Holiday gift shopping: Do the words terrify you, or make your eyes light up with anticipation? Either way, we have advice to make holiday shopping easier, cheaper, less stressful, and more fun. But before you read our savvy hints and tips, take a minute to remember why you’re shopping. Chances are, it’s about the pleasure in giving those you love gifts that truly express your feelings for them. Remember that—it’ll make all the hunting and haggling more than worth it.
Before the search for the “perfect” gift begins, there are a few things to consider. Mainly: Who? What? How much? And when?
1. Set a limit. Giving gifts should fill your heart, not empty your savings account. If setting a budget seems more bother than it’s worth, at least determine an approximate figure ($25 to $75 for family, $15 to $25 for friends) for each person on your list.
2. Record gift ideas. Smart gift-givers know that gathering should happen 12 months of the year. So buy a notebook, attach a pen, and keep track of whom you need to buy gifts for, and ideas you get from window-shopping, catalog browsing, or just sudden inspirations that pop into your mind. Then, when you do buy a gift for someone, mark it down as well.
3. Clip pictures or ads. Holiday season is catalog season, but most of us get catalogs year-round, too. Don’t toss them in the recycling bin. Look for ideas. When you see something that seems right for someone, clip out the picture and description, note the person’s name and the catalog, and file it away for future use.
4. Think about whom you’re buying for. In that same notebook, include information about each person, such as sizes, interests, sports, and hobbies. Even add gifts you’ve given in the past, so you don’t accidentally duplicate.
5. Be an off-peak shopper. Unless you enjoy packed parking lots, messy stores, huge crowds, over-warm stores, and surly clerks, skip shopping on the six or so weekends that lead up to Christmas. Instead, shop weekday mornings or early afternoons. Not only will the crowds be smaller, but the stores will also be neatened up and restocked.
6. Dress comfortably. Serious holiday shopping is not the time for high fashion. Wear loose-fitting clothes, tie your hair back or, at a minimum, wear comfortable shoes so you can navigate crowds and stand in long lines without discomfort. And to avoid energy lags and endless time in food courts, have a good meal before heading out to the stores.
You’ve followed our advice above and are ready for business! Here’s what you can do to make your shopping excursion a productive one, without breaking the bank:
7. Always, always use a shopping list. Random, unfocused shopping leads to impulse buying, overspending, and forgetting gifts for certain people. And that means having to go shopping again.
8. Shop year-round. No, this doesn’t mean that you’re constantly shopping. It means that you are always looking. Because you never know when you might see the absolute perfect gift (at a deal, no less) for someone. And just because you got a great gift for $20 on a discount in March, doesn’t mean you need to spend more to bring it up to the originally budgeted cost. Gift giving is about the thought, not money.
9. Shop on vacation. If you go somewhere on vacation, watch out for things that might make someone else happy come Christmastime. Going to a new city or country can open up shopping opportunities that don’t usually exist for you.
10. Stay current with the business news. Holiday retail sales are a huge part of the American economy, so the media covers the action in great detail. By following the business news, you’ll learn about who is discounting, what’s hot and what’s not, what products are in surplus or short supply, and who is offering unusual deals. Use all this information to help strategize when and where to shop for best prices and selection.
11. Don’t be afraid to haggle. It can pay to be bold. Ask a manager: “Is this item going on sale soon?” “Is this the best price you can offer?” or “Are there any discounts for loyal customers?” The worst they can say is “no.” But you may be surprised at how many stores consider your request.
12. Go with gift cards. Sure, they might not give you the warm fuzzies, but giving people the opportunity to choose what they want is never a bad thing. If you want to be distinctive, offer a certificate to an out-of-the-ordinary place, such as a French bakery, high-end restaurant, or day spa. Make sure you read the “fine print” to learn about hidden charges or expiration dates.
The good part of gift shopping year-round is that you minimize shopping craziness in the busiest retail season of the year. The challenging part of year-round shopping: finding a place to store it all. Here’s what you do:
✓ Find a closet shelf, dresser drawer, trunk, or cupboard, and designate this as your “stash” area. Whenever you see that perfect something—and it’s worth the cost—buy it, even if it’s January. When you get home, carefully add a note to the item, listing when and where you bought it, whom it is for, and how much you spent.
✓ If you buy gift items that aren’t for anyone in particular, store them separately. Keep a clipboard with the stash and write in all the items available for usage. The next time you have a birthday, anniversary, shower, or other gift-giving occasion, check the clipboard before shopping. You might already have the perfect item!
✓ This is also a good place to put gifts given to you that you either already have or cannot use. Just be sure to attach a sticky note with the gift giver’s name, so you don’t give it back to that person.
Maybe you’ve had enough of long lines or can’t justify how much it costs to drive to the mall! If that’s true, you’re probably shopping the Internet. After all, what’s not to love about those online bargains and convenience? Make your Web experience a wonderful one with these tips:
13. Search for sales. Some online retailers have sales like those at brick-and-mortar stores, with lots of promotion around the event. But even if there is no announced sale, many retailer sites have a permanent discount “room” with nicely marked-down products. Search your favorite online stores for these secret savings.
14. Compare prices. You found the perfect baseball mitt for your son on a national sporting-good chain’s website. Don’t order yet! Write down the name and model number, and do a search of the item on your favorite search engine with the added words “best price.” You’ll not only find other vendors that sell that item (at varying costs), but you’ll also often run across reviews of the product and online retailer.
15. Factor in shipping. Each website has its own shipping charges. And some do a good job of hiding it! Never make a purchase without understanding the full costs involved. A $49.95 item is a better bargain with free shipping than the same item marked down to $39.95 but with $14.95 for shipping.
16. Save all paperwork! When you place an online order, print the confirmation page, which includes the total sale, product information, and confirmation number. Also, when items arrive, file the invoice and any other papers (like return forms and envelopes) in a well-organized folder or binder.
17. Shop at off-peak hours. While larger sites have the capacity to handle lots of e-shoppers, smaller sites struggle with online crowds. Find a time when there are fewer people searching the Web, such as late nights, early mornings, and Sundays.
18. Check for good affiliations. High-quality online retailers use well-known, national organizations for billing, quality control, consumer support, or merely to show that they are legitimate and safe. Look at the bottom of the home page of the website to see if it carries such logos as PayPal, Bizrate.com, BBB Online, or Shopping.com Trusted Store.
19. Get other’s opinions. Several websites not only find you the best price of a product but also give you consumer ratings and comments on the online stores selling the product. If you aren’t certain about a website’s quality, seek out consumer comments at price-comparison websites like nextag.com.
20. Beware of the dangers. While most sites are safe, there are things you can do to protect yourself. For example, look at the address of the website’s order page: It should start with “https.” That extra “s” at the end of “http” means it is a secure connection. Also, don’t give out Social Security numbers, bank account data, or any passwords other than the one you might have registered with that one site. The only personal data to give is your credit card number—and yes, do buy products with a credit card! It’s generally quite safe, and you have protection under the federal Fair Credit Billing Act if something goes wrong.
Be honest. No matter how much planning you’ve done, there’s always someone who pops up at the last minute. Go ahead . . . use these imaginative gift ideas (we don’t care if you take the credit).
✓ For the animal-lover, buy a festive dog or cat food bowl, fill it with tasty tidbits, add a small toy, and wrap it up.
✓ For the writer, pick up a basket and fill it with handsome pens, note cards, a journal, handmade paper, and rubber stamps or decorative stickers.
✓ For the nature-lover, pair up a bird field guide and binoculars or a feeder. Campers will appreciate a book of local trail maps or basket filled with graham crackers, marshmallows, good-quality chocolate bars, and toasting forks for s’mores.
✓ For the gardener, buy or paint a pretty planter and fill it with seed packets of heirloom flowers, vegetables, or herbs, some copper plant markers, and a trowel.
✓ For the gourmet, find a breadbasket and fill it with flavored oils and vinegars, dipping sauces, or spices. Or pack a rustic crate with fresh produce like apples, pears, or citrus, cider, pies or cakes, and gourmet nuts and jams.
✓ For the romantic, give a basket with a bottle of wine or champagne, dried pasta and sauce, pastries, and a candle. A gift certificate to a restaurant and movie passes work well, too.
✓ For the sports-lover, try golf lessons or a basket of golf balls, tees, or fun club-head cover. Or give tickets to their favorite sporting events or a gift card to the best sports bar in town.
For those people “who have everything,” or for those loved ones in which another wrapped box just doesn’t say what’s in your heart, here are ideas for gifts that are truly individual and special.
21. Consider giving an event. Each of us has our passions; why not let your loved ones engage in theirs? Buy them tickets to the opera, play, circus, football game, concert, or lecture that they most would enjoy seeing or hearing. Or, if they love food, reserve a table for two (or the family) at the restaurant they always dreamed of trying but never got to. A magical evening out is often more memorable than one more necktie or kitchen appliance, after all.
22. Consider giving a membership. What gardener wouldn’t love a year’s membership to the local botanical garden? What art-lover wouldn’t be happy with a membership to the art museum? All kinds of memberships are available with wonderful benefits, be they free admissions, a monthly magazine, or access to online services not available to others.
23. Give of yourself. Sometimes, the best gift of all is you. Give a handwritten coupon, to be redeemed over the coming year, for home-cooked meals, a visit, a weekend away, a personal car wash, even a massage. Better yet, give a coupon book with a mix of offers, large and small. Sometimes, the best gift you can give costs no money at all.
When it comes to gift giving, the outside is just as important as the inside. A uniquely wrapped present makes a statement that you care, that your gift is special, and that you’re offering more than just an object. It shows you’re giving your time and creativity as well. But here’s a little secret—a great wrapped gift doesn’t have to take any more time than an ordinary one. All you need is a few basics to turn dozens of plain presents into amazing pieces of art.
If you’re in a hurry or overly stressed, using purchased wrapping paper, premade bows, and square boxes is the way to go. But if you want to go “outside the box” to creative gift wrapping, you’ll need the right supplies and tools. Keep in mind that you don’t need everything on this list if you’re just getting started. Instead, grow your supplies over time.
24. Buy a variety of paper. Purchase gift wrap in a wide range of colors, patterns, and finishes. Also get both white and colored tissue paper, brown craft paper, construction paper, corrugated paper, and crepe paper. Consider specially finished paper such as marbled or foil, handmade paper, and transparent paper, such as cellophane or tracing papers.
25. Consider using fabrics. Any family that has a sewer probably has lots of extra fabric sitting around in bins, going unused. Use the fabric for wrapping! Good types include silk, printed cotton, muslin, and velvet, velveteen, or velour. You may also need taffeta and netting.
26. Say it with paint. Painting words or designs on wrapping paper or boxes can be both fun and personal. Buy ready-to-use poster or gouache paint, spray paint, and specialty acrylic paints. You’ll also want a variety of paintbrushes, from tiny detail brushes to wider ones. Also get sponge brushes and natural sponges for stamping patterns.
27. Time to get sticky. Tapes and adhesives you need include clear cellophane tape, double-sided tape, masking tape, painter’s tape, white glue, tacky glue, glue dots, and glitter glue.
28. Cut it up. The most important cutting tool is scissors. You’ll want both straight-edged and decorative- or scalloped-edged, medium to large, and at least one pair of small, pointed scissors for fine work. Hole punches and a utility or craft knife also are handy to have.
29. Tie it up right. Ribbons, ties, and bows come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some to consider are fabric ribbon, wire-edged ribbon, flat and self-curling paper and synthetic ribbon, twisted paper ribbon, grosgrain ribbon, raffia, pre-tied bows, plain and decorative string, yarns, and embroidery threads.
30. Gather finishing flourishes. Other decorative items you might consider using include stickers, confetti, flat sequins or flat-backed jewels, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, beads, buttons, and dried or silk flowers, leaves, or fruit. Finally, don’t forget to use stencils and stamps to add to your design, too.
Boxes are pretty straightforward to wrap, but there are some shapes and sizes that present a greater challenge.
31. Round items. These require a covering that will mold itself to a sphere. Good paper choices include crepe, tissue, foil, or cellophane. Just about any fabric will do the trick, so let the gift and the occasion determine the type of fabric used.
32. Bottles. These go best in bought or homemade gift bags. Wrapping a bottle in a swath of fabric or soft paper, such as crepe or tissue paper also works well. To create a cylindrical box for a bottle, lay corrugated paper smooth side up on a flat surface and wrap the paper around the bottle tightly, securing it with strong double-sided tape or glue.
33. Odd shapes. You can place odd-shaped items in a gift bag or large box, but you can also be creative. If you’re giving a hammer, for example, place its head between two paper plates and staple them together. Then use crepe paper to wrap the “lollipop” top, and wind ribbon around the “stick.”
34. Extra-large gifts. You can buy gift bags for items like bicycles or exercise equipment, but you can also easily drape them with a festive tablecloth or sheet. Add a big bow and decorative extras.
The style you lend to your gift wrapping can either be inspired by the gift itself or your decorating theme for the season.
35. Make it rustic. For a rustic look, use brown craft paper or butcher paper, either plain or sponge painted, stenciled, or stamped. Tie with simple twine, raffia, or neutral-colored grosgrain ribbons. Add tags made from cream-colored card stock, and tuck a sprig of pine, holly, or dried leaves in the bow.
36. Go a little bit country. To make a country-style present, wrap it in simple checked fabric, gingham, or plaid in seasonal colors, or matte-finished paper in dark red or dark green, or a patchwork of printed “calico” papers. Tie with gingham ribbon or yarn, and tuck a sprig of herbs or dried flowers plus a few cinnamon sticks in the bow.
37. Concoct a Victorian fantasy. Use rich fabrics, such as velvet and silk, floral chintz, or shiny brocades, or use heavy printed or embossed papers with a Victorian motif. Tie with lace or silk ribbons, or gold or silver cords, and make a tussie-mussie (form a cone from a piece of lace or a doily, and fill it with silk or dried flowers) and attach it at the bow.
38. Design an ethnic masterpiece. To give a present an ethnic flavor, use the colors of the culture’s flags. A world atlas is invaluable to carry out this theme.
39. Take a chance with color. Add real flair to your wrappings with saturated color. Though red and green are traditional colors, this year expand your vision and use a selection of deep saturated colors in papers or fabrics. Rich eggplant purple, midnight blue, brilliant tangerine orange, chocolate brown, hot pink, turquoise, plum—be open to new colors.
If you still have young ones (or even slightly older ones) at home, making your own gift wrap can be a fun family project.
1. Start with rolls of butcher paper or brown craft paper. Spread a plastic tarp over a large flat surface (we prefer the floor) and make sure everyone dresses in old clothes.
2. Bring out rubber stamps and ink pads, simple stencils and poster paints, potatoes for block prints, crayons, marking pens, watercolors, colored chalks (and a spray fixative to prevent smearing the final product), stickers, and whatever else inspires you.
3. Let the family go to town. You can collaborate or give each person his or her own paper to decorate. This will result in truly unique, heartfelt gift wrap—one that most grandparents will cherish as much as the gift inside.
Square and rectangle boxes are inevitable, but open your eyes and look around. There are other wonderful ways to conceal a present.
40. Use old hatboxes. Often covered with decorative paper and coming in all sizes, these are generally round (though some can be octagonal) and have their own carrying cords. Look for them in craft stores, resale shops, thrift shops, and garage sales. With very little effort, you can turn these into collectible containers for your gifts.
41. Don’t forget decorative tins. These have experienced a resurgence of popularity and are now readily available in all sizes and shapes. Look for shining new tins and antique reproductions, or haunt antique stores, thrift shops, and flea markets for authentic historic tins.
42. Make a creative crate. Running the gamut from exquisitely finished and polished pieces to right-off-the-back-of-the-wagon rustic, wooden crates and boxes are eye-catchers. So save those clementine boxes for future gift giving!
43. Try wooden cheese boxes. A bit harder to come by, these are similar to hat boxes in their roundness and having a separate lid, but they are made of wood, and some can be really extraordinary. Leave these undecorated so the beauty of the wood shines, and tie up with raffia, twine, or simple grosgrain ribbons.
44. Roll out the barrel. Take a trip back to the old general store, where many goods were shipped and displayed in wooden barrels. Old nail kegs and small liquor barrels can conceal fairly big gifts. They are also terrific to keep afterward for planters or for storing long-handled gardening tools or umbrellas.
Another way to approach gift wrapping is to let the kind of gift—and the interests of the recipient—inspire the kind of wrapping, so that it becomes a part of the present.
45. A baby. Wrap a large gift in a baby’s blanket and a small gift in a cloth diaper or burping cloth. Fasten with diaper pins and decorate with small baby toys, such as a set of plastic keys or a wooden teething toy.
46. A cook. Wrap a gift for a cook in tea towels or appliance covers, fasten with kitchen twine, and decorate with a set of measuring spoons, a melon baller, a wooden spoon crossed with a rubber spatula, or cookie cutters.
47. A book-lover. For someone who loves to read, wrap a special book in a fabric book cover and decorate the bow with a special bookmark or book light.
48. A wine-lover. Choose a good bottle of wine, then set it in a wine cooler, tie a ribbon around the top and decorate with a corkscrew, decorative cork, or glass charms.
49. A woman. Wrap lingerie, perfume, or jewelry for a woman in a large silk scarf, gather the corners together to form a bag, tie with a satin ribbon, and decorate with a small sachet.
50. A man. Wrap smaller presents in bandannas or white handkerchiefs, and larger presents in a blue work shirt, flannel plaid shirt, or beloved sports team T-shirt. Decorate according to his interests.
The final touch on a well-wrapped package is, of course, a gift tag. Sure, store-bought tags do the trick, but you’ll have more fun designing your own.
51. Get it done with paper. For paper tags, use a good, solid paper, card stock, or thin cardboard as the base. Cut out seasonal shapes (stars, holly leaves, Christmas trees, stockings, wreaths, candy canes, and so on) or geometric shapes. Then paint, gild, stamp, or decorate with colored pens or crayons. Easier yet: Cut fun shapes out of boldly colored or patterned wrapping paper.
52. Pick your fabric. To make fabric tags, begin with fairly sturdy fabric (brocades, felt, heavy-duty cotton, or duck cloth). Cut out the shape desired and seal the edges with glue or a product made to prevent raveling (sold at craft and fabric stores). Use fabric pens to decorate and write names on the tags, and then attach them to the bows on the package using embroidery thread, yarn, thin cording, or thin ribbons.
53. Make it with dough. This is a wonderfully fun and creative way to create personalized, hardened gift tags. Combine 1/2 cup table salt with 1/2 cup water in a saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil. Meanwhile, mix 1/2 cup cold water with 1/2 cup cornstarch in a bowl. Add the cornstarch mixture to the boiling salt water and stir vigorously to prevent it from lumping. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is stiff. Remove the saucepan from the heat and, using a large spoon, carefully turn the mixture onto a wooden cutting board. Let the mixture cool. Knead the mixture until it is smooth, and then roll out to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using floured cookie cutters, cut out as many shapes as desired. Transfer the shapes to baking sheets, use a straw to poke holes at the top of each shape, and bake in a 200°F oven for 2 hours. Cool the shapes on wire racks. Paint or decorate as desired, and tie the tags to boxes threading cord, ribbon, or string through the holes in the tops.