My strategy is simple... Online deals from Woot, Amazon, and other various sites... then figure out who I forgot and if I have to go to the store I do it the first week of December.

Every year our drill is the same.

Thanksgiving: My wife and I assign gift-purchasing responsibilities and I get assigned approximately 70% of the recipients for which we need to buy gifts

December 1: I am done with my share, including the wrapping

December 23: My wife informs me that she is "almost done, but not completely" and asks if I can help her out. I assume responsibility for about 50% of her original load.

I get lots of stuff at garage sales, thrift stores, super Woot! deals all year long (I have a box for the stuff that I simply pick stuff from early December then spend more than the stuff cost in the first place to ship it everywhere (my family is scattered from Maine to California), 9 grandkids. I also make sure to help Santa find me JUST WHAT I WANTED by getting it myself !

When buying gifts became a chore instead of a pleasure, I said "screw it." Everyone in our family has everything they need. If they need a present to know I care about them, that's messed up and I need to do a better job day-to-day.

If I come across something that is perfect for someone, I might get it for them, but only if I'm going to be in the same room when they open the gift. Otherwise, I might as well send money. Which is damn funny, because money and gift cards are exactly what several relatives have sent in recent years.

mesa50 wrote:When buying gifts became a chore instead of a pleasure, I said "screw it." Everyone in our family has everything they need. If they need a present to know I care about them, that's messed up and I need to do a better job day-to-day.

If I come across something that is perfect for someone, I might get it for them, but only if I'm going to be in the same room when they open the gift. Otherwise, I might as well send money. Which is damn funny, because money and gift cards are exactly what several relatives have sent in recent years.

Agree 100%

We "adopt" a family in need for the holidays in lieu of giving gifts to each other. I've been looking but have not gotten anything for the kids or parents yet -- tough group this year. It's so much easier to help out families with young children.

I have lots of Woot! stocking-stuffers. Now I have to divide them up and figure out who I have missed. Then more shopping.

PocketBrain wrote:I have lots of Woot! stocking-stuffers. Now I have to divide them up and figure out who I have missed. Then more shopping.

I like this process of yours.

michael1211 wrote:My strategy is simple... Online deals from Woot, Amazon, and other various sites... then figure out who I forgot and if I have to go to the store I do it the first week of December.

Exactly what I'm doing this year!

12yrs ago the family decided Christmas had gotten too commercial and was an exercise in futility--the spirit was gone. Instead of accumulating more unnecessary "stuff" we give the gift of memories (I know, gag me) and take a family vacation during the holiday. When you add up all the costs (gifts, decorations, gas, time, stress, returning gifts...), we figured it doesn't cost that much more and we spend much more time together having fun.

schni wrote:Agree 100%

ditto for me!

Naturally, again this year, I was the only nice person on the list. Everyone else will get their annual lump of coal!

Thankfully, Woot and Amazon allow me to procrastinate up until:

Now - ((the time it takes to ship the items) + (time spent wrapping) + (time to sneak presents under the tree with everyone else's)) - (time until presents are opened).

I think my math is right...