Holiday Shopping Made Easy!

Christmas time always means the daunting task of doing your Christmas shopping bumping shoulders with the mass and standing in mile long lines for centuries with other shoppers who are as disgruntled as you are. To make your shopping experience more pleasant and enjoyable, here are some easy holiday shopping tips - so you can really put some thought and heart into  your gifts, instead of just time and money.

Give a truly unique gift by compiling some great seasonal picks from your local Farmer’s Market! Put together everything your best friends needs to make a lip-smackingly great meal. And the Farmer’s Market isn’t just good for produce, find some great holiday greens, potted herbs, baked goods, artisan cheeses and organic meats too! Fill up a reusable market bag, add a bottle wine, and deliver it to your friend’s doorstep for a gift that will certainly drop some jaws!

As children, we all can remember the excitement and fun that book fairs brought to the Christmas season. Now, even though our book fair years have passed, we can still share in the fun! Schools normally hold their book fairs in December, with their eye on catching a few Christmas shoppers. This is a great time to get some stocking stuffers as well as educational gifts for your children and sentimental ones for their teachers.

Making your gifts at home is always a great option. Not only does it save on a lot of hassle, it also adds a personal touch to gifts that their recipients are sure to love. Create custom packaging for a burned CD with CD Packaging Kits, or whip of a batch of your famous cookies and package them in personalized cookie tins! These are great for handing out at school to all the super adults that keep your child safe and educated!

Believe it or not, your grocery store and pharmacy are a great place to pick up quick gifts as well. You don’t have to worry about them being cram packed like the mall, around the holidays, grocery stores and pharmacies stock lots of great gift items including most wanted holiday gifts and prepackaged gift sets. An added bonus - many pharmacies are open 24 hours and grocery stores tend to open early, so you can even do your shopping at off hours.

A museum is also another great place to pick up some really beautiful and unique gifts. Whether you gift a one-year pass, or pick up a book or even some old fashioned toys from the bookstore, a museum gift is going to be one that enriches lives.

Christmas time is also the time of year when the kids start doing school fundraisers, selling things like cookies, wrapping paper and other useful items. These are great gift ideas for people who have their hands full during the holidays. When your neighbor’s child comes knocking, order half a dozen rolls and arrange them in a gift wrap center with some beautiful ribbons, or if they’re selling frozen cookie dough, buy a box and wrap it with a cookie sheet and spatula!

Holiday Bazaars are also a great place to find some really unique gifts. This year handknit pieces are all the rage with designers, running up in price the better the designer - but you can save money and still get a great handknit piece at a bazaar! Local crafters and artisans sell their wares at these fairs sponsored by churches, temples, senior centers and towns. Look for handmade ornaments, quilts, mittens, sweaters, paper products, and jewelry that are truly one-of-a-kind.

Shopping local is a big theme this year with individual state economies trying to pull themselves out of the recent depression. Do you part to support your local economy by shopping at local stores. Not only do you get more personalized service than a chain store,  Local shops carry items that are out of the ordinary, both of which make it easier to find something for that impossible-to-buy-for person.

And finally, to make gifting super easy, try making your gifts all on your own. Visit your local arts & crafts store to find all your materials, and usually some classes if you aren’t sure how to do a few things.You can find pre-made gifts as well as items awaiting your artistic touch and while you're there, pick up some christmas crafts for kids to keep them occupied over winter break.

Whatever you decide to gift this year, make your shopping a breeze with these easy holiday shopping tips - anything is better than mall crowds!