merry holiday shopping tips

Holiday Shopping Tips by The Merrymaker

So, Happy December 1st my little chickens.  Can we believe it is already the last month of 2011?Crazy sauce.  As unprepared as I am for this bitter bitter cold, I am prepared to brave the wild world of holiday shopping.  I have a few tips I always abide by to get through the Yuletide shopping sprees getting the most for my money and finding perfect gifts for all my the little chickens on my list.
1. Make a list (EARLY!)A wise merrymaker should always have a genuine idea of what your chicken wants/loves/needs for Christmas.  Making an actual list helps you to prioritize and include everyone.  Don't forget to account for the Secret Santas either!  I shop early (March, anyone?) and I shop often for the holidays, because the best times for purchasing gifts are before the pre-holiday "sales"! Not to mention, the frugal merrymaker has more time to stretch the holiday budget this way!

2. Shop smart AND ONLINE!It may seem like an obvious choice in this day and age, BUT many people still trudge out to the department stores for a majority of their presents.  Shopping online not only gives you a greater selection (and variation) but your gifting research could save you buckets of quarters in the end!  I love shopping online because if you google your favorite store's promo codes, you stand a chance of greater savings than in-store.  Also, stay away from the credit cards, shopping early with cash is stress free!(Not So) Secret Merrymaker Tip:  Holidays often prompt stores to offer free shipping BUT if you're shopping early...many online stores have a "Ship To Store:  FREE" option.  I do this ALL THE TIME!  No matter the item, forking over the $7-10+ for shipping really irks me.
(Half time break! CHEERS!)

click for recipe, serious yumminess.
3.  Personal and homemade optionsTo save money, consider gifting the angels on your list with handmade gifts. Give from the heart! Take the iPad out of your online shopping car and make your own gifts.Your sister will love the sparkly shoe clips and your mom will cry tears of happiness with her handmade Christmas ornament from her grandkids. It really isn't about the price of the presents after all, is it?

4. Enjoy your family time!The best Christmas time at our house was the year we were gifted Catchphrase, and after that there was no stopping us!  I mean- what makes a better gift, than something the whole family can use together!?  If board games are not your style, the whole Harry Potter series is out on blu-ray :)

Thanks for reading up on my holiday tips.  After all, I want all of you to make it to 2012 in one piece.