
Christmas Gifts that Require Planning Ahead
It might seem a little early to be seeing Christmas articles appear, but this one is actually right on time. It may appear the holidays are very far away and not natural to think about it now, however, waiting until the last minute to begin planning may be a mistake at times. The best way to take the stress out of Christmas planning is to start as early as now. You can begin by taking small steps leading to the gift arriving and spend the holiday with family and friends instead of worrying about delayed gifts or stock outs. Your budget goes a lot further if you start early and make orders before prices begin shooting up as we near the holidays. This is beneficial especially if you’re thinking about gifts that have a bit of lead time or take a while to make.
Source – Dailymail.com.au
Talking about or even thinking about the holidays now may sound insane and premature but there is a strong point in starting early. You may have a wonderful idea for a gift only to realize that these is no time to make it or ship it as some items require longer lead time. These are some of the items you should prepare for early enough:
Portraits
If you want to make a portrait of a loved one whether painted, photo or drawn, the work should be started months before to avoid last minute rush or mistakes. Waiting too long may make you miss an available artist, or if you are doing it yourself you definitely don’t want to have to rush to get it finished.
Canvas Printed Photographs
These can take between 10 and 20 days to arrive on your doorstep, so if you’re thinking about getting some great photos printed out on canvas to use as gifts, then you should start thinking about it now. If they arrive early it gives you time to sort out any issues with them. Great present for grandparents by the way, an easy to hang photo of the grand kids.
A canvas print of the family makes a great present for the grandparents!
Popular Toys
When planning to buy popular toys for loved ones, it is advisable to start early so as to beat the rush that happens at the last minute. These toys usually run out when the holidays are closing in then reappear on eBay at higher prices. Even though it is not easy knowing what toy will be demanded, you can ask your child or watch what they are interested in towards the season. Buy early to avoid the disappointment and be safe with the ones you hold dear.
Buying Overseas
In case you plan to buy a gift item overseas, it makes sense to start early. These are Christmas Gifts that require planning ahead of time to avoid lost cargo at the last minute when you cannot reorder before the holiday ends. This saves you the stress of waiting for customs to clear and holding your breath that it doesn’t get lost or get broken along the way.
Sending Overseas
Just like buying overseas, if you are planning to send the gift overseas, it is prudent to start early due to the shipping issues that happen during the holidays. When the shipping companies such as Auspost get overloaded with logistics, gifts will delay or worse, get lost leaving you disappointed. Sending early gives you the opportunity o send via a slower mode that is also cheaper instead of the rush at the last minute.
Handmade gifts
These personalized gifts take time to make since they are not machine produced in mass. In order to make or order a handmade gift for a loved one, start early and deliver a wonderful gift. Doing this when time is up will rush you hence making a poor gift that will fail to express your love. These Christmas Gifts that require planning ahead of time are also the ones that show your love more as you take your time preparing for them.