Stop, don't close this window - I promise not to condone presents being bought and wrapped by Hallowe'en. I was a little reluctant to confess how early I start thinking about Christmas until I came across a family who made their Kris Kindle draw on August 15th (I won't name you this year but, you know who you are!) This puts me in the positively "slow off the mark" category so I am now happy to tell you my Christmas preparations start in September but all I do is start a list, I don't even complete it.
I have made a list of all the presents I need to buy. Family, friends, colleagues, creche staff, presents for regular charity appeals etc. with a space for a gift idea for each. Now there's a place for all the fleeting gift ideas which if not written down are nowhere to be found in early December, when you're standing in a crowded shop resorting to an unoriginal idea which isn't really personal.
I don't need to pluck these ideas from thin air, you'd be amazed the hints people drop unconciously, telling you about something they saw in the shops or an item that they're dying to replace. Book reviews on the radio (I heard one last week that will be perfect for someone) are a useful source of ideas and gorgeous gifts I received myself during the year can be an inspiration too, (not re-gifting, I do buy another one!) Ideal Home magazine and similar will publish their Christmas specials nice and early and they're worth keeping an eye out for. Once the daily papers are doing stocking filler features it's all a bit last minute.
Try it, find an A4 sheet names down one side and present ideas down the other - it really does make life easier.
Word of warning: if you do make an early purchase mark it clearly on the list and write down where you've put it. Nothing more annoying than hiding something successfully from yourself - been there, done that and it's an expensive mistake!
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