# Are You A Last Minute Christmas Shopper?



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

It is almost that time of the yea again!  Five weeks to go from this post.

Are you a last minute Christmas shopper? Do you plan ahead when it comes to presents?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

No, I plan well ahead, I have some already


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Fortunately,we don't take part in the whole presents thing.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

As far as the meals go, I plan well ahead. John/Taggart does all the food shopping, and he's got it down to a fine art, totting up prices and comparing offers. He loves it - it's like a caveman's hunting expedition.

As for presents - unfortunately, after my father died, my mother instituted a 'no-presents' rule in our family, which still holds, so I voted for '_I do not shop for Christmas present_s'.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I don't have many presents to get so the process never needs to run along the lines of a well-planned military campaign (unlike the Operation Overkill blitzkrieg ruthlessly undertaken by retailers via the media as early as October - grrrr...). As what little I have to do includes a bit of on-line purchasing I normally like to have things signed sealed and delivered by mid Dec latest.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Though our family meetings aren´t that big, it usually takes 2-3 weeks for me to select the items. 

Sometimes, I´m on a travel abroad in early- or mid-December & find some of the presents there - in Prague, Germany, Istanbul, or Cracow, for example.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

I am random when it comes to buying presents. Sometimes I plan ahead, sometimes I don't.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

I tend to plan ahead. It works well because usually I just tag along with my sister to the mall to get everyone their Christmas gifts. Then, I'll go shopping with one of my parents to get my sister's gift.

My biggest struggle is telling people what I want. The older I get, the less things I really want. I usually just ask for a few books, maybe a movie, gift cards, and maybe sweaters and other clothing. But every year my mom hounds me for my list at Thanksgiving, since everyone in the family needs to know my list also. I've been working on that homework assignment as of late


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I'm the guy who has the store's door hit me on the heels at closing time on Christmas Eve.


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

I am, but _this_ year will be different! (I say, against all historical evidence.)

I only buy presents for immediate family so there's not much shopping to do. We also have a family tradition of writing little stories for each other (which I also do at the last minute), so the gifts are secondary, but I do buy something - generally books, CDs, or, less often, clothes.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I barely know what I want for Christmas still, and I need to ask around my relatives what they want.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

When I get stuck on presents, there is only wonderfully simple formula I use: I purchase a classical music CD for the receiver if appropriate or some other types of music they might enjoy. I usually end up borrowing that CD too.


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## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

I don't do Christmas shopping until December.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

There's no presents, not this Christmas...


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

By whose definition do we use the term "last minute" I refuse to buy into the notion that I have to buy a lot and start shopping weeks or months before Christmas. I usually start shopping a week before. I get done what I need. Is this last minute? Why do I have to watch those tedious news articles on local tv news about all the men and their last minute shopping?

Remember the good old days when Christmas was a happy time of year? Now we're told to shop early and shop often. 

My rant for the day.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Bah Humbug!! Well, not exactly ... Our family/clan is quite small these days with and our kids are ages 28,32 and 36; my wife and I have everything we need and usually get something that we both can use, or for the house in general. 

We usually send out Christmas cards to our friends and that is about it. The entire month of December is a very very busy time for me as a professional organist/accompanist between my normal church duties (extra rehearsals and additional services) and now the weekly rehearsals out of town in preparation for a Messiah performance on Dec 20th. 

But no, I don't "go out" to shop ... I am an arm chair shopper ... often able to find much better deals and get exactly what I want and it comes directly to my door.


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