For those of you like me who still have some, or all, or your Christmas shopping to do, here are a few tips and ideas that should help you ‘git er done’ before jolly Ole St. Nick takes to the air.
First, last minute shopping requires a certain mindset or philosophy: understand going in that you are likely to encounter crowds and potentially long lines. If you accept this from the beginning and anticipate it, you are less likely to become frustrated and upset. If you find yourself stuck in a long line, rather than digging out your smart phone and sending a text message, try striking up a friendly conversation with someone standing near you. This will help pass the time, and you might actually make a new friend. If you’re uptight, meditate before you go out into the crowds, and then, once there, remember to breathe.
If you don’t know what to buy, try putting together a homemade gift basket. You can buy a simple basket at any major department store and then fill it with all kinds of small gifts and treats! Fancy coffees, imported chocolates, earrings, DVDs and lots of other fun gifts can be used to fill up your gift basket.
If you’re low on cash, how about giving the gift of yourself! Such gifts are both personal and easy to execute on a deadline. Take a few minutes and create some colorful “coupons” for services you can provide in the weeks after the holiday season. Some good ideas include coupons for an amazing multi-course meal, yard work services, pet-care services, romantic massages, car repairs, painting and other handyman services around the house.
Finally, if you are shopping in the final days leading up to Christmas, the crowds can get quite large, but if you do your shopping during the daytime, the crowds will be smaller than at night. If you are heading out into the big crowds, be sure to leave unnecessary credit cards and cash at home, as pick-pockets can prey on busy last minute shoppers. Happy shopping and Merry Christmas from Davis Law Group!