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The Ultimate Checklist for Planning Amazing Christmas Gifts

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Planning Christmas gifts ahead of the Christmas frenzy can help spare time and money. See our ultimate checklist for planning Christmas gifts to help start you getting on with this year’s job.

With only three months until Christmas is upon us once again, now is the time to tick planning Christmas gifts off your list, or you may find the big day sneaking up quicker than a seagull to a chip.

Planning Christmas gifts ahead of the silly season can help spare the chaos of last-minute shopping frenzies and can often turn out more budget-friendly too. And another bonus of planning Christmas gifts in advance is sparing time to shop the Christmas sales for yourself! Need we really say much more?

So, to help make this year’s Christmas shopping a smooth-sailing affair, our Christmas gift gurus have put together the ultimate checklist for planning Christmas gifts.

The Gifting Gurus’ Guide for Planning Christmas Gifts

Two Months to Go (by the end of October)

By this time of the year, you should have a fairly good idea of who you would like to provide Christmas gifts to. Whether you have started or not, we recommend that you finish planning recipients on your Christmas gift list by the end of October.

Who?

  • List the people who you would like to shop for.
  • Include family members, friends and others, such as teachers and neighbours, and don’t forget Perfect Christmas Gifts and Decorations for your lucky fur babies.
  • And if you are in charge of buying gifts for yourself (on behalf of your kids, for example), remember to add that to the list.

How much?

Set yourself a realistic budget for planning Christmas gifts.

  • To help set a budget, check out some Christmas gifts online to get a good idea on costs.
  • With an overall figure in mind, how will you split that budget? Do you want an equal value for each recipient, less/more for the kids, etc.?
  • Remember to add a little extra to cover the costs for gift wrapping, packaging and cards. If your budget is tight, consider making your own cards and gift wrapping to save some money.

* Tip: craft Christmas cards by using leftover cardboard from kids’ projects, stick a family Christmas photo or a lovely painting from your child on the front, and finish by neatly jotting a personal message inside. And for some homemade gift wrapping ideas, think about repurposing fabrics, tablecloths, ribbons, kids’ drawings, etc. to turn into unique gift wrap.

What?

Brainstorming is a great way to ensure that you are planning Christmas gifts with gentle thought, avoiding any impulse buying or wasting money on junk gifts that won’t be appreciated.

  • Beside each of your recipient names, jot down ideas for gifts they might like within your allocated budget.
  • List as many gift ideas that you can come up with for each person.
  • When you are comfortable that you have planned Christmas gifts appropriate for your recipients, cull your ideas or place them into priority order. This way you can fall back on a gift idea if one is proving difficult to source.
  • If you’re planning to give any Homemade Christmas Gifts, remember to factor purchasing extra materials and crafting times into your list.
  • Make careful consideration of gifts for recipients who may have to receive their Christmas gifts by a third party (mail, courier, online voucher, etc.). Will the item travel well and safe, or for reasonable cost, or are you better selecting something else?

Six Weeks to Go (by mid-November)

Where?

By this time, you should have a list of options for sourcing the Christmas gifts for each recipient on your well-planned Christmas gift list.

  • Finish off buying and collating your gifts.
  • If purchasing gifts online, and especially if they are sourced outside of Australia, leave more time for ordering and shipping. You can help to avoid any potential worry by shopping and supporting Australian businesses.
  • Perhaps you’re purchasing personalised Christmas gifts; keep in mind the business’ turnaround time and order in advance to mitigate stress from shipping delays.

Three Weeks to Go (by the end of November)

How?

When your planned Christmas gifts are ordered, purchased, and delivered, preferably by the end of November; package and gift wrap them, or send them off to their destination.

We believe that gift wrapping is part of the wonderful experience of giving and receiving a gift. Think about how you will present your well-thought-out Christmas gifts. How much effort do you want to put into the presentation?

  • Do you prefer gift bags, gift wrap, or unique gift wrapping with textiles like fabric or burlap?
  • Do you have a ‘theme’ for gift wrapping this year; for e.g., bright fun colours, coastal hues, or perhaps you’re considering pretty pastels.
  • Fragile items will need further attention to keep them protected, even if only stored under your Christmas tree. Do you have bubble wrap or extra packing on hand for this?
  • If transporting your gifts elsewhere on Christmas Day, what will you need to pack them in to travel safe? Perhaps you’re driving to your recipients addresses and delivering the gifts to their front door. To ultimately ensure their safe arrival, we recommend placing smaller wrapped gifts in a gift box or bag, and larger in a Santa Sack or storage tub, then securing them in your car.

* Tip: for some handy pointers on delivering gifts through the mail, see ‘posting the perfect Christmas gift

Instead of planning Christmas gifts at the last minute, save the lead up to Christmas for focusing on family time and creating wonderful memories during the holiday season. A strategic, well-planned approach to festivities will help to ensure a stress-free and well-organised Christmas for you this year. Happy gifting!

Check out The Christmas Cart for a wonderful range of articles to assist with planning the perfect stress-free Christmas, and access our online shop for your Christmas gifting needs, ready for delivery straight to your door.