Stress Free Holiday Shopping Guide

Chances are the only trouble you’re having with your kids’ wish lists this year is deciding what not to buy. But what about kooky Aunt Mildred, the kids’ teachers, or even your Dad (who truly needs nothing)? And even if you knew exactly what to buy each person on your list, how do we yummy mummies find the time and energy to run all over town tracking everything down before the big day?

I love shopping and I love gift-giving, but I’m definitely not one of those people who has all their shopping done (and wrapped) months ahead of time. Nope, I’ve been right there with the rest of you fighting for the last parking spot on December 24 and wandering the mall praying for inspiration. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things. Here are my top dos and don’ts for getting it all done and finding awesome gifts, stress free:

DO shop online. This is pretty self-explanatory: no lineups, home delivery, and the option to shop in your bathrobe in the middle of the night. Some of my favourite gifty sites are: GoneShopping.com, LeeValley.com, MEC.ca, Chapters.Indigo.ca (check out the toy section) and MastermindToys.com, where gift wrapping is always free!

DO hit the mall on a Saturday night. Most malls offer extended shopping hours in December, and around here Saturday nights are crowd free. Get a sitter and make it a date night!

DO involve your family. When I’m stumped for a gift idea, I ask my five year old what he thinks. He often comes up with something perfect. Try it, you might be surprised! Or send your partner out to take care of things like gift cards for the teachers and bottles of wine for hostess gifts. Check!

DO check out Etsy.com for unique homemade gifts. You’ll find gorgeous one-of-a-kind jewellery, home decor, accessories and more. Warning: this site can be highly addictive.

DO pick up a few inexpensive and pretty tree ornaments – they make great hostess gifts or a little something special to go along with a gift card for a teacher. I love Pier 1’s ornament selection.

DO try something that gives all year long. You can get subscriptions to just about anything these days. Magazines are the obvious choice, but movie-lovers might enjoy Zip.ca’s DVD rental service and oenophiles are sure to love a wine-of-the-month club membership from WinerytoHome.ca.

DON’T feel pressured to buy just one big gift when a few smaller gifts can be equally great, especially if you’ve got a theme. You can even make the wrapping a part of the gift – think a “green” themed gift wrapped in a handy reusable shopping bag.

DON’T go overboard with the gift cards. I like them for stocking stuffers (e.g. iTunes, Starbucks) but for those closest to me I really like to try to give them something to unwrap.

DON’T cheat and ask people what they want. Surprises are more fun!

DON’T shop too early. It may sound like a good idea to get your holiday shopping out of the way in the summer, but it’s never worked out very well for me. Either I forget what I’ve bought and end up with extra gifts, can’t remember where I’ve stashed things, or I find something better and can’t return what I bought earlier since it’s been too long. Unless you’ve got to ship to Timbuktu, start in November at the earliest. Trust me.

And above all, DON’T stress! It really is the thought that counts.

Happy holidays!