I usually start shopping in Sep/Oct to get things done as I like to buy online usually, that way I have enough time for the stuff to be shipped and all. And I don't really make lists because when i ask what everyone wants, no one knows.

Looks like it might just end up being gift cards this year, though. less

Yea, I usually make lists for what I think people will like as I come up with the ideas, rather than going with what they've asked for. Rarely do any grown ups that I buy gifts for tell me what they want, and the kid... I take into consideration what they've told me they want and I try to get a few things straight from their wish lists..but really, sometimes momma knows best. I know they won't use half the crap they put on their wish list because while they're too young to see it I know that some of the stuff is just poorly made or won't do what they expect it too, and they're just victims of marketing. less

True. i tend to buy useful things if possible. Clothes, underwear, etc etc. Growing up I now realize how important clothes and things are and have actually asked for such things myself. Yet strangely... no one bought me any socks or underwear for my birthday when i really needed some! Yet when i DON'T want/need any, they buy me some! less

My son was born on December 28th, which makes me sad because that means his birthday is 3 days after Christmas. I feel like he's getting jipped because he doesn't get to have a party in the middle of the year! So I have started just gathering things all year round, since I have a double whammy! For other people I will wait until November/December. My family isn't that big so I don't have a lot of people to buy for.

I don't know what I'm going to do when my son is old enough to realize the whole presents things, though. Now I just let him play with them for a minute before I put them away in the closet, lol. him! less

My son was born on December 28th, which makes me sad because that means his birthday is 3 days after Christmas. I feel like he's getting jipped because he doesn't get to have a party in the middle of the year! So I have started just gathering things all year round, since I have a double whammy! For other people I will wait until November/December. My family isn't that big so I don't have a lot of people to buy for.

I don't know what I'm going to do when my son is old enough to realize the whole presents things, though. Now I just let him play with them for a minute before I put them away in the closet, lol. him! less

I start in August or September for financial reasons and I'm ridiculously organized - I have a list on my computer, organized by person with 4 levels of color coding to indicate whether it's something to be purchased, something purchased and shipped, in my possession, or already wrapped. less

I kinda shop all year round for gifts for family but that is more for birthdays.

I have a big family so we do a secret Santa type thing between us 5 girls. And my sisters kids have their own secret Santa(5 of them, 6 in Jan.). Then us girls all pitch in for gifts for our parents.

So we aren't able to start shopping for each other until end of Nov. because of birthdays being around the holidays. We have to make sure that someone doesn't have what we are planing yet. less

I start in August or September for financial reasons and I'm ridiculously organized - I have a list on my computer, organized by person with 4 levels of color coding to indicate whether it's something to be purchased, something purchased and shipped, in my possession, or already wrapped. less

You should do this for a living, Tori. I guess a lot of rich people actually pay for others to do their shopping for them.

You are really organized. I toss things into various piles and always lose at least a couple of presents by Christmas. I organize my sex life by color coding (it impresses my GYNE if no one else) but my shopping is an other story. less

I know it's only October but really the Winter Holidays are JUST around the corner. If you really think about it there's only 2 months and 9 days until Christmas, and less than 2 months until Hannukah. I know there are many other Holidays celebrated this time of year, but these are the two we personally celebrate with gifts..so they're the only ones on my radar at this point in the year!

A friend of mine starts for the next year in January. I personally don't start until October..then I start my planning but usually don't make many purchases until Black Friday. I like to be DONE by my December though. My husband would be perfectly ok waiting til the night before and then going out and buying gifts. So what's your usual Holiday shopping trend? Do you wait til last minute or are you done way ahead of time?


Do you make lists before hand or just wing it once you get to the store? I'm a bit of both. I make lists and budget things out and have a basic idea of what I want to buy, but inevitably there is something we find in the store that we have to have for one of the kids and so we buy that too and "budget" is just a joke since it's always blown. less