When surveyed 27% of mums said they start their Christmas shopping in the January sales and buy presents throughout the year (according to a survey commissioned by HEXBUG UK).
Who are these mums?
Don’t worry though, 51% of mums also admitted to frantically buying presents in December. I know which of those categories I fall into.
It’s not that I don’t think about Christmas until December, it’s more that I don’t have time so put it off until I really have to do it.
It would be so lovely to have a day all to myself, to leisurely go Christmas shopping and get everything done in one go. Unfortunately, when you work it’s that not easy. And when you work and have kids it’s impossible – I use all of my annual leave up by the end of the summer holidays so there are no days left for luxuries like shopping!
So how do you get all of the Christmas shopping done if you’re at work all the time?
Here’s my working mum’s guide to Christmas shopping…
Midnight Online shopping
I do most of my shopping online and by the time the bedtime routine is done, dinner eaten, house tidied, and work & school stuff for the next day is sorted, I find myself up at midnight scouring the internet for the best prices on My Little Pony tat.
Parcel Collections
You might try and save delivery costs by getting the parcels delivered to the stores like I did. What I forgot was that I’m at work with no lunch break every day, so the only time I have to collect the parcels is after the school run with a tired 5 year old in tow. Even if you do pay the delivery charges you’re then not in to receive the parcels anyway so have to rush to the post office before it closes.
Late Night Food Shop
Normally I do my grocery shopping online, but at Christmas you can’t risk the food shop turning up with missing items so it’s much safer to go and get your sprouts yourself, even if this means doing it when you’d rather be in bed. Unless you’re a crazy person do not attempt to do the Christmas food shop with a child, it’ll only end in tears. Probably yours.
If All Else Fails – Get Gift Tokens
If you really have left it until the last minute then gift tokens are definitely the way forward. You can get them all in the supermarket in one go – toy shop vouchers for kids, iTunes vouchers for teenagers, clothing vouchers for the girls, Amazon vouchers for boys, and restaurant vouchers for couples. Done!
Christmas Eve Wrapping
When you work there are no child-free moments in during the day to get things like present wrapping done. The last thing I feel like doing in the evening is wrapping presents, so every year I end up spending the evening of Christmas Eve doing some last minute wrapping. My tips based on previous years – if you’re also a Christmas Eve wrapper, make sure you have enough sellotape and wrapping paper!
I’m stressed just thinking about it all! How are you getting on with your Christmas shopping? Good luck!
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I don’t know how those people who shop in January do it? I adore Christmas, but once it is over I don’t want to have to think about it for at least another 10 months! I thankfully don’t work full time anymore, though when I did I used to save up at least a day of my annual leave to run around the shops then and get it all done in one day. It was manic and I wouldn’t recommend that to anyone. Midnight internet shopping is definitely the way forward! #sharingthebloglove
Hi, nice to that I’m not the only one who does the same with gift shopping. Late night on line shopping is essential as is parcel collection, Chloe http://://pinkiebag.com/ #SundayBlogShare
Oh gosh, I’m definitely a December shopper! And nearly all online too, can’t remember the last time I braved the shops for any Christmas bits. I think I’m nearly there now, but haven’t wrapped a single thing – planning to have a late night wrapping session at some point this week! Thanks so much for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove – and best of luck with the rest of your preparation!
There is always plan b and that being gift vouchers, no point getting stressed X #kcacols
Gah! Who are these crazies in the 27%??? I’m insanely jealous. I’m a big fan of the late night food shop but I don’t think I could cope with leaving the wrapping until Christmas eve! lol #KCACOLS
January sod that! That’s for me and the sales. I’m hastily wrapping on Christmas Eve, Amazon delivers daily to my house, and when I was in the UK Ocado was my go to app! #SharingtheBlogLove
Starting in January? I don’t think I could bear that! I have only just started. Online shopping is the way to go that is for sure, a quick browse in my lunch break each day should work a treat – now I just need to remember to actually do that or I will be doing last minute panic buying – eek! #sharingthebloglove
hehe I do buy something in January but not usually presents. more wrapping paper and half price cards! I like shopping late and I like wrapping under the tree with a glass of wine. I call it festive – not disorganised 😉 #KCACOLS
I am an online shopper for 90% of my christmas shopping, I just get a few bits in the shops mainly stocking fillers. We’ve just moved house and I am very behind with everything and really need to start getting sorted, eek!!! Thank you for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove x
This year I am so disorganised and will be mostly doing all my shopping on line tomorrow as its my only day off before Christmas Eve. Good job I work well under pressure! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday X
All of this is just SO true. I have no idea how people buy gifts in the January sales? My kids’ tastes change every fortnight? I’d probably buy them a load of stuff they didn’t want or need by December.
I thought I’d been really organised and ordered all my presents online in November, only to spend the next 3 weeks chasing lost parcels and incompetent couriers. I’ve only just received the final one!
There will be some last minute shopping on the 23rd as I need to wait until payday before I can go any further and don’t even get me started on wrapping. I am DETERMINED this year to not be wrapping at midnight on Christmas Eve, but we’ll see…
And i”ve not written a single Christmas card yet.