Tips when Buying Christmas Gifts

It’s almost December. Ej and I have been talking about placing decorations in our condo unit. I don’t know what to buy or make yet. I have to really think about what design to place since the space is limited and I really can’t place all those fat Christmas trees.

We have seen thinner trees, but I don’t know yet. I still haven’t decided. What if I just make one? I remember my post on Unique Christmas Trees last year. These trees were made by my colleagues at work and they were all made from recyclable materials. Sharing with you that post again for inspiration! Click here: Unique Christmas Trees

I haven’t started decorating the house yet, but I’m proud to say that I have already started and I’m almost done with Christmas shopping. To help you get your Christmas shopping done, I’ll be sharing with you tips on buying Christmas Gifts.

1. Plan your Christmas list in Advance
Being the OC person that I am. I already have my excel file ready every September. I edit it every year, just to make sure that the list is updated. In that file, I also have my budget and the actual spending that I had for years 2009 (when we got married), 2010, 2011 and well, now, 2012. With this file, I already have an idea on what I gave someone last year. This helps you look for a gift that you haven’t given before and it helps you control your spending.

2. Consider offering a mass, prayers or even donations to charity as gifts
With the so many malls around, we forget that there are other gifts that we can give our loved one. We can give the gift of prayer or even donations to a charitable institution. To offer a mass and prayers, just go to your parish and ask how you can offer a mass for your loved one. For donations, there are many non-profit organizations that need donations. Some of these organizations are Children’s hour (http://www.childrenshour.org.ph/help/share-your-treasures), Philippine Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org.ph/donate), and many others.

3. Prepare two or three extra gifts.
There are people whom you may have forgotten while preparing your Christmas list. Let’s face it! We are a very friendly race and you may not expect a gift or two delivered to you. With this, do buy a generic gift or two for those who sent those gifts.

As to what type of gifts to buy this Christmas for your loved ones, starting December 2, 2012, Manila Reviews will be coming out with Christmas gift guides. We hope that these suggestions may help you accomplish your Christmas list and help you in buying the perfect gift for your loved one!

Happy Holidays to all of us!

Love,

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