Published in Let’s Go with Ryanair December 2013
IN 5 MINUTES… ACE YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
US squillionaire Jeff Bezos’ mighty Amazon empire has turned Christmas shopping into a breeze. An admittedly soulless breeze, perhaps, but in the time it takes to down a cuppa, every single entry on your gift list can be quietly ticked off as bargain after bargain tumbles into your virtual basket.
Job done. But are we missing the point? Shouldn’t Christmas be about seeking out a special gift that will leave the recipient giddy with delight?
Duda Jadrijevic, founder of life organising website dudadoes.com, is a personal shopping expert. She thinks that the effort you put in will be worth it. “Thoughtfulness is an absolute winner,” she says, “you should allow yourself time to think what makes another person tick.” If you’re nodding along in agreement, remembering Christmas shopping trips of old (throw in some snow and carol singers for good measure), Duda reckons that you’d do well to prepare yourself before heading back to the shops. “There’s no point in leaving without a shopping list with presents allocated to each person,” she says. “If you can’t think of any, write down a budget for that person and two or three hobbies or things they like.”
If you don’t want to do it all in one go, follow Duda’s tip to try to get two presents during your lunch break or after work each day? In a working week, that could be 10 gifts sorted – and don’t forget to ask staff to wrap them.
If all else fails and you do find yourself staring blankly at a computer screen, try some new websites. Duda highly recommends notonthehighstreet.com and thegoodwebguide.co.uk, whose shopping section is a portal to some delightful little stores. “People postpone Christmas shopping,” Duda says, “but postponing leads to stress, pressure, hectic buying and, as a result, more expensive gifts and less choice.”
You have been warned!
Checklist
✓ Plan ahead – if you leave it too late it will ramp up the stress factor
✓ Try and make gifts meaningful by writing down recipients’ interests
✓ Ask staff to wrap your gifts to save you hassle later on
✓ Seek out unusual gift stores online