Christmas Shopping

Christmas shopping actually starts whenever you decide to buy gifts and put them away until the Christmas season begins.

Some retail stores start the Christmas season early. I have noticed in some stores in our area that Christmas decorations are on display and are for sale as early as August. The store itself had not put up any Christmas decorations, but the aisles were filled with ornaments, wreaths, candles, and other Christmas trinkets. The store was decorated for Halloween and then Thanksgiving with a few Christmas decorations scattered around the store. Radio stations start playing Christmas carols in mid-November.

The person who shops early generally has a shopping strategy in mind and has planned for the year. Last minute shopping, for this type of person, will generally be for something or someone who had not been planned for or as party favors.

For the retail trade, Christmas shopping begins in earnest on what is known as "Black Friday." This is the day after Thanksgiving. The kids are out-of-school. A lot of people have the day off work. Family and friends may still be in town after having celebrated Thanksgiving. The shopping malls and department stores are filled. Some retailers advertise sales for this day with pre-Christmas mark downs. When you are in the store, there are announcements on the loud speaker for hourly specials or special discounts in a particular department. Retail sales on this day have been known to be about 70% of some department store sales during the Christmas season.

If you are an early shopper, you can develop a strategy that will assure you get the best prices for the gifts you want to buy. Make a list of the gifts you want and visit the various stores to compare prices. Make a note of the prices and if you are shopping on "Black Friday" you may get a bargain or two for your list. Stores generally run sales year-round. So, if you are one of those really early shoppers and you start your shopping for the next Christmas year at the after Thanksgiving and after Christmas sales, you may get some really good bargains.

Retail stores generally have two sales days prior to the "official" opening of the Christmas season. There is usually a sale around Columbus Day which falls on the second Monday in October and Veteran's Day, which is observed on November 11th. You may get some good bargains on special items during these sales.

Buying toys takes a bit more patience. Toy makers generally do not introduce the special toys until the beginning of the season. You and your children will see advertisements for toys that may not be available in stores until "Black Friday" or the beginning of December. This builds anticipation and also desire for specific toys. Some toys are so popular that people start lines at stores before they open to buy them. There are always one or two toys that become the "must-haves" of the season.

If you do your Christmas shopping during the entire year, it does not mean that you will not have fun during the Christmas season. It means that you will have the majority of your shopping done and there will be less stress for you during the Christmas shopping season.