Christmas is such an enormous and exhausting event now that between the fallout from it and the build-up to it, there isn’t much time in the middle where it isn’t on our minds and we aren’t stressing about baubles, turkeys and present tags. Christmas has become almost a 365-day-a-year headache, but of course we love the festive season itself, and that is the main reason we put so much effort into making sure it goes right.
As a result, increasingly, we are finding that people are starting early with their Christmas preparations, and while it might feel like Summer is hanging in there by the skin of its teeth, for many of us thoughts have already turned from sunny beaches to snowmen and tinsel. As each year passes trees are appearing earlier and before the calendar reaches October you are beginning to buy pickles, biscuits and crackers to store in readiness for that Boxing Day feast.
In truth, there are some bargains to be had in the January sales, and while you may be just recovering from your Christmas over-spend, it makes sense to stock up on some ‘giveaway’ crackers, tinsel and tree decorations for next Christmas.
Of course, people start present-buying earlier and earlier too and it also pays to be prepared in terms of ordering Christmas Cards and Christmas Wrapping Paper, so that everything can be ready long before the big day. At Dom and Geris we stock Christmas products all-year-round for just this reason, and we have first-hand experience that people are definitely getting Christmas sorted early.
But for those doubters who are unconvinced that we should never switch off our Christmas radar, the benefits are plentiful:
* Bargains. There are many sales both online and in the shops throughout the year when you can pick up a bargain to save until Christmas time.
* Delivery times. As the run-in to Christmas gets busier, you need to be wary of long delivery times and plan ahead. Doing your shopping early also allows you to perhaps buy more thoughtful gifts that are hand-made or made-to-order, safe in the knowledge that you will get them in time.
* Stress-free. Once your shopping is done, you have bought your Christmas Cards and wrapped your presents, you can sit back and relax without any stress, and enjoy the run-up to Christmas.
* Better prepared. Not worrying about presents etc also allows you more time for attention to detail, and the little touches that make your tree, dinner table or party games go with a bang.
* Budget. More and more people are feeling the pinch at Christmas and are making financial commitments that are maybe stretching them too far. Buying presents and other items early helps to spread this expense and avoids a nasty credit card bill in the dismal months of January and February.
So ignore the naysayers who tut when the Christmas puddings are on the supermarket shelves in September and face a mad dash on Christmas Eve when all the shops are shutting early, and put your feet up to await Santa’s arrival with an Eggnog and a minced pie…..which you bought in August on a ‘buy one, get one free’.