Is It Ever Too Early to Buy Christmas Presents?

You may feel that every year Christmas arrives earlier than ever, and in some ways, you are right. Yes, Christmas Day is celebrated on the 25th of December (by most of us), but the planning and present buying begin far, far earlier, and with good reason.

It’s always to be prepared for the worst when it comes to present buying and this year has a few more road bumps to negotiate than most (and we’ll go into these issues later on). Even a simple walk down your local high street will no doubt signal to you that the festivities are on the horizon.

There are no doubt a few Christmas trees in place in your local mall, and your next-door neighbor has probably swapped their Halloween display for one more relevant to the holidays that are now just a few short weeks away.

Shopping Online

No doubt a great deal of your shopping is now taking place online, and that makes perfect sense given the size and scope of what you can find via the internet, as opposed to being restricted by the stores in your vicinity. In some markets, this has the added bonus of being far cheaper.

Take online jewelry shopping as an example; buying a great personalized name necklace, such as the classic designs here, is much more amenable online than in a physical store and not just in terms of cost.

The range of individual items you can find far outstrips what you might see in a local jeweler, and this is the same for a number of other markets and industries.

There is also the added benefit of shopping for gifts at online locations that offer all manner of presents, and not just for a specific niche, in other words the likes of Amazon and eBay, where the choice is frankly pretty much infinite.

While it’s true that shopping in your local stores is good for the economy of your hometown or city, in reality it’s not an environment that is conducive to shoppers seeking to find the best deal for their hard-earned money.

Planning Ahead

It’s always good to plan ahead. Start to think about what your friends and loved ones truly want for Christmas, and then take note of that long list of items. Shop around and find the price point that suits your budget and order early. The nearer you get to early December, or even later, the more likely the item you want will be out of stock.

Don’t risk disappointment, as it may well end up causing a few issues in your home around the holidays. No one wants to be the one handing a present to a member of your family and then seeing their face when it turns out to be the wrong gift.

Taking Into Account Delivery Times

The most common mistake Christmas shoppers make when shopping online is underestimating or ignoring delivery times. Check what the policy of your chosen store is and confirm with their customer service if you are unsure.

If the shop you wanted to order from can’t commit to delivery ahead of the holidays, then simply find one that does. You are in a buyers market, and there are always other places you can find your chosen item, and therefore you don’t have to settle for anything. Don’t settle for conditions that don’t suit you, and if that means paying a little more to guarantee prompt delivery, then it’s well worth paying the extra.

Coronavirus and Truck Driver Shortage

2024 may present additional challenges for Christmas shoppers. Be aware that though the coronavirus situation is more hopeful than last year, there are still issues that can affect your Christmas shopping experience.

Then factor in the worldwide truck driver shortage that is severely hampering the delivery of any items, and you can be sure the issue will be exacerbated during the holidays when the number of packages being delivered clearly spikes.

Buy Now, and You Might Find Out of Season Bargains

Shops, both online and off, know that we are willing to spend more around Christmas, and that means they raise their prices accordingly. However, if you choose to shop for gifts in November, then you may well find that stores are having special sales in the run-up to their busy periods.

You may well find that shopping early could therefore save you money and mean you get what you want.

Save All The Fuss and Anguish

Shopping ahead of time also helps you to avoid the mad rush that comes from leaving things to the last minute. You don’t want to be that customer who’s running around department stores on Christmas Eve because they’ve forgotten to get their Christmas shopping done early.

Think of the calm and serene feeling you’ll achieve if by mid-December everything’s been bought and is safely under the tree, leaving you to enjoy the season’s cheer properly.

So in answer to our initial question, Is it ever too early to buy Christmas presents? The answer is a resounding emphatic, no!