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Christmas Shopping Tips To Ease The Stress Of Holiday Shopping

In this day and time you can shop in the stores, at the malls, from catalogs and online.  And you can pretty much do this all year long.  There are some items, especially for kids, that are released by the manufacturers right before Christmas that make shopping for those a little more difficult.  But, many items can be purchased earlier in the year as you become aware that a certain someone would like that particular gift.

Here are some Shopping Tips to help make Christmas Shopping a more pleasurable experience:

• Make a shopping list - try to take a few moments to sit down and make a shopping list before you hit the malls or sit down in front of the computer to look for items.
• Shop early - some items may be sold out if you wait too late to get those purchases done.
• Be Polite - Everyone is extremely busy during the holidays, especially store clerks.  Many are working overtime, plus have their own Christmas events and shopping to take care of.  Try to be patient as you wait for assistance with your purchases.
• Try Using Layaway - If you know that you need a gift for someone that is not quite in your monthly budget then consider putting that "Christmas present" on layaway several months before Christmas.  A lot of retail stores offer these convenient layaway plans.  This way you don't have to run up those large credit card bills at Christmas time.
• Shop Online - More and more items are available online today.  Look for sites that offer free shipping.  Many also have sales and discounts just like the brick and mortar stores do.  Look for those coupons that you can use when online shopping.
• Shop from Catalogs - Shopping from a catalog is a lot like ordering online.  You can sit in the comfort of your home and browse through the catalog selecting those items that are on your shopping list for someone.  Do order these items early because they often sell out of certain colors and sizes by Christmas time.
• Buy in Bulk - When you have a large list then try buying gift items in bulk.  Something like scented candles or tins of nuts can be purchased in bulk at discounted prices and then divided up and wrapped with a nice bow for individual gifts. This method is good for company owners to use for employee gifts or an employee to use as gifts for co-workers. 
• Make Homemade - Make something  in the kitchen like fudge or cookies, place in a plastic container with a bow on top.  These are especially nice gifts for the elderly who don't really need any additional  'stuff' in their homes.  What is treasured is that you thought of them and took your time to do something special for them.
• Get Unique Gifts - this year I shopped around online and found some solar reading lights and solar cell phone chargers that were not too expensive and gave them to friends who pretty much have everything they want that I could afford to give them. 

Hope these tips have triggered some ideas for you and that your Christmas Shopping experience will be pleasant this year.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year