Christmas is coming! It’s never too early to start shopping and if there is one thing that we need at the moment, it is to lessen any stress from creeping into our lives.
Have you been annoyed by those smug friends of yours who always finish their Christmas shopping by April or some other ridiculously early month? Maybe there’s something to be said for following their lead, especially this year and in these strange times of uncertainty. Imagine the satisfaction of buying those gifts and presents early and then being able to enjoy the festive season without panicking about the fact that you haven’t managed to get everything you wanted.
Don’t forget to support your local shops, especially the small, independently owned businesses, and by doing so you can give a boost to Gibraltar’s economy. The retailers along Main Street and the surrounding area need your business and, don’t forget, local businesses care about their customers and will make your shopping experience more enjoyable than if you resort to ordering online, which often comes with long delivery dates and problems with shipping.
It’s not too early to kick off making those Christmas lists. Choosing gifts can sometimes be a difficult task and once you have decided on what to buy, the frustration at not being able to get hold of it because it has already sold out can be devastating. What do you? Buy something second-best? Disappoint your loved one, friend or, even worse, one of the children in the family, by having to explain that you couldn’t give them what you had promised. Buying early can help stop those last minute panic purchases and gives you longer to think and buy something that whoever you are buying it for will love.
Another good reason to start your Christmas shopping early is that it is a good way to spread the cost and not worry about the amount you are spending all at once. If you know that you are the kind of person who has to dip into your savings, then buying early stops that happening. The Christmas period is often the one time of the year when demand for goods is high and this usually goes hand in hand with high prices. If you wait to do your shopping until the decorations are up and the Christmas music is playing, you’re probably going to be spending more money than necessary.
So start making that list – and checking it twice! Don’t leave your Christmas shopping until the last minute. Shop early and shop local.
