Creating Your Christmas Gift List – Day 6

Welcome!

This is Day 6 of the 21 Days to a Stress Free & Debt Free Christmas.

I’m so excited that you are joining me for what I hope will be a really helpful series designed to walk with you step by step through the Christmas season in a way that ensures you keep your sanity and that you don’t overspend.

Today is when we transition into gift giving mode. Personally, I find that the other categories are a little easier to keep under control. This is where things have the potential to get a little crazy! Now that you have determined your Christmas budget and how much you have to spend specifically on gifts, it’s time to create your Christmas gift list.

As much as I really enjoy shopping for people, it can also be really overwhelming. My budget tends to be lean and I over analyze when trying to find the “perfect gift.” Having a gift list helps me to shop efficiently and successfully. Here’s how you can create your own Christmas gift list.

1. Make a list of everyone

Start the process by sitting down with pen and paper. Write out each and every person that you hope to give a gift. Include each child, relatives on both sides of the family, as well as teachers or friends, or anyone else.

If your budget doesn’t allow for a lot of gifts, then you may need to have some conversations about simplifying. There have been years when we will draw a family member’s name rather than give to each person. And now that we have children, we don’t usually give to many adults in our families anyway. It might seem like an awkward conversation to have at first, but most people are more than happy to find ways to simplify things for everyone.

2. Assign a budget to each person/gift

Once you know who you can buy for, then it’s time to assign a budget for each gift for the people on your list. Putting a dollar value on each person or gift may sound harsh, but it really isn’t. Your gift budget is your guide to keep you on track financially. If you’ve saved up, planned well, and are in a position to, then your budget might be a high one. But, don’t feel badly if your budget for each person isn’t what you’d like for it to be. Aim to be able to give more in the future, but don’t beat yourself up over it now. And remember that giving truly is an attitude of the heart.

If you are a parent, then a big chunk of your total gift budget will go towards your children. You will have to determine for yourself the best way to allocate your money between your children and the rest of the people on your list. I’ll talk a little about how our family chooses to handle our children’s gifts in a future post.

3. Brainstorm gift ideas for each person

Now it’s time to start thinking of gift ideas for each person. This can be a challenge, depending on the person. If you are having trouble brainstorming, then don’t hesitate to call people and ask them directly. There is no harm in asking for ideas to get you started. They would probably appreciate it actually, if it means they will get something they will like rather than some totally random item that they will never use.

I think it’s helpful to brainstorm at least 2 ideas for each person. You never know if something will be sold out or hard to find, so having at least 1 back up option is really nice.

4. Do some preliminary research

I don’t step foot into the retails stores or even think about putting items into my online shopping cart without having done some research first. Take a few minutes to look online or at the ads so that you can make educated decisions about which stores have what you need at the price that works within your budget. Amazon* is always a great place to start.

You can take your time to see where the best deals are and search for coupon codes that might help keep the costs lower. I hate finding out after the fact that a store down the street had the same toy for significantly less and that I could have used my gift budget more wisely!

I really believe that creating a Christmas gift list is the best way to keep your gift giving budget under control. It ensures that you have a plan in place before you enter the madness of the retail world during this crazy shopping season. If the glittery items and lightening deals aren’t on your list, then you don’t need to even think about them. You can certainly adapt your plan along the way.

Tips for Evaluating Who is on Your Gift List by I Am THAT Lady

Why My Kids Only Get 3 Gifts at Christmas by I Am THAT Lady