I Started my Christmas Shopping the other day.

I think you are being very clever and very organised sweetheart! I usually try to start my Christmas shopping early in the year but we have so many birthdays etc that I very rarely get a chance to start on Christmas and end up buying it all at the last minute! Good for you gemini and hopefully one of these years I too will get a head start on my Christmas Shopping! xxx

i simplified my holiday gift giving a long time ago.. and only purchase gifts for those near and dear to me rather than those "expected" gifts. y`know.. where yu wind up huying presents for people you dont even hear from all year long except the holidays.. along with all their children, inlaws, cousins.. etc. i take my time and select gifts for those i love the most.. who love me as well. and that list is a very short one.

Heck no you're not mad!! You're very very smart to start early!! I wish I could do that but right now money is so darned tight that I couldn't squeeze a trip to town if I needed to but I do agree with your idea of doing it as early as you can so you don't have to feel the pressure of getting it done during the holiday season. Good for you!!

I think you are very clever, thumbs up for you. I wish I was that clever. I always buy them the last minute (last week up to 23rd of December), which is craziness I know. This year however since I am now Avon rep I am going to buy alot of my presents from Avon as I can get 25% discount. They also have a baragin bin that I can buy from. They have some great gifts for everyone, my eldest daughter really likes their jewellery, lol, even my 3 year old likes looking through the catalogues each month saying what she wants. So I think I could find alot of my gifts there.

I have always wanted to do shopping like that through out the year. There have been times I'd see something on sale and buy it and hold it until the closest holiday, but I haven't done that lately. Honestly though I don't think I could begin shopping too early because then I'd have to hide the gifts, which is rather difficult. My twins birthday is in November, so it's usually right after that I start. We don't buy for anyone other than our kids now. Everyone knows we're broke and have 5 kids, and that's what is important.

I wish I was organised like you, gemini_rose! Sometimes I see things and think they'd be good as presents - but by the time I get around to my shopping trip, the things are gone! It would be sensible to buy things as I think of them, but somehow I just can't get myself into the mood months and months ahead. It's very hard to shop for my family now because they are all grown up and seem to buy themselves everything they want and need. I have a terrible time doing my Christmas shopping!

Wow!! This is early, and if you can stick with it in the long run could save you some $$ for sure. The only problem I find when I start buying too early, is I tend to forget what all I have bought, or misplace something I bought so I end up buying more, and then have stuff left over. But I am impressed, and think this is a wonderful idea. I hope you can stick with it, and everyone will be Happy with what you get them.

Wow, I have never tried that early gemini but you are giving me some motivation now...that is indeed a great idea...I wanted to prepare my list and start planning also! I agree, we can enjoy with a lot of sale this time and no stress if we will start it early..Maybe I will be starting next month or by next month..LOL! How is it? were you able to find great deal so far?

Well there's nothing lke being prepared! I don't normally start my shopping that early, i tend to wait till about October time. This year is going to be weird as i'm getting married on Nov 8th so i don't know whetehr to start it efore the wedding (or maybe i will be too busy with wedding plans) or leave it till after (will late Nov be too late?). I think it's a good idea to start now if you have the space to store items and won't forget you've bought them. It's a good idea to spread the cost and if you can spot some bargains then that's great.

Lucky you I wish I could start Christmas shopping b/c I know its going to be here before I know it. My daughter keeps asking for a swing set which toysrus has them on sale for $499.00 its a really nice one but with her birthday party next weekend we have to wait until that is over to start Christmas shopping and that is one reason I am on here to help pay for some Christmas presents.

That's a really good idea! Various stores do have really good deals throughout the year, so why not snap them up. For some reason I don't get started on Christmas gifts until December and sort of buy a little bit along. Considering that I have thirty gifts to buy for one person, I should get started soon.

I start my shopping the day after Christmas.. You can find so many bargains and put them away for next year.. I plan on giving a few gift cards this year and last year right after Christmas, I found the cutest little stockings that were made especially for gift cards.. I also found some sets of stacking Christmas boxes, which I can stack 3 right on top of each other and tie them together with a ribbon and top them with a bow.. These will hold the miniature perfumes and colognes that I found for almost pennies at a sale, they were the expensive name brand colognes also.. I have a few other gifts and have them packed away so by the time Christmas gets here, I will be a bit surprised myself as I have forgotten most of the gifts that I have purchased and put back.. I love to be organized, and most times I am not but I never quit trying.. Merry Christmas~~~

I tend not to start my Christmas shopping until Thanksgiving, only because I don't like rushing through the seasons...I enjoy summer and don't want to be thinking about Christmas while I'm at the pool! But this is a great idea, really. Without the pressure of having a short amount of time to finish, you can make sure you buy the gifts you want, while taking advantage of sales and bargains you may find between now and then. Just make sure you keep track of what you bought, and remember where you put everything! :)

Wow. I gotta say that is good planning on your party. Good strategy. Most of us just do the christmas shopping in November or December. I haven't thought about that. The money can be spread out from now until November, you start little by little. No, I don't think you're mad to start that early. I usually start christmas shopping in, well, December. There aren't many people to give out gifts too hehe.

Well if this is mad than I must be insane I started on December 26th lol. I bought stuff as it went on clearence after christmas. Some will end up as birthday gifts and what not but im always shopping for a deal.

Hi gemini rose, I usually start in October but I like your idea and I am going to start earlier this year. It is getting harder and harder, rent, electric, everything has gone up, so it will make it easier to spread this out over a longer period. I am glad you started this discussion and I am going to start making my list tonight.

My first thought when I saw the title was "Wow! That is early!" I normally start my shopping after Thanksgiving or the beginning of December. I am terrible at keeping secrets and always want to give gifts to people as soon as I get them. I couldn't imagine keeping it a secret and hidden for half of a year! I don't ever find myself in a panic. I start making lists and generating ideas early enough that when I do finally head out to shop I pretty much know what I am going to be buying. Good luck with your shopping!

I think this is a great idea, as long as you have a good place to store the presents. We have a small apartment, so it wouldn't work as well for us, plus we fly home for Christmas. So I'd have to either buy stuff and ship it to my mom, or have it shipped directly there. I have started thinking about Christmas shopping, though. I have a new niece or nephew due in March of next year (my sister just called to tell me she is pregnant again on Thursday), so I'm already pondering what sort of stuff to make/get for the baby who won't even be born yet at that point. The not-born-yet kids in our family always make out like bandits. :)

Christmas? Well done you for being so organised. I usually wait until the last of my childrens birthdays have gone at the begining of Septemeber and then I will make a start. I will pick bits up during the year as general gifts that I can give to anyone, like teachers at school or one of my sons school friends bu the family ones I will wait til nearer the time as they may have purchased the item themselves before Christmas. I get the girls to make me a list and I will chose some items from and then get suprise ones that aren't on them. They still always get a stocking and I will also put a colouring book and pencils in as they love to colour. For my son I always hide his presents in amongst a large box filled with balloons with pop out as he opens, he loves it and spend most of the day in the box playing with balloons instead of the presents as kids do. Ellie :D

Good on you for being so organised. I start mine in October, but I only have a handful of people to buy for!