it's the thought that counts. You don't need to spend an arm and a leg on gifts. Set your budget and stick to it! With that in mind, after you have established who you need gifts for, estimate what you can afford to spend. This is an important step in the process since staying as far out of the red as possible is key to a happy holiday. To stay within your budget, consider what you would like to buy for each person on the list. Maybe you already know, and maybe you are still guessing at what he or she wants from Santa. This ShopWiki guide, among others, will help you decide if you haven't got any ideas yet.
- Estimate how much each gift you plan to buy will cost.
- When in doubt, always round up.
- Don't forget to include costs for shipping and tax.
- Tally up how much you expect to spend on these gifts and decide if this is realistically within your budget. You may need to cut some corners and recalculate how much you can afford based on your original budget.
- If you are an impulsive shopper you might want to set aside one credit card with a particular limit or a certain cash sum to use for shopping so that you know you can't go beyond your budget. Once it's gone, it's gone.
Hot 2009 Holiday Gifts
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Portable IMAX Theater Experience Watch high resolution 2D and 3D movies from your iPod or any other audio video device. The virtual experience is comparable to front seats at an IMAX theater. Five hours of continuous viewing and automatic 2D/3D control. |
From the creators of the original Polaroid printing camera, this digital cam instantly prints the pictures you take. Make an instant scrapbook while on vacation. |
A unique gift that she will surely put to good use, it organizes all of her jewelry |
This little guy will jump off your nightstand and wheel around, sounding an alarm and robotic noises until you catch him and turn him off. |
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Head sensors amazingly allow you to levitate a foam rubber ball through hoops and jumps. |
Moose Mountain Bubble Gum Playland A fun play set for the tiny tots in your life. Tunes play as kids throw the foam balls into the tower. |
I know this would have been helpful the several frustrating times I have lost my keys. |
With wireless internet access, at least 8GB of memory, and infinite applications available online, the iPod Touch has redefined the portable media player. |
Classic Gifts
Sometimes you just want to buy someone something that evokes the spirit of Yuletide cheer. Gifts gilded, green, or red fit the bill along with these classic Christmas d cor gifts that will make every Grinch a tad more apt to joining in Christmas festivities.
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An authentic nutcracker is a great gift for the shelled nut lover. |
There are several different variations of the traditional wreath, including natural wreaths |
Get personalized Christmas stockings |
Indoor and outdoor nativity scenes are great way to celebrate the birth of Christ. |
From the simple round ball to the highly artistic design, make sure you have enough ornaments so you don't have a bare tree this year. |
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How else are you going to get the stocking to stay up on the fireplace? |
A Reindeer Topiary will make your house stand out in the neighborhood. |
Candles with Christmas scents really put you in the Christmas spirit. |
These collectible figurines are great additions to your indoor decor. |
Don't leave your tree top bare! Buy a lighted tree topper to add the final touch. |
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Bust out these plates for the family Christmas dinner. |
Table top village sets are a fascinating addition to the decor. |
These are baby-themed Christmas decorations. |
Inspired by some of Norman Rockwell's most famous holiday illustrations. |
These figurines depict timeless memories of childhood. |
Gift Alternatives
Buying gifts is easy for the most part when you know what to get someone. But what happens when you are shopping for the person who has everything? The person who hates clutter? The person who says that they don't want anything? These can be some of the hardest people to shop for. In order to get around this potential road-block you have to think creatively. That means branching out of the box. Here are some non-standard gift ideas to try this holiday season.
- Host a Christmas party. Invite all of your friends over for a shindig and specify--no gifts. Prepare food, drinks, music, and entertainment either with the help of a planner or on your own depending on how elaborate you want the party to be. Again, make a budget before you start undertaking this project and, as usual, plan well in advance.
- Make your own gifts. Crafts, homemade foodstuffs, and baked goods are fun and easy on the wallet. While they will cost you some time, your work will pay off as you can give your friends and family unique, yet thoughtful gifts. More homemade gifts include: mix CDs, a blown up photo in a nice frame, a Christmas wreath, or a sentimental poem in a decorative frame.
- Put together a family recipe book.
- Record a series of audio books from your collection to give to a friend.
- Compose a song and play it for the recipient.
- Give out I-O-U coupons. These won't cost you a penny, but they could save someone a bundle. Plan to give your time to someone this Christmas instead of a physical gift. Set a date to do one of the following chores for someone you care about:
- Babysit or take the kids out to the zoo, park, etc.
- Dog or cat sit.
- Shovel the driveway.
- Invitation to coffee and a conversation.
- Housecleaning coupon.
- Neck massage.
- Teach someone a skill you have.
- Make a donation. Spend money on a charity or fund that your friend or family member would approve of and put the donation in his or her name. For example:
- Saving the rainforest.
- Adopting an endangered animal.
- Sponsoring a child overseas.
- Giving people in a third world country something they need. Visit Oxfam for more information.
- Be the bringer of a new experience. There are many gifts that give the gift of a memory, from sky diving, to a dinner cruise, to becoming a chef for a day, or enjoying a relaxing day at the spa. See experiential gifts for more ideas.
- Get them something out of this world. Let your gift recipient name a star or give them an acre on Mars or the Moon. Search for packages for buying on the Moon
. - Buy someone one unit of stock in a company that is related to his or her interests.
- Subscribe someone to their favorite magazine
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Gift Guides
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International Resources
For this resource in your home country, please see:
FR: Achats de Noël, Guide des Cadeaux et Fleurs