Planning the Best Gifts for the Holidays

The holidays are here. Festive songs are on the radio, our favorite films are on the TV and we’re engaging in so many more activities with friends and family as the year draws to a close. It really is the most wonderful time of year. We begin to look to the year ahead and really unwind. It’s also the time of year when we start planning gifts for our nearest and dearest, as well as acquaintances we want to show appreciation to. This is often easier said than done, but you can get some great gifts pretty easily. Here are a few suggestions that will help you to make sure you get the best presents this holiday season!

Set a Budget

It’s absolutely essential that you create a budget when shopping for the holiday season. Way too many people experience debt as a direct result of spending too much on gifts. This isn’t the spirit of the holiday and gifts should always fall within your budget of what you can afford. Take a moment to go through your regular budget and determine what your disposable income is. Determine who you want to buy for and portion out the budget accordingly. Never spend on credit cards or store cards. Remember that we are also in a cost-of-living crisis, meaning you might not be able to spend as much as you usually do.

Make a List

There’s a reason that Santa makes a list and checks it twice. Creating a list can make sure that you can clearly see everyone you want to buy for, as well as what you want to pick up for them. This can ensure that you don’t miss anything or leave anyone out. Note down gift ideas. This could be anything from kids’ toys to ham gifts for Christmas. It’s a good idea to really think about people’s preferences and interests when choosing gifts. Have they mentioned something they might like in recent months? Is there anything they enjoyed in the past and would like to try again? Gift cards are good for flexibility, as it gives the recipient more choice. Experiences are also a good option and can give people something to look forward to.

Seek Out Savings

Again, we are living through tough financial times at the moment, so you should take time to really shop around and find the best savings on anything you’re planning on buying. There are so many different ways to save this holiday season. Many stores are dropping prices and running sales, even though we’ve gone past Black Friday. You can often get some sort of discount for signing up for a store’s mailing list – there are usually forms on the site. You can ask to price match if you want to stick with a specific supplier but have found a better price elsewhere. Save wherever you can.

Keep Gift Receipts

It’s a good idea to get receipts for anything you buy, just in case you find that the gifts aren’t quite right. Sometimes, you can have the best intentions, but find that something doesn’t fit, isn’t quite right or that your loved one would simply prefer something else. Keeping receipts will allow them to trade anything incorrect or unwanted in for something that is right and that they’ll actually get some use from.

Put Effort Into Wrapping

Wrapping gifts is a huge element of gift-giving. It adds a touch of surprise and allows you to personalize the gift even further. Choose wrapping papers that your loved one will love. You can add bows and ribbons if you want to put the extra effort in. You should also make sure to affix tags to add a personal message.

Post in Time

There are different last post dates depending on where you’re sending your gifts. If you can’t see someone in person to give them their gift, you will need to post and it’s almost always best to post well in advance. This will give postal services a chance to get your gift to your loved one on time. Write addresses clearly and also make sure to put a return address on, in case it can’t be delivered. This will prevent the parcel from becoming lost and can ensure that it is returned to sender.

Each of the pieces of information above should really help you to plan, buy and deliver the best gifts this holiday season. There are plenty of options out there, but only you can know what’s best for your loved ones!