Next year will be different.  

Have you, like me, said that to yourself during the frenzy and chaos that characterizes the week before Christmas?

As Christian women, we so want the season to be worshipful and peaceful, but there’s just…so…much…to…do! And the bulk of it falls to us as the mom/wife/matriarch of the family.  

When it comes to preparing for anything – and especially Christmas – the earlier, the better. It may require the same amount of time to shop, buy, and wrap, but completing the gifting process earlier rather than later makes our giving more thoughtful and intentional. Perhaps most importantly, it also means less stress.  

As a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, I’ve served as the family Christmas kingpin – making sure the gift planning, shopping, buying, and wrapping happens – while also trying to do it as frugally as possible. Nothing gives this girl a rush like giving a gift that is spot-on for the personality and passion of my lovelies, while costing a fraction of what you’d expect. Following are my top ten Gift Giving tips, all gleaned from years of wearing the family Santa Hat at my house. 

1.  Think it through. 
   I know it may sound odd to see the first item on an action list to just think, but that’s precisely what I’m challenging you to do. If we rush to a website or a brick and mortar store, we will most likely shop aimlessly (and closer to Christmas, also frantically). Making the gift thoughtful and unique requires a bit of time and even prayer. Sometimes we are reluctant to pray for things that seem materialistic. If we desire to honor each of our lovelies with a gift that communicates not just our love for them, but also that we really know them, it will bring a blessing to each – and an even greater one to us, for “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
2. Grab that thought. 
   As you think it through, take time to pray it through. Pray for that specific loved one – celebrating her gifts, her unique personality, her passions and interests. Think about her hobbies, events of the past year, etc. As you take some time to think through and pray through for each of your precious ones, I’m convinced some gift ideas will spring forth. Capture them all! Put those thoughts down, so you don’t forget them. Even if you won’t buy it all now, you might refer to the list next Christmas (or for an upcoming birthday). 
3. Gather the specifics. 
   Check all current sizes – pants, shirt, dress, shoe, etc. These can change every year – even for adult children! Having them all recorded and available, will save time when you are shopping – and avoid the hassle of returning/exchanging later, as well.
4. Clicking trumps driving. 
   My millennial children even order granola bars and toothpaste online. It is indeed a huge time saver (and gas saver) to type www.-something-or-other in lieu of driving to multiple brick and mortar store fronts. Make yourself a cup of cinnamon tea, crank up the Christmas music, and start clicking! 
5. Window shopping. 
   Before we commit to purchasing, there’s lots of window shopping to be done. Cyber window shopping means we can compare items quickly and easily – but it also means we can quickly and easily forget where we saw what, which site had the best price, etc. It will be important to make notes and capture those websites we visit while browsing. Our window shopping may also be in ads that come in the mail. Every possibility need to be captured – keep the ad, bookmark the website, or take a quick snapshot if you happen to find a potential gift in a store.
6. Note return policies. 
   Many retailers offer a more lenient return policy during the holiday season. Be sure to ask (or look it up under FAQs online) before purchasing. It could vary considerably: two weeks, 30 days, 90 days, etc. The clock would typically start ticking at date of purchase, but some retailers extend it to begin on Christmas Day. When ordering online, you may also need to factor in return shipping.
7. Track your buys. 
   In the flurry of activity, it will be easy to forget what you bought – or what you intended to buy, but didn’t. I found a Christmas gift in March one year … just in time to wrap it up for my son’s birthday!
8. Corral your finds. 
   Not only do we need to remember we bought it but we also need to be able to find it come wrapping day. We intend to hide it from the recipient, but sometimes we’re so good at hiding that we even stump ourselves. Having a special holding place for all your Christmas purchases will save time when you are ready to wrap it all up. I like to set aside several hours for wrapping and do it all at once.  I made piles for each family member and eyeball it to ensure there is a “wow” for each, the number of gifts is even, etc. Wrapping time is the best time to watch my favorite Christmas movies, too.
9. Manage the money. 
   Decide before shopping what your budget will be. December joy should not bring January shock. If you are the spender in the marriage or if gift giving is your love language, you need to be even more diligent in setting healthy boundaries.  Discuss this with your spouse, set a budget, and then choose to respect it. If you buy in person, consider using the envelope method.  When the cash in the envelope is gone, shopping is over! 
    
   It may be over-the-top, but I also keep an Excel spreadsheet to track the amount I spend on each family member. For my children, I want everyone to open the same number of gifts, but I also want to spend approximately the same amount on each. Because I have honed my find-the-best-deal skills to an art form, I also track retail prices of each gift. If I snag a $60 sweater for $15, I may log it in at $30 on my “keep it even” spreadsheet.
10. Shop all year. 
    My last tip is one that extends beyond Christmas. I shop clearance sales and bargains all year long. It spreads out the Christmas spending. allowing our budget to absorb the extra expense more easily. (I do have a friend who prefers not to do this, saying it causes her to spend more. I share that caution so you will think through what works best for you and your family.) 

I hope a few of these will equip you to get a jump-start now so that you can enjoy Christmas when it comes! As extra help for your holiday gift planning, we’re sharing several downloads that will help you incorporate some of the ideas above.

The first allows you to record gift ideas for each person, as you see them while you’re window-shopping: Christmas Gift Idea Lists

The second is a handy record to keep current clothing and shoe sizes for your loved ones: Printable Size Record for Gift-Giving (Speaking as a grandmother, please be sure you fill out and send a copy to those who’ll be Christmas shopping for your kids. Our precious ones grow so quickly, and we won’t want to disappoint them by finding the perfect outfit … in a size that would have fit last year!)

Both are designed to print on an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper. Each PDF includes both a full-page version and also a smaller size that’s perfect for tucking into your wallet. Make multiple copies as needed. If you’re super organized, hole-punch the full-page versions to keep everything tucked away in a binder, adding pocket folders or page protectors to collect print ads and receipts.  

Let us know which of these tips you find helpful, or share some ideas that work at your house!