How do YOU do your Christmas shopping?

coasterqueen wrote: I have the afternoon off today, "scheduled" day off (bummer because I'd rather use it in case of an emergency, lol, but can't). Anyways I went Christmas shopping because Dh suggested I use the money while it's there. I can't believe I went Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving, but oh well. I'm so pathetic that I was even singing the Christmas music they had on in the stores. Can you believe they have music going already?

But I hate shopping this early because I feel like there will be better sales later and I could save some money in the end.

So does anyone buy early and if you do what do you do about spending now but all those sales come later where if you add up the differences you could have saved a lot?

Sarah&Mackenzie replied: I try to be done shopping by Thanksgiving. I do A LOT of shopping online. I don't have to much more to go. Basically just buying gift cards.

MommyToAshley replied: I do some shopping online or in the stores when I catch a good deal, but I am a major procrastinator when it comes to Christmas shopping. DH and I are always at the stores at the last minute. We catch a lot of good deals, but there isn't always the best selection.

ediep replied: I am hoping to do most online, or in local stores. Jason just doesn't like the mall, so I can't get major shoping done with him

5littleladies replied: We dump all kids with the exception of any nurslings we have off on my parents and head to the mall. I will also do some shopping online but only if I can get free shipping or am buying multiple items from one place. I prefer to start after Thanksgiving-just because it seems more "Christmasy" then, but I don't mind doing some before. And after all-Thanksgiving is less than 3 weeks away-The holiday season is right around the corner!

Boys r us replied: I shop from about now all of the way thru xmas eve. While I've never done this, I have noticed that a lot of stores have a gaurantee on the back of the receipt that basically says, if the item goes on sale within the next 14 days, just bring your receipt back in and get the difference refunded. I know Gap has that and I'm sure I've seen it on a few others. I suppose they have this policy b/c if someone really wanted to, all they had to do was return the item when it went on sale and rebuy it for the cheaper price, so just offering the difference deletes a little hassle.

We're not really on a budget, so it's worth it to me to get as much done as soon as I can so that I don't feel overwhelmed closer to christmas with having a ton of shopping to do. Now I do purposely leave some shopping for very close to xmas b/c there is NOTHING better than being in the mall with all of the excited people bumping shoulders while shopping in the stores filled with christmas music and displays!! Man, I love it!!

MyLuvBugs replied: Oh heck yeah. I'm actually done shopping now. I usually start Labor day weekend for those sales. I hate shopping in the crowds after Thanksgiving. So I get it done really early. lol

3xsthefun replied: We usually don't do any of our shopping until after Thanksgiving.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: We usually wait until the last possible minute and then scramble around trying to find something for everyone. I've always wanted to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving and hit the good sales but the crowds drive me batty - and we usually haven't figured out what we can spend yet by that time.

gr33n3y3z replied: Only once I was done shopping Nov.15th 1986
bc John was due on Dec. 2nd and he was
But I'm the one out shopping Dec 23rd or the 24th for everyone
Its kind of fun that way I mean the must get is already done but to walk in the store and say oh yeah so and so would like that and pick it up

My3LilMonkeys replied: DH and I are big time procrastinators. We shop the week before Christmas usually.

holley79 replied: I have got to be the most horrible shopper there is. I guess that will change after Annika is born and I have to buy kids stuff. Usually wait till middle of Dec and get gift certificates to resturants for all the parents. Then buy stuff for neices and nephews.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I'm a total last minute Christmas shopper...which is so unlike me because I plan everything else out in my life, but I just hate shopping during this time of year so I guess that's why I procrastinate. I'm trying to change that, but we are on a strict budget and it's hard to use our current money for gifts when I need groceries. I'm a total scrooge! I can't handle the crowds and the music and how commercialized Xmas is! And it's not only because I'm Jewish, we celebrate both...but I truly dislike this time of year. Sorry, don't mean to rain on anyone's parade. For Hannukah, my family selects names so we only have to buy one gift, I love that...but for Xmas, DH's family expects something for everyone and they are the hardest people to buy for.

I don't think things really go on sale until AFTER Christmas, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Spreading it out is a good idea!

punkeemunkee'smom replied: I am a huge shopaholic so I tend to shop whenever I can -I love to find good deals- but ITA with Nichole I LOVE the hussle and bussle of the holiday season! I am soooooo EXCITED I can hardly wait! Just keep your reciepts and if you find something for wayyyy cheaper you can always return the first item. Also I have found that Amazon has great deals on books and gently used dvds and videos-you can find most of them for less than at walmart everyday.

coasterqueen replied: Thanks everyone. Well I only have 2 scheduled 1/2 days off each month so I don't have a lot of time to go Christmas shopping unless I want to drag the girls out on the weekends with me. And I make a rule not to go shopping at night by myself or with the girls because it's too dangerous starting this time of the year to do that. People get robbed very easily.

Anyways, so I am going to do the girls shopping on my 1/2 days off and the girls and I can do the rest together. Although I LOVE the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping towards Christmas Day, it doesn't sound very intriguing to do so with two kids in tow.

Celestrina replied: I would recommend shopping now. I work in a mall and there are some amazing sales going on now. Another benefit is that you are more likely to get what you want in the size you want. Not to mention shorter lines and you're less likely to be swarmed by extremly rude people.

CantWait replied: I've got nearly all my Christmas shopping done already. I can't believe it. I've got some stuff on sale, however a lot of places will give you the sale price if it goes on sale within a month after you getting it if you take the receipt back. Good Luck and have fun. If you buy it and it goes on sale at a different store, you can always get it from the store at the sale price and bring the other back. Most places are understanding around this time of the year, just get a gift receipt if you can.

Ginger replied: I like to shop early if I have the money because if nothing else you can beat the crowds and it seems less stressful.

ions_momma replied: I have done some of my Christmas shopping already. I am going to try to get the rest of it done before Thanksgiving though because it seems like after that, there are crowds and alot of things get sold out faster.

jcc64 replied: Online- all the way. The mall around here is lame- so if I want to catch the Christmas spirit in person (which frankly has nothing to do with shopping, imo), I do so when I'm in NYC for work. There is nowhere else like NYC during the holidays!

mckayleesmom replied: I have done some xmas shopping online already...and I have got stocking stuffers for Mckaylee, but thats it so far.

kimberley replied: stuff starts going on sale here right after halloween, so i like to try to pick up what i can as money and time allow. i dont do online other than ebay.

Mom2Boyz replied: I usually start the day after Thanksgiving. It makes it seem more like Christmas then to me, and I LOVE the big rush to get the good stuff before someone else does Then dh and I usually take one Saturday to finish up.

Kaitlin'smom replied: I am a combo shopper, somethings I have to get on-line since I cant get it in the store, and I usually get free shipping or very cheep shipping. I also do some store shopping, just depends on what I want to get them. I have some done already and I hope to have it done or mostly buy early Dec. maily so I can then get it all wrapped and then try and plan something for Kaits b-day.

My2Beauties replied: I only wish I could do it now but our budget won't allow it, we have to wait until mid December to start the big shopping, we can get little stuff out of the way now - heck we're still getting b'day stuff for next weekend!

toady_buckshot_noodle replied: Usually We do a big lay-away for the kids around October 1st. It is always due off mid december. Then we add to it and buy the rest of the family's as we go along.