Christmas shopping

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How and when do you do your Christmas shopping, and do you like it?

I've started mine already, and have already wrapped a few presents up for loved ones. I have took a few days off work in early December to do the rest.

Right now the shops aren't that busy yet, except for week-ends, which I avoid. Last year I remember doing my Christmas shopping in early December, on week days, and the shops weren't busy, which is why I have scheduled the same this year.

I don't do any shopping online because I don't have an account. But I do rather enjoy looking around shops picking out gifts for my loved ones, providing it's done in good time and not in the last 2 weeks before Christmas day.

How are you with your Christmas shopping?

I buy See's chocolate--they have a little kiosk in a mall that only shows up during the Holiday Season.

Christmas shopping is the worst. Shopping in general, is the worst! I'm glad for you it isn't that bad. The christmas lights and noises are so overwhelming which doesn't help the stress levels. I usually plan precisely before I go, a list of shops in order to visit and the things I buy (sometimes pre-order). I am so off-putted (if that's even a word) by going shopping that I leave it to the last minute, so December.

put off

I do enjoy Christmas shopping. I often struggle as I like to get the perfect gift for everyone, and if I'm not sure then I can stress about it a lot, but I do all of my shopping online before October, and in October and November it's all wrapped.

All of my gifts this year are wrapped and ready to go.

I try to avoid shopping offline wherever possible, though. Other than the supermarket for my groceries, I can't remember the last time I spent money in-store.

I've tried to be silly with it, just felt that the words clicked.

My story --

I felt that things can be shared, just for fun, during the holidays, and I was thoughtful. I thought, they didn't need to be useful, so much as "cool."

I heard that a dog needed to be walked by the nephew, and red was his favorite color. I worked my butt off for a red, leather harness, collar, and leash, which went unused.

My dad had a special interest in old trains and feels chilly. He got an expensive throw, where a machine weaves-in a photorealistic image of an old train, which went unused.

And, so on, and so forth.

Were I to live more independently, I would just show up, for the dinner and quickly excuse myself. Or, make an excuse not to come. I get worn-out trying to be the better person, when they are so negative and contentious.

They won't make a breakfast, or eat my breakfast, or just make a whole pot of coffee, to avoid doing everything two or three times. I think it's done as a form of gaslighting.

I won't be seen in public with them, like at church.

I've occasionally been put in positions of responsibility, outside of the house, and don't have nearly the same problems, running things. I will never keep a house, this way.

I do most of my Christmas shopping online and at places like Target for little items for stockings. I got a new job at a store that has a lot of different stuff, so I might be doing a little shopping there too.

I prefer to get it done early, to avoid the worst of the crowds. If I travel during the year, I look for things that friends/family might enjoy. Charitable shopping's more difficult, as I know only age, gender, and a few vague preferences and only found that much out a few weeks ago, but I think I've finished that up today too, having bought a few stacks of toys and games - every kid deserves an education in the classics.

I do my shopping in October and November and it's all wrapped by the time December comes around.

I never know what to buy people so get most people Amazon email vouchers.

I've done my xmas shopping online for years now and enjoy selecting presents based on what I know about the person - I dislike just giving money as it seems very lazy. Excluding my wife and children, I only buy presents for under-18s; as soon as they turn 18 they get nothing. I need to actually do it this weekend as I've been a little slack this year.

I don't mind Christmas shopping, but I've always been a little worried about money and trying to get gifts for everyone who's likely to be giving me one to be fair. Now that I work in a place that makes foods and chocolate I might just use my discount to get some treats for others.

Depending on the person, I sometimes have a hard time deciding what the person will like and actually use. My mom and my sister are both like this; they have ADHD, so the things they're interested in this week, they might have gone off by next week. I have to remind myself that other people don't like the same things I do, so even though I love books, they're not an appropriate gift for my dyslexic sister who doesn't enjoy reading. I tend to do a lot of shopping online to avoid the crowds, and because I can find way cooler stuff online than I can in stores a lot of times. I began the bare minimum of my Christmas shopping yesterday, but I still have a ways to go yet. Knowing how much to get someone, especially an immediate family member, is hard for me too.

I don't do Christmas shopping. As a Christian, I celebrate the Christian version of Christmas, and not the commercial version.