Holiday Shop Early, a personal opinion

[leighbythesea2]

Take this with a grain of salt. It's speculation based on my own opinion.

We (retailer is considered big box) are getting fairly concerning delivery slides for holiday. Like product arriving after xmas. That was intended for before xmas.

It's the stuff youve been hearing. Ports etc.

I assume every retailer will be the same. There is not going to be the usual quantity of goods at the correct time, so if you like holiday shopping, maybe start now.

Last minute may be difficult. I've been doing this a long time and have never seen anything even close to this kind of timing miss.

The caveat is retailers who decided to air goods. But most try for boat.

[msongs]

1. don't holiday shop here. no probs w/delivery nt

[Kali]

2. yep

a bit of cash to the kids, no shopping insanity for me. if I see something I want to give as a gift during the year I just get it and give it randomly.

[leighbythesea2]

9. I know a

Lot of people who do this! Do some myself. It's fun.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. My take is that people need to seriously rethink their holiday shopping.

Much of the time unnecessary crap is being bought.

Most of my life I've been relatively poor, and needed to place limits on what I could buy. Several examples:

When I was a kid, had five other brothers and sisters, and my parents were just barely getting by, I had very limited money but somehow managed to buy each of them something. I'm talking 50 or more years ago, and so have forgotten specifics.

About 30 or so years ago my extended family (Mom, her six children, the several spouses and grandchildren) gathered at her home in Tucson, AZ for Christmas. I happened to live (with my husband and two children) in Phoenix, so we had less to travel than anyone else. But I was now obligated to buy Christmas presents for about 15 more people than I'd normally buy for. Panic! I looked at my finances, and set a $10.00 limit for the presents. Which made me think very carefully about what I'd spend on each and every present. It worked out very well. Some gifts were a bit above, many were below that limit, and so I was able to purchase Christmas presents for everyone that year and not go into debt. Hooray!

I do understand quite clearly that we all have different circumstances, or issues.

Some decades back my family or origin went to drawing names, so that each of us would get a present for the one whose name we'd drawn, but not purchase anything for anyone else. That worked out quite well for several years, until it came to an end.

Looking back, I also know that often the best presents were the least expensive ones. It is so easy to get lost in spending money.

Many years ago, when my son was in grade school and had been invited to a classmate's birthday party, he decided to draw a bunch of pictures for that classmate. I can no longer remember (this was at least 30 years ago) what exactly my son decided to draw, but when it came to the party and I gave that gift, I was very apologetic to the mother. She essentially said, "Are you nuts? That was my son's favorite gift!" Another time, my son insisted on getting a bag of toy soldiers, which cost maybe 2 bucks, and again I felt bad that we were spending so little. And again, the kid just loved that gift.

It is all too easy to get stuck in thinking that we have to spend some serious amount of money, and that's just not true.

[msongs]

4. if it's made in china put it back nt

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. That's a good start.

At this point in my life, I'm only buying gifts for my one son. He loves coffee, so I buy him that. Recently, here in New Mexico where I live, specialty New Mexico coffees have shown up, so that's what I'm buying him.

I will be visiting my sister in Kansas for Thanksgiving, and will consult with her about buying presents for her three grandchildren. Actually, I might talk to her before I get out there, because they all love books, and I'd love to purchase books through a local bookstore here in Santa Fe.

I will say that one of the things I loved about having little kids was buying stuff for them at Christmas. Or doing an Easter Egg hunt in the back yard. And so on.

Alas, I have no small children in my life these days.

[leighbythesea2]

8. Those toy soldiers, I know what you mean

With kids, imagination is key, and have been surprised myself as to what would be a hit.
People overspend. Was raised in a household that was not xmas crazy. Things were very reasonable, and we were crearive bunch too. Art was exchanged, projects, and great food.
I hope more retailers close black friday too!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

10. What helped me a lot was that my

husband was Jewish, and we cheerfully observed all holidays. I learned to love Hannukkah with the one present a night thing. Made me think very carefully about what I'd give the kids on any given night. One time it was flashlights for the two boys, and then sent them outside to play flashlight tag. Great present.

[leighbythesea2]

15. Flashlight

Tag and walks are so fun.
Once on a vacation we ran across a guy with these little spinners you shoot into the air w a rubber band laucher. They go tree top height. And light up and spin/ float down. Kids were estatic. We loved them too.

We bought 100 pc bag from oriental trading company. Seriously became the best gifts for anything. Give 5 to a kid, they all run outside for a good session.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

17. That's wonderful.

I am only vaguely familiar with those things, but they would be fantastic.

[lastlib]

6. I ordered one xmas gift ten days before halloween......

a wool shawl from Ireland, thinking it might take weeks to arrive, given the supply-chain issues. It arrived a week later.

[leighbythesea2]

14. Been

Hearing this anedoctally. Everyone has the disclaimer, but some things still arrive ok.

[zanana1]

7. I did mine in August.

I like to beat the holiday rush.

[leighbythesea2]

13. Immediate

Family all bdays are September to December. If i dont get it handled in August it's a runaway train....

[csziggy]

11. Ant more I give pre-paid cards

The parents of the great nephews and niece are instructed to use them for books. No child I know needs more toys and I have never given toys. The niece this year will not get a pre-paid card. I stitched a version of the Princess and the Pea and she will get that and a few alternate versions of the story since the original is so misogynist.

The only other presents are a gift exchange for the adults in my husband's family - one gift per person, Dirty Santa drawing, no gift cards and has to be something we think people might use. This year I'm thinking of either an insta pot or a Penzey's spice basket.

[leighbythesea2]

12. I look at toys

But cant buy. It's a condition. It all seems so excessive.

Books yes. Snowboarding lessons. Movie passes. Experience stuff and out of doors gear. And have never bought a video game for anyone in my life.

[csziggy]

20. That's why I like the pre-paid cards

Year before last, I bought pre-paid Visas. Last year my husband bought Amazon cards, which I was not happy with. With a Visa the parents and older kids can make their own choices of what they want and where to spend their money. As the kids get into their teens, they can begin to understand how to handle their money. With Amazon cards, there are fewer choices - if I kid would rather go to a concert or some other experience, an Amazon card will not let them make that purchase.

So far our nephews and niece are too young to make those choices, but their parents started getting cash gifts when they were in their teens rather than books. Now a pre-paid card is safer for them to have and for me to send through the mail.

[niyad]

16. Bill Penzey is a remarkable human being.

[zanana1]

19. Gift cards are a great idea.

Guilt-free shopping!

[TexasBushwhacker]

18. If anyone follows John Pavlovitz, he has a store on Etsy

A very progressive, ate Unitarian pastor

https://johnpavlovitz.com/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PavlovitzDesign

[leighbythesea2]

21. Love him

Such an eloquent writer