Shopping for CHRISTMAS gifts in MARCH

LOL You are not alone! I Christmas shop all year round! Saves me money in the long run.

Yes you are, because I was not in your list last Christmas ...kidding! I understand why you shop this early aside from the ones you've mentioned above...it's the effort you do on your gift wrapping. You need more time to wrap gifts. If you don't shop this early...you'll be late for Christmas . But I always appreciate all your gifts...very personal and always a gift of love. Shopping early really saves a lot, both effort and money. I also do some early shopping when I see nice gifts perfectly suited for a person. It's nice to stock on some gift items because you can always give it as presents for some other occassions. No my dear Ruthie...you are not crazy...just beautiful!

Girl your head must have been frozen last December!!-lol Actually I think it's a good idea. No last minute harrassment etc. You can choose gifts more carefully and if you change your mind heck! It's never too late to change the gift. Just make sure it's still there when December comes. :)

It may sound crazy 'coz we just barely celebrated Christmas a few months back. Honestly, I don't want to think of Christmas yet because not only that it's tooooo early, but that there are still other important occasions to attend to in connection with my work. You see, as soon as school closes here in the Philippines, there are lots of paper works to do, then prepare for the institutional planning, summer school, enrollment, orientation and all....plus of course my personal life--my family...like my son is supposed to see a doctor because of a mass growth in his right temple....with the many things I have to attend to, it's crazy to even think about an occasion which is some 9 months away....good for you because you may have lots of spare time for it....many blessings!

I think it's really a good way to save a lot of money. I usually buy gifts on sales at different times of the year, then I put them in my cabinet, lock it, so no one would see what their presents would be come Christmas.

I think your the sanest person in the world. There's nothing wrong with starting early although i must admit i don't start as early as you. I normally buy my cards and wrapping paper in the sales in january and then start present buying in october although last year i was due a baby on the 7th dec so i started a lot early and was ready to go with everything wrapped and organised by the start of december!!

i don't think that you are crazy at all... i think you are smart... all the reasons that you list above are very valid and i totally agree with you... i mean, you can get the same item for 75% cheaper than original price... why not??? and like you say, you can avoid the crowd and do the shopping in a relax manner... so it saves time and money... i did the same thing like you as well... i bought christmas light for this year in january 2008 when all the lights are on discounts and they are so cheap... well done...

Hi ruthinian, You pose a great idea! I think a lot of people have heard of shopping in 'off-season' but not a lot of people do this. You 5 major points are outlined clearly and make total logical sense, however, I wonder if actually taking action to do this shopping for X-mas requires a bit of planning. I wonder if this is why so many people do NOT do what you suggest? Or maybe people realize the value of shopping in the off seasons, but they keep thinking 'next week, I'll do it next week,' until next week becomes the week before Christmas!! Point Number 5 should attract anyone who didn't see the value of the other points. RELAX during the Christmas season! Not many people are very relaxed during the holidays. I'll bet that if just 1 in 10 people do as you suggest, next Christmas season will be less stressful, there will be less accidents during the Christmas shopping rush in December, and people will be healthier, too!

Last year I ran across an item that as soon as I seen it I knew one of my friends would really like it. It was about June I think, and it was like 75% off, so I bought it and thought it would make a nice Christmas present, from that point on each time I came across something at a good price I bought it and when Christmas season came I was done, only last minute gifts that came up was all I had to get. It was nice watching the rest rush around trying to find something.Now I think this year when I buy the gift I will also wrap it and it will all be done and I can have a peaceful christmas for once. A lot easier when you can look and pick at good prices than to wait until a month before when they jack the price up on everything.

I wish I could do this. One day I would be able to. I hate the crowds myself. The only day I really like Christmas shopping is the day after thanksgiving which is called black friday b/c of the rush of trying to get that deal and getting it. If I had the money to change and start shopping earlier I would but we are still trying to pay off Christmas from last year which I hate but thats what has to be done with me not bringing in any money right now.

I don't do my Christmas shopping until closer to Christmas. I know alot of people start shopping early and some people even have their shopping done by August. Right now I am thinking about mothers day I can't start thinking about Christmas yet.

I always start christmas shopping early as well, with 4 children and other family, I have too start as early as possible. I usually start with the rest of the family first, and then about August time I find out what the kids are hoping for and start getting their presents too. I have to be careful about getting them too soon as my lot are nosey and would probably find them.

I cna completley understand your reasons for wanting to get your shopping done early. The only problem that I personally have with getting ym christmas shopping done that early is I find I am just buying cheap stuff and not stuff for people in particular, I buy a ton of stuff that is on sale and then have to figure out who to give it to. For me that is kind of contradictry to the spirit of christmas. I like to put alot of thought into my gifts for people and find when I buy just... rnadom things on sale I do not do that. Also, I find that if I have all my shopping done early as christmas approaches I tend to pick up little thigns to add to the gifts and the gifts end up costing me a fortune overall because as I see things I like I pick them up not thinking about the fifty dollars I had origionall spent on the person.

I get christmas presents as i see a gift i think would be awesome for someone. Right now I have a couple gifts in mind for people for christmas I'd like to find on sale so I'm watching for them as I'd rather not have to pay full price (maybe I'm a bit cheap but sales are awesome!) As Christmas draws closer I start shopping for gifts I haven't decided on yet for people in September and i try to be done my shopping before the end of November that way I can work the extra weekends in December and get an entire week off for holidays at Christmas-New Years without using up my vacation time.

Nope, you are not crazy, you are super smart!! I have found that if I can spread Christmas shopping throughout the year, then I can generally get more and better stuff for my family. So call me crazy too I guess!

to others it might sound crazy. but for me it's more fun that way. shopping in advance. because during the xmas season, it's not really on a sale price. you can save more during the midle of the year or even the 1st quarter of the year. and besides, you've got more choices during this time than in xmas.

It's good to shop early if you know what you want to get. Usually companies start throwing the brand new "IT" product of the season during the holidays, spiking the price up 300% (maybe exaggerating a bit). So now that I think about it, maybe it is a good idea to start looking into holiday gifts early. I've been eyeing this nice computer tablet on ebay for a while for my little brothers.

Nope you are not because my husband and I are starting to do that this year since we have more income coming in and we're able to afford a few trinkets for our family. But once my son comes back into the home we're going to have to wait until a afrter Thanksgiving. For other people in our family we can start this early.

I don't think you're crazy. In fact, I could have written your exact post word for word. I have friends who are disgusted by the fact that I shop for Christmas all year round. I think they're just jealous. I have 3 sons, now aged 7, 7, and almost 9. Christmas is a BIG deal. I'm a single mom, and I don't have a lot of money at any one time. So for me, in order to better ensure my boys don't miss out on anything, I spread out my gift buying. It can be tricky, because I don't always know for sure what they'll want, because neither do they! lol! But once we get closer to Christmas, I have them write out a list for Santa, and I make sure I have at least one thing on the list. That means for very limited shopping in December, which is perfect, because like you, I can't stand the crowds. They say people get the Christmas Spirit that time of year? What a crock!!! If they have it, they leave it in their homes before hitting the malls. lol.

I buy and make gifts all year long both for my family and friends who will be there, but also non descript people I don't know, but who show up as guests. I buy interesting ornaments at the clearance sales of places like TJ Max or Marshals. This year I picked up hand blown ornaments that sold singly from $50 to $100 the day after christmas for $1 to $10. I did the same with other holiday dinnerware or decorations. It is all about knowing who most of the gifts are for and not breaking your budget. As a woodturner. I always have a selection of nice pens and turned wooden boxes or other baubles to give as gifts. i take them off the to be sold shelf and hand them out when I am in need of a nice gift. I personally think that is a tacky gift idea for most crafters. Most hand crafts people do are not of exceptional quality and I think if you are giving a gift you made it has to be of the highest quality and something that will be appreciated and used unless you are a kid. There are always exceptions for kids. Since I can turn a $5 or $10 parts kit into a $100+ sale I am not giving away some cheap piece of crap for the sake of giving them away. i don't give less than my best to people I don't know or barely know. if I know you have a thing for turned box for utilitarian purposes or just like wooden pens, I might give you the imperfect but usable ones, but never as a big holiday gift.