Christmas comes once a year, and boy, does it make an impression whilst it stays. We go all out to celebrate it: decorating the house from top to bottom in shiny decorations and colourful lights, baking cakes and cookies you don’t get at any other time of the year, drinking some raw egg with a bit of alcohol mixed in… There’s a lot of traditions we keep to, and there’s a few of them that just don’t seem to make sense!

But the one we all love to practice year by year is the act of gift giving. We want to give our loved ones a nice present that they’re going to love, and when November rolls around, we start getting into the Christmas spirit. But, why wait that long? Why not go out and start collecting your gifts ahead of time? Did you hear about the mother who started shopping on Boxing Day, and has finished all of her shopping by Leon Day? 

Buying your Christmas gifts in the summer time can seem like a waste of your time and money, but it’s actually an excellent idea that more people should try out! And why is that? Well, we’ve listed some of the many benefits below, so read on if you need just a bit more convincing.

It Doesn’t Cost as Much

Christmas is one of the most expensive times of the year, and it’s a time a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck fear. How do you get enough presents for the kids? You’re going to buying in bulk, after all, and there’s a good chance you won’t be working over the festive period either. Even just missing the Christmas week itself can put a real dent in your bank account. We have an entire post about Christmas money saving tips for the entire year that help you save up for Christmas that makes this point too.

But if you buy in sales throughout the year, you won’t be forking out for Christmas prices when December rolls around. You can take the low cost deals when they come, and save yourself some pennies to put towards the other items on your budget. The turkey alone will be an investment, and it’s pretty vital to get one of those on the table for Christmas dinner!

There’s a Lot More Variety

In part, this is because we have a lot more time to find variety, and be as indecisive as we like about making a purchase. We also have a lot more time to allow for delivery, and we get to miss the Christmas rush that all couriers out there fear! Think of the freedom you’ll have, to painstakingly customise some Personalised Number Plates, with all the time in the world to get the new license just right, and then get them posted through the door before the Christmas spirit has even hit. 

Not to mention, the shops are going to take a couple more months to get their Christmas stock in, so you won’t be confronted by red packaging and tons of snowflake decals across every single product when you hit the shopping mall. 

So, buying your Christmas gifts throughout the year and hiding them until they’re needed is going to make your festive season a lot easier to get through. You’ll be in less of a rush to find that perfect gift for that special someone, only to find that the shelves are empty and you’ve missed your chance. Instead, you’ll already have the item waiting in a cupboard back at home.

You’ve Got Plenty of Time for Refunds! 

And if you do end up needing to send something back, you won’t have to wait until someone has opened up a present and found something broken inside. You’ll be able to check your products thoroughly before wrapping, and have plenty of time to send faulty pieces back. Or if you just change your mind over the worth of a present, compared to the cost you had to pay for it, you’re well within your rights to send it back, without disappointing anyone in the process. 

You’ll also be able to keep an ear out for the changing interests in your household… If you have a daughter who’s infamously picky, buying her something well ahead of time that can be easily exchanged can save some tears on the big day itself. 

So, buying ahead of time for Christmas day can have a lot of benefits for your household. You have more time, obviously, but you have more choices available to you, and much more time to accumulate plenty of presents without breaking the bank. 

If Christmas is a big worry for you, this is definitely a good way to approach it. Get your stock in early!