It’s Never too Early to Start Planning Your Thanksgiving Gift Shopping: Five Tips to a Great Holiday Season

Are you one of those people who leave things to the last minute and then find that you’ve run out of time? This kind of mindset may, at first, be endearing but can also ultimately lead you to alienate and anger friends and family, especially if this is the way you plan your gift buying for the holidays and other major events.

Some find that buying presents can be a real chore and may even be scared stiff about either buying the wrong present or not having a clue about what the recipient wants. It’s understandable that such anxieties can occur; after all, when you give a gift, you want the person receiving the present to light up with joy. 

Often, if a present is limp or just not at all relevant to the person you are buying for, the best you’ll get is a forced smile and the dreaded line ‘Thanks, you shouldn’t have.’ This sentence is far too often used when the present that has been given is just plain wrong. You need to avoid this like the plague.

Summer is pretty much over, and that means the holidays are on the horizon. Remember that it’s never too early to start planning your gift shopping for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Here are some tips and hints to make sure you are well prepared for the festive season.

Shop Online

It’s 2022; if you are not the majority of your gift shopping online, then you may well have to start to modernize your lifestyle. Buying gifts online is infinitely easier than going on a rampage in a mall at the height of the season. Additionally, on the whole, it’s far less expensive to buy via the internet, even when you factor in delivery costs.

One other reason to buy online is the fact that some industries are just far less pricey when you compare those prices with what you’d pay in person at a local store. Take, for instance, the jewelry industry. The costs skyrocket when you look to buy items at a local jeweler, but when bought online, the savings are massive.

So this year, why not buy a stylish name necklace for your loved one and while doing so, you’ll feel the warmth inside that comes from knowing you’ve saved a fortune by doing so. 

The scope and size of the options available when buying online are pretty much limitless and put your local mall to shame. One tip, though, is always to do your research and make sure that the online store you visit is legit and double-check the delivery time-frame, especially if you leave things until the last minute (like you always do). 

Plan Ahead

Which brings us neatly to planning. There’s no prize for those who dawdle or just don’t get around to gift buying. In the end, if you get rush buys or forget entirely, then the person who is supposed to get a thoughtful, timely gift now gets something of an afterthought, and believe us when we say it, that individual will remember.

A few weeks before the event you need to buy presents for, such as Thanksgiving, put a reminder in your phone or diary. Start thinking early, and if you want to help with your budgeting, also start to put money aside every week; that way, the overall expense of the season won’t shock or horrify you.

Make a list, Santa style, of the people you want to buy presents for, and you could even put it in order of priority. Husband and wife near the top, work colleagues who you don’t like near the bottom.

If you start the process early, then you’ll avoid panic buying, and the anxiety of the process will be greatly lessened. 

Ask Them What They Want

Does the thought of getting the wrong gift, again, leave you with chills? Is it something that keeps you up at night? Then we have one simple solution, so simple you will wonder why you never thought of it yourself. How about just asking what they want?

Again, this approach is entirely appropriate for Thanksgiving, more so than if you are buying your partner a birthday present. Here you can be direct, and in doing so, you’ll make things so much easier.

Here we’d advise you to start early, maybe next time you have a family member over for dinner, ask them in a roundabout way what is missing in their lives, and with any luck, they’ll inform you of an item they’d really like, and not give you an answer that revolves around their doomed love life or the state of the planet. 

Functional Is Good

This is specifically with Thanksgiving in mind and not for romantic anniversaries. We find that practical and functional gifts are a good option to consider for this holiday. It’s a good chance to be more down to earth. 

For instance, it’s a good idea for families to think about what they need around the house, especially if they are hosting you all for the holidays. Some people prefer buying this kind of present as it’s a bit more straightforward than trying to second guess what people like or even having to be creative. 

Always Reward the Host

If you are not hosting this year, then make sure that you reward those who are. Of all the presents you get for Thanksgiving, make sure that chief among your gift recipients are the hosts. It can be a very trying time for those who have to plan out how to entertain a large crowd, and it will have taken a long time to prepare. So why not get them a great gift? 

Maybe a subscription to a great wine club; after all, once the holidays are over and they assess the damage and cool down after their hard work, they may well need a glass or two of fine wine.