The Early Bird or Last-Minute-Dasher for Xmas Shopping?

[Linkachu]

It seems that as soon as Halloween ends, Christmas advertisizing gets a burst of life - even if it's over a month away. Heck, even weeks before Halloween you'll start seeing ads for Xmas stuff, just not the decorations so much.

Being someone surrounded by these crazy people who start buying Christmas presents months in advance, I have to wonder: How do you guys handle your Xmas shopping? (If you do any at all)

I'm at the age now where I do have a bit of extra cash left over and should be giving back to the family, but I still leave my present shopping to the last minute every year. It isn't much of a surprise considering my procrastinator attitude towards many other things in life (whether I like it or not).

Yeah, yeah, Christmas is just another consumer whore-ish holiday nowadays. Common knowledge. Don't make a rant out of it And if you're someone who makes their presents, how soon do you start putting them together?

 

[Doctor Oak]

Normally I leave it right up until the end. This year, though, I have to think completely of myself this December and spend all my money on a Wii so I'm getting all my Xmas Prezzies this weekend. Or at least, most of them.

It'll just be a case of where the fuck to hide them all for two months....

 

[rinokwedjnfalwa]

When I go shopping depends on whether or not my dad wants to go shopping since I don't make my own money yet :'( which is usually the last minute.

 

[Viper1]

Why does everybody get so worked up about Xmas in November.What about Thanksgiving!?! I mean Xmas is great but this is Thanksgivings month. Wait till December to start advertising for Christmas.

 

[Rosie]

I usually plan everything quite far in advance, but sometimes I get a few last things in the week leading up to Christmas.

It seems to be that its better in the USA than in England. Since Halloween isn't such a big thing here (apart form some chocolate and maybe some pumpkins going cheap) we get the Christmas decorations and catalogues way before halloween has even arrived. For example, we got our first Christmas catalogue through the door in about early/mid October and the ads on TV have started to go on about being organised and getting loans for Christmas prezzies.

One of the orchestras I play in was on Tuesday and we played Christmas music for an hour and a half. It's November! But, if we're gonna get the pieces good enough for the concerts i suppose that we have to start around nowish.

Maybe this deserves in another topic but what the heck: I'm all or Christmas (bring religious and all) but i think New Year's over-rated. I seems to be a lot of fuss over nothing. We break up from school less that a week before Christmas so that the two week holiday covers new year as well. I think I might die before then with all the work I'm being given (*fights off tech coursework*) but never mind...

 

[daxx0r]

I tend to start off planning what to buy people a few weeks in advance (maybe even a month or two), but since I'm a bit lazy, and kinda sad to see my money go bye-bye, I wait till the very last day and end up regretting it a lot.

Personally, I have no problems with Christmas being consumer-whoreish; I mean I was born into it. My guess it's been consumer-whoreish ever since they invented stores. And I tend to enjoy it. Sure, I have to go out of my way to buy things for people, but they have to do the same for me, and I ain't complaining. Some of my friends are quite well off, and I end up getting more than my money's worth back.

 

[LaenVulpix]

Ah, alas I have no money with which to buy Christmas presents. Of course, my mom treats me saintly just because I usually treat the family to a resteraunt dinner with some of my X-Mas money, so I guess that'll be something.

Truthfully, I won't even be computer-able (Ohs Noes, I JUST realized this ) During this particular Christmas break. For my mother, brother, and myself will be cramming into the car to travel from Tennessee (stalkers bew@re, I ownz a gun...or...my brother does :-X ) all the way down to Florida to visit my Grandfather.

That's alright. Next year I'll be in the money-gaining stage, and not only will I be saving up to buy my precious Tablet laptop and putting back for after graduation, but I can help my mother with small bills and stuff.

...

Unloik my lazeh brother. >.> *glances at topic*

Erm, but I AM the type to panic and fret and plan on getting a gift early....all the way up until deadline, when I will end up dishing out money and cutesy trinkets.

 

[RLRL]

Well for me it really does vary as to when I buy my friends and family their xmas presents... Tends to be dependant on how much cash I can get hold of, thankfully I have a credit card this year so its easier for me to just go shopping whenever. I tend to avoid shopping until after my birthday because I really don't get into a christmasy mood until after then which is understandable really, although if i see something beforehand that i think "oh will like that" ill pick it up...

 

[QuagsireQing]

Why does everybody get so worked up about Xmas in November.What about Thanksgiving!?! I mean Xmas is great but this is Thanksgivings month. Wait till December to start advertising for Christmas.

1) Thanksgiving for a bunch of us was weeks ago.
2) You do not buy people Thanksgiving presents, nor do you decorate the house/office/bathroom stall to suit the occasion.

I've already started my Christmas shopping byt picking up this beaut for my sisters..._>

 

[Viper1]

yeah I know that, and I know thanksgiving isnt that special, but does anyone care about it?

 

[Linkachu]

No one outside of NA would, and a lot of members here are from the UK. So... yeah.

Thanksgiving is also not a consumer holiday on the same level as Christmas, so there's not much point advertisizing a lot of Thanksgiving stuff beyond a few random trinkets. There is, however, a great advantage in putting up Christmas ads early. Increased awareness = increased sales = good for stores.

 

[Persian]

Same here, I think, for Thanksgiving. Basically, some people decorate their houses with "harvest"-themed...uh...thingies. Like, I remember one year my mom decided to bring out a big, shallow bowl and put some decorative squashes (or something) in it, but that was about it. Some people buy, like, a centerpiece or whatever, but it's nothing big...

But American retail has us trained. I've seen Christmas advertisements out since a week before Halloween. There aren't that many, but they slowly begin to accumulate during the days running up to to Thanksgiving (late November)...and then they hit us like a tidal wave the day after Thanksgiving, when the "Christmas Retail Season" begins.

I, however, try not to think about Christmas or Christmas shopping until, at the very earliest, December 1. It's just wrong to think about it in November... Anyways, once the first day of the last month of the year hits, I start making my Christmas lists (the stuff I want and the stuff I'm getting for other people ^_^;. I start looking around all throughout the early weeks of December, and buy stuff. The stuff for my friends gets bought relatively early, and I make cards and stuff before the last day of school...

But sometimes I end up doing last-minute shopping the week, and sometimes the day, before Christmas. ^_^;; It varies year-to-year. So I guess I'm a mix of the two, but leaning towards a Last-Minute-Dasher. T_T I'M SORRY! O_O

 

[Ultracow]

I usually do my xmas shopping in early December. I catch a ride with the neighbors and pick things up for family and friends at teh mall. And its nice, seeing as my Birthday is Nov 28 because I can use all that birthday cash to buy the presents. WOOH! But sometimes it sucks. lol

 

[Weavile]

I have to go early with my girlfriend for HER Christmas shopping, but, this year I don't because last year I ruined her surprises! And I always go the week before christmas! Wait a sec! My girlfriend is full Jewish and is celebrating Christmas... what the hell is up with that?!