A month to go and it is Christmas! This is my all-time favorite time of the year. I grew up in a traditional family wherein Christmas is such a big deal. We go all out on lights and decor, attend the midnight masses and get really competitive with our gifts. Competitive in the sense that we really keep our gifts to each other a top secret until Christmas day. All these wonderful childhood memories brings me so much happiness.
In preparation for this joyous occasion, I would be sharing some tips on how you can make the most out of your (online) Christmas shopping. In this video you can also see some of my online purchases for the holidays this year (yes, I am almost done with my Christmas shopping!) plus a glimpse of our theme for the year!
Decorating our home and buying (and wrapping too!) are what I enjoy the most. Over the years, I already have this system that allows me to go stress-free on this very busy season for the moms like me. In 2019 I started shopping online for gifts and decor, and little did I know that it will come in handy in 2020! This year, I can say that I am organized which made me enjoy the whole experience!
In summary here are tips as to how I am always chill during the holidays:
- Set a budget – we take this seriously by having an excel worksheet! The budget starts with the bottom figure or the total amount we are willing to spend, then categorized into decor, gifts and festivities. This helps allocating easier.
- Make a list – I make a list of not just gives, but also decors to buy. This gives me control over my buying impulses especially when I see cute decors!
- Set a theme – having a theme limits my options. this proves to be very helpful especially because in online shopping, I can see a lot with just a click of a button. It is so easy to get distracted.
- Carefully choose sellers and suppliers. – as much as possible, we buy from small business or entrepreneurs. Giving out their products as gifts is a great way of helping them advertise and gain new customers. However, if buying in Lazada and Shopee are better options, I at least, choose local sellers.
- Read reviews, product descriptions and measurements
- Go for the quality, not for the brand.
- If possible, go eco-friendly.
- Enjoy the experience
I hope these tips will be of help to you. Having an system that works for me in this very busy season allows me to enjoy the experience. And because I am stress free, it gives me the chance to fully embrace and focus the meaning of the celebration, which is the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I hope you have a wonderful and peaceful Christmas with your loved ones!