All About Christmas

The saying that goes, ‘The early bird catches the worm,’ is in part true for those who get Christmas shopping off to an early start before the season actually begins. Most of us however, are likely to be average shoppers who wait until that time when the season officially begins. Maybe we don’t have any time before then and we have to wait for a day off from work after Thanksgiving. Or maybe we simply procrastinate and can’t get going until the frenzy starts or until when the stores are all fully decorated and Christmas songs and Carols are playing non-stop to put the thrill and magic into the festive season that is Christmas.

Average Christmas holiday shoppers go out in force and are primarily motivated by the sales that occur during the official Christmas shopping season. These shoppers fully believe they are getting good prices and bargains from Christmas and holiday sales. But it is unlikely that retailers will offer the lowest prices during a time that is prime shopping season.

The lesson for the average and for all shoppers during the traditional Christmas shopping season is to carefully evaluate prices and consider if the item is fairly priced when compared to a the price during other times of the year. If items are simply snapped up during Christmas and the holidays because they are being offered in a ‘sale,’ the shopper may end up busting his or her budget or having ‘buyers regret’ about a purchase.

Those who are average and early shoppers have some time however to get over any unwise purchases because such purchases can be returned and a better choice can be made.

There is however another type of shopper. The late or chronically late shopper is stuck with hoping that ‘Aunt Sally’ or Grandma will like the gift selected, even if the buyer had second thoughts about it after the purchase was made. The late shopper is one who realizes that there us a mere five (5) days – less than a week to go – before Christmas and not a single gift has been bought.

Worse off than the late shopper is the chronically late Christmas shopper who is in a mad frenzy two (2) days before Christmas and faces a crisis when a desired gift such as a book has to be ordered and won’t be shipped in time for Christmas.

While those shoppers can get comfort from knowing they will likely benefit from the lowest markdowns of the period, they will also find scanty selections and some items, primarily clothing, that appear a bit worn from all the looking over and handling done by the hordes of Christmas shoppers. But even these late shoppers, who are often procrastinators and who can only be spurred into action by a looming deadline, can execute a strategy to make their Christmas shopping successful. Such a strategy involves more don’ts than things to do.

Late Christmas shoppers should try to avoid having lists that have unusual or hard-to-get items that will need to be ordered. While retailers will offer shipping in time for Christmas, orders usually have to be made before a certain time, for example at least 36-72 hours before Christmas. If items aren’t ordered within that timeframe, there is no guarantee that they will arrive for the big day.

Those who do their Christmas shopping late should also be prepared to find items on their own in stores and not expect to get ‘hand-holding help’ from sales clerks. With only days to go before Christmas and with everyone trying to get their last minute shopping done, it is impossible for most retailers to have enough staff to offer expert or even meaningful help to please the majority of Christmas shoppers.

Soon after the excitement of Christmas Day passes, what frequently is the topic of conversations and what remains memorable in the New Year, is what gifts were received and given. So, in the coming days, it may be worth it to assess the type of shopper that you are and create a plan and strategy to make sure you will be a perfect Santa who will deliver the right gifts to friends and loved ones.

Tags: christmas gifts, presents, shopping
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Many radio stations have started playing Christmas songs so early in November in the past few years that one wonders if we may soon start hearing Christmas songs around Halloween time. That would be a bit weird, even creepy perhaps. But some early Christmas shoppers likely will have Christmas Carols silently playing in their heads even before then.

That’s because shopping, much like Santa Claus, is a staple of Christmas. Santa never gives away any secrets to shopping for all those gifts, but he must certainly have a strategy to be so successful every Yuletide season. The early Christmas shopper is someone who is very organized and has a strategy to fulfill Christmas shopping before the season kicks into high gear.

The day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, is the official retail start to a shopping season that is always hoped to be a robust one. The strategy of retailers is to advertise Christmas sales, specials, pre-Christmas markdowns, giveaways, special-hour sales and other promotions. The reason for the frenzy of retail advertising during Christmas season is because it is the single biggest shopping time of the year. Christmas shopping that begins the day after Thanksgiving accounts for well over half – with some estimates of up to 70% — of annual revenue for stores.

Since retailers clearly have a strategy for Christmas shoppers seeking the perfect gift, then shoppers also need to implement their own strategy.

The savvy and early Christmas shopper is the one who may start silently singing Christmas Carols and songs very early to get in gear for shopping. Starting from as early as the beginning of October, the early Christmas shopper can begin to make lists of gifts and begin browsing to check the availability, variety, and most important, the price of items.

By browsing before the Christmas shopping season officially kicks off, the early Christmas shopper is more likely to get more bargains, better prices, and is also better able to do comparison shopping when the season officially kicks off. It’s important to know that retailers won’t offer true ‘rock bottom’ or ‘close-out’ sales, or the very lowest prices during Christmas sales. It’s also important to remember that retailers are likely to offer earlier sales starting in early October to near mid-November.

Two significant pre-Christmas sales are for Columbus Day, which falls on Monday, Oct. 9, and Veterans Day, which will be on Saturday Nov. 11. The early Christmas shopper who already has gifts in mind can benefit from price markdowns during both sales periods. And of course the early Christmas shopper will also have the benefit of shopping during the season, therefore extending the thrill and joy of shopping.

If there is any disadvantage to being an early Christmas shopper and doing Christmas shopping very early, it is that some retailers, particularly makers and sellers of toys, wait until the official start of the season to introduce some new items into stores. The strategy in doing this is to build anticipation for a new toy that they hope will be very popular and to also target and capture a larger majority of shoppers.

During every Christmas season there always is one, or maybe two toys, that are regarded as the ‘must-have’ toys for Christmas. And it has become a present-day phenomenon for shoppers to arrive from the wee hours in the morning to get a prime spot near the doors of some stores so that they can be among the first in those stores to make a mad dash for the ‘hot’ toy of the season.

But being doing or starting Christmas shopping early does not mean that it has to be over before the Christmas shopping season starts. What it means is that most or a significant part of your shopping will be done by the time Black Friday rolls around. What is most important to making an early start to your Christmas shopping is to get the best deal and to do so with as little hassle as possible, by avoiding a crowded store for example. Both of those will be accomplished for those who are organized and motivated to get into the spirit of Christmas before the season really begins.

Tags: chisrtmas gifts, early chisrtmas shopping, start early
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Nov. 24 – Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving, you have time off from work and it’s the official start of the Christmas season and of Christmas shopping. Stores are open 3-4 hours earlier and they close later. Holiday sales begin, it’s the first time that some items will be available. but definitely won’t be among the crazies up at 4am to get to the top of the line to make some wild dash for the $99 flat-screen television or the Crazy Elmo toy. (Black Friday is the second single biggest shopping day for retailers and got its name because in the days of old so much shopping was done on this day that it would turn the tide for many stores and put them in the black, or, make them profitable.)

Dec. 2 – First Saturday in December – weekends are important because it means free time to shop. The early holiday and Christmas shopper should be more than halfway through shopping list. Average shoppers are just starting to browse.

Dec. 3 – First Sunday – weekend Christmas shopping can be done but stores close the usual earlier time on Sundays.

Dec. 7 – Pearl Harbor Day – it isn’t recognized by most but is very important to war veterans. The President usually gives a speech to a Veterans group and lays a wreath in honor of those who died on Pearl Harbor Day and in World War II.

Dec. 9 – Second Saturday – only two full weeks to go before Christmas. Where did the time go and where did the year go? To your disguised annoyance, you are starting to hear the ubiquitous phrase, ‘Finished all your Christmas shopping yet?’ Christmas shopping has to pick up speed or panic will set in. You are running out of time to enjoy some quality Christmas entertainment with your family.

Dec. 10 – Second Sunday – go to church if you haven’t been attending so that you won’t look like a ‘Christmas only attendee.’ Need to squeeze in some shopping and must start sending out Christmas greeting cards this week.

Dec. 16 – Third Saturday, First Day of Hanukkah – it’s unbelievable that there’s only one full week to go before Christmas. Make supermarket shopping list for Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner preparations.

Dec. 17 – Third Sunday – exactly one week before Christmas. Make sure Christmas toys and presents in hiding are still undiscovered. Make final plans for family dinner on Christmas Day.

Dec. 21 – Oh dear me!!! Only three days to go before Christmas. Do last minute planning, get as many chores as possible out of the way, finish all Christmas and supermarket shopping. Assign final preparatory tasks to family members as necessary. Go over plans for Christmas Dinner.

Dec. 22 – First Day of Winter – My goodness!! you still have shopping to do!!? You dread going to the mall this weekend. Pray for a miracle to find one of those needle in a haystack salesperson who will hold hand and get you 95% through your Christmas shopping list.

Dec. 23 – Last Saturday before Christmas – Now The Single Biggest Shopping Day of the Year!!!! The mall is absolutely crazy and there are no sales people anywhere. It’s a zoo everywhere – on the roads, in the supermarket, even at the gas station people are honking, hollering at the gas attendant to pump faster! But you know what – stopped at my favorite pastry store and was in and out in a nanosecond – there was no line!!

Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve – downtown is glorious, everything is so splendid and magical. will go to Midnight Mass. Christmas is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!!!

Tags: 12 days of christmas shopping, christmas shopping
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