7 Little Things You Can Do Ahead Of Time To Avoid Christmas Shopping Stress

There’s officially less than a month to go until Christmas, so there’s no escaping it now: it’s time to start thinking about Christmas shopping.

Yes, Smug Mary in HR has already got all of her gifts wrapped and ready to go, but that doesn’t mean you have to be quite so organised. Rather than leaving everything until the last minute though, we suggest doing some strategic planning and purchasing now, so that come Christmas week you only have a few key things left to pick up.

The result? No eleventh-hour rush down Henry St on December 23rd, trying to purchase eight gifts at once before the shops close.

Here’s what we’ll be doing ahead of time to make sure our head doesn’t completely explode…

1. Making a list
Lists aren’t just for Santa. If you’re short on time this year, plan ahead. List out every single gift you need to buy, from co-workers to besties, and work from that. Jotting down some ideas ahead of time not only means you can plan where and when you’ll shop, but it also helps to keep you within budget. Use the Notes app on your phone to ensure your list doesn’t end up crumpled at the bottom of your handbag.

2. Buying online
Christmas shopping in your PJs is basically the dream, so buy whatever you can online. Even the most thoughtful of gifts can be purchased in a snap: we’ll be using FUIJFILM’s Imagine app to organise and print out photos for our nearest and dearest this year. Both the FUIJFILM Imagine app and fujifilmimagine.ie allow you to upload photos from your smartphone to print, which is a dream come true if you’re constantly getting ‘Storage Full’ messages on your iPhone but hate getting rid of precious pics.

3. Avoiding town like the plague at peak times
Saturday afternoon might be a handy time for you to hit the shops, but it’s a handy time for everyone else too. The result? You’re left sweating like a pig trying to force your way through the crowds, and end up buying something three times over budget just to get out of the shop faster. Nightmare. Get up early one weekend morning and hit the shops at 9am, or, even better, take a half day from work and spend a relaxed midweek afternoon shopping your little heart out.

4. Choosing personal gifts over grand gestures
If you always end up splashing way more cash than you intended to on expensive last-minute Christmas gifts for someone, take a step back this year and think about what else might make them smile. FUIJFILM offer a heap of gorgeous personalised gifts featuring any photo you wish, including soft toys, iPhone covers, iPad covers, alarm clocks, jigsaws, placemats and calendars and even wrapping paper. With prices starting at just €9.99 it’s a budget friendly option that’ll earn you massive brownie points. Purchase instore, via the FUIJFILM Imagine app or on fujifilmimagine.ie.

5. Clubbing together for bigger gifts
Why not pool your funds with siblings this year and buy one large gift for your parents? The same goes for friends and other relatives. They’ll get something they love, and only one gift has to be bought between three or four people, which saves time all round.

6. Setting mini deadlines
Christmas shopping can seem a tad overwhelming when you think of it as one singular task, but in reality it’s a lot simpler. Break your list down and aim to get a certain number of gifts purchased by mid December, a few more by December 20th, and so on. Before you know it you’ll have it all sorted.

7. Budget, budget, budget
The main reason many of us leave our Christmas shopping so disastrously late is because we’re waiting for that final payday before Christmas. Take a look at the funds you have available now, and using that budget see what you can buy ahead of time. It’ll save you money – and heaps of stress – in the long run.

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift? Look inside your smartphone! With FUIJFILM Imagine you can create a wide range of personalised photo gifts just in time for Christmas. Purchase prints and personalised gifts in store, online or via the FUIJFILM Imagine app. Upload your images and let FUIJFILM do the rest.

• Fujifilm
• fujifilm imagine