Well it's that time of year....well not quite. My postman is already getting exasperated with the amount of packages he is having to deliver and this morning he asked me if it was my birthday. When I told him I was ordering presents for christmas his eyes nearly popped out!

So the question is are you a planner or do you scramble at the last minute? I'd say I've always had to scramble in the past but my organised self was always battling to come out!

Generally speaking I am a fairly last minute type of person but this year I am ahead of the game, I have bought presents for certain friends already. All I have to do is remember where I put them.

I plan ahead. This is mainly because for the last several years I lived in a small country town. It isn't feasible to leave Christmas shopping to the last minute in such a situation so I bought up whenever I went to the city.

I didn't buy as early this year because I knew I was probably going to move and didn't want to have to worry about shipping the presents.

After the move I started buying some Christmas presents out of habit.

I am now living in a city (a smallish city) so maybe next year I won't bother about presents until about November.

Yikes. I'm in the head of getting ready for Halloween. Christmas already? I generally don't get on top of that until December 23! But I'm impressed that you others do. It's hard to plan for, in my opinion. But I'm putting the elves to work now...

I think the latest time that I did my Christmas shopping once was Christmas Eve. That was interesting, let me tell you!

I think that Christmas shopping should start around October, but my mother and grandmother have already started!!! I hope to get all my Christmas shopping done by December 21st. Of course, I don't know where to start...

Hmm, maybe at a STORE???

Sorry, I'm a early preparer! I make all the Christmas cards, so they are already done, and I also make some people little decotations to slip inside. I love Jigsaws, and the Christmas Limited Edition ones sell out quick, so two out of four are hopfully winging their way to me right now! And I have SOME presents ready, probably do a big shop in about four weeks!

It's hard to plan ahead with a 7 year old - everything that's advertised is on the wish list - but, usually, I set small presents aside (stocking fillers) throughout the year . . . and the biggest gifts are bought within a week or two of the jolly old gent wending his way to our house in his sleigh with his six white Boomers (no Reindeer in Australia) - btw, Boomers are male kangaroos!

I'm not normally organised but we don't earn much money so it's nice to be able to spread it all out and get exactly what you want to get everyone rather than having to give them something small. I want to make things this year but I have no clue as to what....I did a tapestry last year for my sister. That was cool.

I like to give people home made presents too. And people really appriciate them too!

I'm not a very wealthy person, and do a lot of my shopping at thrift stores, garage sales, etc. The old saying about one man's junk being another's treasure really is true. For instance, in April I bought my boss's Birthday present. Her birthday is November 10. She collects Santas, and I found this really wonderful vintage (probably late 1940's) ceramic Santa music box for $1.00 at a garage sale. It may sound cheap to some people, but I KNOW she'll love it, and that no one else will ever get her one like it. So, you see, I keep my eyes out throughout the year, often even buying some of my gifts at the post-Christmas sales the year before. I buy everyone gifts that are special for them, have some kind of meaning for them, and never end up spending much money.

Also, I learned to knit this spring and have already got several projects lined up as Christmas gifts. Since I'm still pretty new, I anticipate I'll be working on these right up to Christmas Eve, so I knew I'd better start now. I'm halfway through the first one. I've been a jeweler since high school, and also make many people jewelry as gifts, so I have to plan ahead to buy my supplies, since certain types of sterling findings and chains run out from my regular supplier quickly at the Christmas season, so I have to get the jump on it.

Really, I find this type of shopping ensures that the gifts I give are unique and special. My mother-in-law loves jigsaw puzzles, so I COULD just go down to the local discount store and spend $13.95 on a random puzzle. Or, I could buy that Precious Moments Chapel Window puzzle at the thrift store for $1.50, and combine two of her hobbies while at the same time buying her a relatively hard-to-find puzzle AND saving myself money. But it takes hard work and LOTS of time. This year, I doubt I'll have to do much of any shopping IN December.

See I think that's a great idea! I have got lots of presents from ebay this year and although some are 2nd hand - they're in good nick and I know the people receiving them will like them. Other people would probably see me as being a cheapskate thought which I think is a shame as it's rather missing the point of presents.

Speaking of making things for people does anyone remember where that thread was where someone kindly gave us the 'recipe' for bath bombs? I'm in need!!

Here it is, just scroll UP a few posts.

I also enjoy doing Postcard competitions (not telephone ones) and I was lucky enough to win over £100 worth of board games about a month ago, so I have put some aside for my friends children!

I work in a mail room, and most of our mail is election stuff right now. But Christmas is right around the corner!

I try to be a planner and generally start off well, but then I get too smug and pleased with myself and my complacency becomes my downfall. The days leading up to the 25th are generally a bit of a whirlwind.

I actually think a bit of both works quite well - if you do some preparations early then you can glide around more serenely in the final countdown - but if you do all of it early then you miss out on the whole heartwarming (and a little bit exciting if I am honest) preparation for christmas with your friends and family around you, wrapping pressies etc. Mmmmmm pressies.

Glad to say that I had a massive shop yesterday and all presents except for the main ones are brought! Sit back and watche everybody else rush around now!!

Right that`s it! This thread has inspired me to finally do all my xmas shopping at least a month and a half before christmas eve. For years I have been buying expensive gifts and perfumes etc from chemist shops on the 24th, no more. This is my new years resoloution[might as well make that early as well]. I will make out a list of people that have been good this year and also a list of relatives and buy their presents asap!

Well money is very tight this year so Christmas is going to be a rather cheap one.
I love going shopping this time of year though but not for the shopping but for the look in peoples faces. At this time of year when I go into Belfast to shop I wear black boots, black trousers, black sweatshirt/shirt, full length leather black jacket (with the collar turned up) and black gloves. I never smile (on Purpose) and have my hair cut very short. Its amazing walking down the street watching the people attempting to climb the walls to get away from me! the crowds on the pavement part to allow me to pass.

There is a slight problem though, when I walk into a shop I'm usually followed by security watching every move I make.

If my Girlfriend is out shopping with me she spends her day laughing at the expressions on peoples faces.

I can't believe so many people are prepared for Christmas already. I don't even start thinking about it until after Halloween, and preferably not until the last week of November at the earliest. Nothing to look forward to if it's all 'done and dusted' in July, now, is there?

Sorry Satana, just one of them people who like to be organised! Haven't done any wrapping up of presents...yet! Give me a week or so!!

See Santana that is why I only do so much early and leave the rest to be done nice and calmly later (say in the week before Christmas), with a glass of mulled wine in my hand and twinkly lights on the tree...

Now I agree with you there Flapjack - I don't wrap anything until the last week either - it spoils the fun.

Ooh I'm getting all excited again!

It's the 29th of October my partner has been shopping for 4 weeks, one of our local shops, in Newry, Ireland, has been setting up for Christmas since July, school uniforms and Halloween costumes all surrounded by sparkle balls and bells. Oh well only another 57 days and it all starts again, the Gospel according to my lovely Geraldine.