Making Holiday Shopping Easy For Busy Moms

Well, the holidays are officially upon us. As soon as we start shopping for Halloween costumes for our children, we know things are about to get chaotic – even more so if you’re the type of mama who makes your children’s costumes yourself. As soon as the pumpkin carving is over, we seem to be decorating for Thanksgiving, and if you’re like most people, the Christmas tree goes up the day after T-day. These few months at the end of the year, while magical and exciting, also bring with them some serious stress.

On top of the chaos of the holiday season, we also have to plan parties, attend parties, and the cherry on top – shopping for presents for our family and friends. It can all start to feel overwhelming. What if there was a way to take the load off a little bit and make your shopping a breeze? Well, let’s dive into how to make holiday shopping a little easier on us busy mothers and hopefully sail through the season a little smoother.

Be The Early Bird

As they say, “the early bird gets the worm.” So, you may be reading this in November, thinking it’s not still considered early, but it is. Start today! We’ve all received the catalogs and mailers with retailers’ best deals. You’re likely signed up for some email subscriptions notifying you of sales too. Take advantage of these and knock out your shopping ASAP. That way, when it comes down to crunch time, which is that month from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, you know you’ve at least got your presents checked off your list—running to the grocery store or Target? Use these opportunities to grab your stocking stuffers and be done with it! Pro-tip, put all your items in a large box (or two) in your basement or somewhere else where small prying eyes and hands won’t find them.

Dress Smartly For Events

With the holidays come a lot of parties and events that you’ll be invited to. Many of us don’t want to be “outfit repeaters,” so we find ourselves continuously shopping during this season for festive dresses and outfits for all the events we attend. The reality is, most people won’t notice that you’re wearing the same thing at these parties – even if you post it on social media. So, choose one or two designer cocktail dresses to invest in and be done with it. The same thing goes for your spouse and kids. Pick one or two outfits they look and feel good in, and don’t sweat the rest.

Want, Need, Wear, Read

You may have heard of the gifting philosophy of “want, need, wear, read” by now – with good reason. Not only does this way of gifting for your family make sure they’re getting things they’ll use instead of forgetting about after two weeks, but it also saves you money. So, take a look through the kid’s rooms, assess each area, and shop based on that. Your child may need new rain boots – check. New snowsuit – check. They’re reading at a higher level now than a month ago – more advanced books. You get the idea. You can knock out all your shopping for the whole family in just a few days (or a few online clicks) shopping this way. Bonus – you’re going to save a lot of money.

Black Friday For The Brave

Just as it’s worth utilizing the above-mentioned email notifications of sales and deals, sometimes Black Friday is worth it. Sure, it can be a frenzy, but others make a tradition out of shopping the day after Thanksgiving. So, if someone on your list has a big-ticket item that will have deep savings on Black Friday, it’s worth the saved money to shop for it on that day. Black Friday’s fun cousin Cyber Monday offers huge online discounts that are worth checking out, too, all from the comfort of your couch.

The holidays are about making memories with your family and friends, so don’t let a giant shopping and to-do list take away from you what matters most – time. Time is precious, and we’d all instead be spending our free time during the holiday months drinking cocoa, baking cookies, and binge Hallmark movies. So, utilize the above tips to make more memories and less stress. Happy shopping!

Photo by Elina Fairytale from Pexels

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