STRESS FREE CHRISTMAS GIFTING TIPS

Is it possible to have a stress-free Christmas? Read on to hear how to get a jump-start on your Christmas list with our helpful tips.

"It’s the mooost wonderful time of the year…"

Even though the festive period is supposed to fill us with warm, fuzzy feelings, a sense of wellbeing towards our fellow humans and a copious amount of mulled wine, it can actually feel like the mooost stressful time of the year… filling us instead with dread, mild hatred towards our fellow human beings when we have to share shopping space with them, and an anxiety-inducing countdown to the big day, in which time you somehow have to purchase perfect gifts for your friends and family without going into a drunken mulled wine-fuelled meltdown. 

Ahhh, tis the season…

Don’t worry. If you follow our stress-free gifting tips, you can put the fun back into giving at Christmastime and actually enjoy the process of acquiring the perfect presents for your friends and family. 

Read our tried and tested tips for a calm and collected Christmas...

1. Start early

We know this is an extremely obvious tip. Worst of all, it’s something that we all resolve to do each year, inevitably failing as November rapidly landslides into December and before you know it, you’re sat around the Christmas tree with a four pack of lighters wrapped up for your Aunty, a cheap box of chocolates for your mum, and a T-shirt which is inevitably going to be the wrong size for your cousin.

But there’s no need for last minute panic-shopping at the 24-hour convenience shop. You don’t even need to spend a lot of money to get something perfect for your family, you just need careful planning. 

A month or so before Christmas day, get a jump-start on your Christmas planning to avoid the crowds (or buy Christmas gifts online, of course.) Create a list of ideas for each person, then you’ll feel prepared when it comes to acquiring their gifts. 

Stagger your gift-buying throughout November and December, so that you can avoid the horror come Christmas day when you have a negative balance in your bank account and only a belly full of roast dinner as compensation. Avoid the post-Christmas financial blues… and plan! We know it’s obvious, but the easiest way is just to get started. 

2. Budget

Again, a very simple tip but one that if you stick to, it makes all the difference!

Budgeting is easier than it seems, and this year more than ever, nobody is going to resent you for giving them a simple, thoughtful gift as opposed to an expensive, extravagant one. When you make your Christmas gift list, write a rough amount next to each recipient’s name. Add up the total, and put aside that amount for your Christmas shopping. 

Maybe your total is R 2000, maybe it’s just R 400 with a lot of hand-made goodies thrown in. However much you’re willing to spend this year, stick to it and you’re much more likely to have a fun, stress-free present shopping experience. 

3. Make it fun 

Instead of trying to cram present wrapping, Christmas shopping and greetings card writing into every spare slither of time you can muster, put aside a dedicated few evenings for these activities, and make it fun. 

Put on your favourite Christmas film – or soap opera if you’re a bit of a Grinch who doesn’t love Christmas films like the rest of us! – mix yourself a festive cocktail, and settle down for a full evening of Christmassy tasks. Wrap your presents in front of Love Actually, have a Christmas card writing session while sipping eggnog and listening to Bing Crosby, or spend a cosy day crafting gifts indoors. 

By the end of your day or evening, you’ll feel a sense of achievement from having completed your tasks, but you will have had fun while doing it. On top of that, you won’t feel stress when you think about what you have to do; you’ll feel excitement / maybe a little bit of dread if you actually hate Bing Crosby and his Christmas crooning.

4. Short on money? Spend time instead. 

We know that this year more than ever, time is a commodity more people have spare than money. If you’re on a tight budget this year, try not to stress about how you’ll afford everyone’s gifts. Instead of spending money, spend your time. 

If you have a skill to utilise – whether that’s drawing, writing or a knack for the perfect brownies – use it to your advantage (and the advantage of your giftees.) Create homemade Christmas cards, festive baked goods, hand-knitted socks, a jaunty tree-topper… whatever it might be, your giftees are sure to appreciate the time and effort that went into their gift far more than something shop-bought. 

5. Have a dedicated Christmas gift spot

We know that not everyone has the space for this tip, but even if your living space is small, dedicate a spot – a corner, a drawer, a secret spot in the wardrobe, whatever it might be – to Christmas gifts and wrap. This way, you compartmentalise any Christmas stress. Out of sight, out of mind! Instead of coming into the house and being faced with the bomb site of wrapping paper, scissors and gift tags, it’ll be neatly stored in one specific place for you to go back to when you need it. 

6. Okay… so you didn’t do any of that. Shop online!

Okay… so let’s say none of the above worked out. You tried to plan, compartmentalise your Christmas stress, put aside some evenings to spend with Hugh Grant’s floppy hair, mulled wine and gift wrap – but life got in the way and you didn’t get around to it.

The most stress-free way to shop is online. Of course we’re biased, but it’s our humble opinion that gift vouchers make excellent gifts. Experience Days gift vouchers are valid for 3 years from the date of purchase, so your giftee has plenty of time to enjoy their present.

The best part? They are delivered instantly via email, so even if you leave it right until the last minute, you’ll have something unique and special to hand over on Christmas morning. 

Thanks for reading!

That concludes our guide to a stress-free Christmas gifting experience.

If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas gift, browse our full range of Christmas experience gifts here. 

Happy gifting!