Everyone is different, right? So, it might be too early for you to think about Christmas. But I am often thinking about Christmas. I am not a shopper. I do not like to GO shopping. I do most of my shopping online, so when I am out in a store, Christmas might come to mind if I see something cool. This month, April, I didn’t walk into the store specifically thinking about Christmas, but when I walked into the store and I saw something that reminded me of someone who is on my Christmas list THEN I start thinking about Christmas. On our recent trip to the ocean I found some items that I purchased with the intent of giving them as Christmas gifts.
I was talking to the store owner and I mentioned that most things in the pile of items she was holding at the register were going to be Christmas gifts. She mentioned that when she buys gifts so far in advance she forgets about them. Ha.Yes! I have had that happen too. I have forgotten that I have purchased gifts for someone and I ended up buying additional gifts for that person. I have also misplaced gifts that I have purchased throughout the year.
So a few years ago I started keeping a list on my computer. I have a “running” list of people who I buy for so after having given the gifts I just delete the items and save the list of names as “the next year of gift giving Christmas” (ex. 2018 Christmas). Sometimes I have room in one spot in a closet or on a shelf for all the gifts, but sometimes I don’t, so I also include a note on the list as to where the gift is being stored. That way I know where it is.
Since I am an online shopper I also have a system for “ordered” and “received”. When I order something I type it on the list next to the person’s name in regular text and I highlight it. When I receive it, I remove the highlighting and make the text bold. Because sometimes I might have an IDEA of what I want to get someone and I might include that on the list . . . so if the item is just plain text that is the IDEA of the gift. Highlighted is WAITING FOR/ORDERED/IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING and BOLD is received/completed.
I also cross the items out and put “Done!” near the names when I am done with buying for that person, otherwise I will just keep reviewing the items and deciding whether to add more or not.
This could work for any gifts you might buy throughout the year. You could have a Birthday Gift List or whatever occasion you purchase gifts for.
What about you? Do you shop early for gifts? Have you ever forgotten or misplaced a gift?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 