My Holiday Shopping Guide

So I know you are sitting at home, thinking, “Christy is so awesome. I wonder how she does her Christmas shopping?” Well, you are in luck, my friends. Today I will divulge my holiday shopping secrets. 

1. Stay home. As an introvert, that’s my first rule of shopping. Black Friday weekend I am an online shopper only. The instant I set foot in a mall or big box store, I get claustrophobic and agoraphobic. It does not go well. I much prefer to stay home where I can do research and find the best deals from the comfort of my desk.

2. Work the system. I use Ebates for cash back and RetailMeNot for coupon codes and end up getting pretty good deals on a lot of stuff. One year we researched washer and dryers in-store but bought them online, first going through Ebates. I think I got around $80 in cash back from that one purchase! (You knew this entire post was an excuse for me to share my Ebates referral link, right? If you make a purchase after signing up for Ebates with my link, you and I both get an extra $5 in our accounts.)

3. Give thoughtfully. My husband and I tend to be gift minimalists. We have a pretty small budget for gifts each year, because we don’t want that to be the focus of our holiday. Others like to be extravagant gift givers in honor of the holiday — Christ gave his all, so let’s celebrate big! To me, the important thing is to decide what strategy our family wants to use so that our gifts are meaningful. Are we going to support local businesses? Are we ordering everything online so we spend more time playing and less time shopping? Thinking about our priorities before we hit the stores helps our family not get caught up in impluse buys and “good deals.”

Looking for gift ideas? Here are a few of my favorites.

Nook Simple Touch with Glow Light
I have a Nook Touch without a light, and it is my favorite way to read. It’s intuitive and easy, and I can carry all my books wherever I go. The main downside is that I have to use a flashlight if I’m trying to read in the dark, and Barnes and Noble solved this issue by adding a small light to the newest version of the Nook Simple Touch. It’s not cheap at $119, but definitely not a bad deal. (If price is a concern, note that the regular, no-light Simple Touch e-readers will be $59 at Barnes and Noble stores this Friday!)

 
Duplos
A classic gift for a reason. I love the huge age range for this product. Most Duplo sets are listed as appropriate for ages 18 mos to 5 years. This makes them the perfect toys for my two boys. They’ll huddle around their Lego table building houses and zambonis, peacefully playing side by side. It’s a miracle, I tell you.

Coal Train Railroad
This is a great gift for the whole family — well-written, fun jazz for kids that’s good enough for parents to enjoy! Their first, self-titled CD is my favorite, but the follow-up (Coal Train Railroad Swings) is quite good as well.

Nicholson Photography
Okay, so I am a little biased on this one. But if you want to gift someone a beautiful piece of photographic art, be sure to check out my husband’s photography site, Nicholson Photography. (Oh, and he says to tell you guys that there is free shipping through this weekend!)

So there you have it, friends. Do you have any favorite gifts or shopping strategies this year?

Still looking for gift ideas? Check out these other terrific bloggers:
All for the Boys
Lesley Eats
Wild and Precious