Labor Shortages and Supply Challenges Mean You Should Start Christmas Shopping NOW

Procrastinators, beware! Labor shortages, overseas factory shutdowns, and supply backlogs mean that it might be hard to find a perfect gift last-minute this year. And with ongoing shipping delays, you can’t rely on splurging for lightning-fast shipping, either. Long story short, it’s not too early to start Christmas shopping. In fact, several retailers have already started running Black Friday sales because they know this holiday shopping season is going to be a challenge.

If you’re like me, this feels insanely early. And I’m not a shopping procrastinator – I just love the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon (online for me, though), spoiling the people I love, and freely spending the money I’ve budgeted all year without guilt or stress. This early-shopping business puts a little hiccup in my normal routine, so I’ve compiled some tips to make it work for you.

1. Get Organized

Make a list of everyone you want to buy gifts for. {If you’re nerdy like me, make a spreadsheet.} Kids, relatives, neighbors, teachers…everyone. Next to each person’s name, make a list of gifts they might like. You’re not committing to buying these things – at this point you’re just brainstorming. Some people (like your kids) will probably have long lists associated with their names. Other people might just have one.

2. Set a Budget

Look. I love shopping. But shopping is no fun if it’s stressful – and it’s stressful if you’re spending money you can’t afford or have to figure out how to make up later. So identify a total amount of how much you can spend and stick to it. Go back to your list of names and identify how much money you can spend on each recipient while sticking within your total budget. {Pro tip – set a line item for gift wrap, shipping, Christmas cards & postage, stocking stuffers, etc.}

3. Shop!

No tips needed here. Enjoy shopping! Stay within your budget. You can save money using online tools like Rakuten, RetailMeNot, and CardCash.

4. Stay Organized

As you buy an item, highlight it on your list and write down the price you paid. {This is where your spreadsheet skills shine if you’re using one.} This helps you track how much you’ve spent on each person, and who you have left to buy for. If grandparents or aunts & uncles are asking you for gift suggestions, note that on your list so you don’t accidentally buy the same thing. If you’re mindful of keeping the number of gifts even for each kid, this list is helpful in avoiding the last-minute panic that the numbers are wildly uneven. {Not that I know anything about that.}

5. Stash Them in ONE Place

We’ve all had the experience of SWEARING we bought a gift and then not being able to find it, or coming across a long-forgotten gift a few months after the holiday. Choose one place to hide all your gifts so nothing gets misplaced. In my house, my husband puts everything in the attic crawl space. The kids wouldn’t even think to look there!

Need Some Gift Ideas? Here You Go!

If you’re not sure what to get your kids and are looking for ideas, here are some of our top gift suggestions. We’ll be continuously updating this section with new gift guides as we go through the season, so save or pin this and come back to it as you need more ideas!

Kid Gifts: