So this is the fourth day of my third annual Early Christmas, where I give you an opportunity to meet authors of books I’ve loved. Next up, we have Stephanie Tyler. Here’s a holiday message she was kind enough to send my way for me to share with readers.
So this is the fourth day of my third annual Early Christmas, where I give you an opportunity to meet authors of books I’ve loved. Next up, we have Stephanie Tyler. Here’s a holiday message she was kind enough to send my way for me to share with readers.
Zoo (the husband) and I are power shoppers, mainly because we both pretty much detest shopping, although we like giving gifts. Every year at Christmastime, we decide that we’re doing all our shopping in one night. We leave ourselves about four hours, head to the nearest mall and we shop for everyone on the list. What drags us through is knowing that we’ll treat ourselves to a really nice dinner (aka bribe) afterwards, our Christmas date night.And what we don’t find out, we get online. I love online shopping! What about you – love to shop for the holidays or not?
–Stephanie Tyler
Stephanie Tyler has been compared to Suzanne Brockmann and Cindy Gerard. Her books are fast-paced and riveting with passionate and intense characters. If you like romantic suspense with a military edge, you will not want to miss her new release. I’ll be giving away four of her books today.
So Steph wants to talk about Christmas shopping. How do you do it? Are you a shopper who starts six months in advance or do you just buy a bunch of stuff in a rush? What’s your strategy and how do you feel about it?
Winner will be announced tomorrow, so you have 24 hours to speak your mind. And go!
ETA: the winner is ..Ina! Email me your name and address.
I do everything at the very last minute! I wish I could be one of those people that starts early, but I never do.
I try to get all of my Christmas shopping done by the beginning of December. This year I have bought 3/4 of my presents on Amazon (you have to love PRIME and their lightning deals)!
I hate to shop. I generally start thinking about the shopping and presents in late Oct./early Nov. Once I make up my mind on what to get for someone, I just add it to my next regular shopping list.
I do purchase some things online. If I’m getting books, I’ll make an amazon order. And I do sometimes decide on things that I cannot get locally, and thus do it online.
Good morning Ann and Stephanie,
I am a normal American last minute shopper, like you and your husband,
Stephanie love to give the gifts just hate the shopping part. My strategy is to get in the store find something “novel” for my people on the gifting list and get it bought, wrapped and sent as soon as possible… And yes the post holiday shopping meal as a reward for my husband and I is also a tradition with us.
I spent an hour and a half doing something enjoyed more than giving gifts to family and friends, yesterday bought toys for the “Pink Santa” drop at my local WalMart and it was the most fun I have had in a long time… On that note need to get back to addressing and personalizing my Christmas cards and off the computer….
Jackie B Central Texas
We try and do it in one day. I wait till about a week or two away from christmas when there are some good sales on then hit the shops in one day of massive shopping :)
But I do keep an eye on online specials and if something catch’s my eye throughout the year I will buy and put aside.
I wait until early December, power shop (do it all in one day) then panic when I realize I’ve forgotten something and spring for overnight shipping online. Do it every year. Love it!
I try not to leave shopping to the last days… But I always end up forgeting something.
I generally get my shopping done before Thanksgiving, but it all depends on what I plan on getting people. Last year I only got my Dad’s present a week before Christmas break because it was long out of print. But I like shopping for presents to others.
I get all of my shopping done the day after Thanksgiving. No children involved its proably why I am able to get it done on Black Friday. If anything is missing it can always get done on Cyber Monday. Love to shop so get others done early and can go back to buying for me
I kind of plan my Xmas shopping! I start thinking about it in October shortly before my sis bday cuz it’s the last chance to ask everyone what they want. Than I make plans and list. What are my ideas? Who to give what? Put money together with my sis or bf? And than I always kind of forget to really buy them and I start to panic like NOW. Ahhh! I have to get a few pressies now.
My Christmas shopping starts the day after Christmas. I get it done as soon as I can.
I usually pick up a few things around Halloween and then finish as close as I can to the first of December. This year I finished on the 7th of December. Boy am I glad it’s done. The weather forecast was so lousy this week I thought I’d better get in gear. So I finished in about 2 hours. Now I just have to wrap them. I’m not a big fan of crowds so I try to go when there are less people.
I do not like shopping. Period. I try to buy as much stuff as posssible online then I usually tend to wait until the week before Christmas to finish. Big mistake, I know. I am a big-time procrastinator.
Hi Steph :D
in my mind I do the shopping in summer, but in reality about two to three weeks before Christmas…I need the time pressure *sigh*
Greetings
How do I Christmas shop? Online, first of all. :P I basically only get presents for family these days :X
And my parents are impossible/easy, because I always go in on presents with my sister, who is a shopping fiend. Done!
[Yeah, I'm a cheater. So what?!]
I try ot get all my Christmas shopping done right after Thanksgiving and at the beginning of December to get it over with. With it done early, I have less things to worry about.
I leave all presents to the last minute and then rush around in the last week. I just can’t change my habits.
I try to get ideas ahead of time and start buying a couple of months before Christmas. I do most of my shopping online. I hate shopping in stores.
I’m definitely a last minute shopper, unfortunately–it’s that whole procrastination thing! In fact, I’ve still got a bunch of shopping to do this year…
I do try to buy gifts all year round and save them for Christmas, but I usually end up having to shop at the last minute. If I can’t find anything, I’ll buy gift cards.
I like to look all year long. I think the best gift you find are the ones I randomly find. But like every year at the end I do rush shop.
I try to get my shopping done before Thanksgiving. I do it in spurts. I start nagging my sisters for lists of what my nieces and nephews want. As the kids have gotten older the shopping has gotten easier as the older kids just want gift cards to either their favorite store or to a restaurant. My dad is usually the hardest to buy for because no matter how many times I nag he never tells me what he wants till like the week before Christmas. Every year I tell him I need a list in July but he’s always the last minute gift.
I start day after Thanksgiving and get most of it done that day so I dont have to worry about it. Then I fill in the holes as it gets closer.
I love to shop for gifts for my kids. I start getting my ideas right after thanksgiving and finish up the shopping first week of dec.
I have very little shopping to do. I usually get a little something for the ladies I work with pretty early, then I wait until almost Christmas and usually send something online to my sister and son out of state. And of course I buy myself a little something if I see a good sale
90% of this year’s shopping has been online. I like Christmas shopping, but the stores never seem to have what I’m looking for. Plus, I like to bargain shop.
I usually start shopping in November, close to Thanksgiving. I’m always afraid if I start earlier people will buy what I bought for them in the meantime.
I vary. I usually end up picking up small things throughout the year and stockpiling them in an attempt to shop early. But I always miss the person whose name I actually draw so I end up shopping at the last minute for them. The other small gifts end up being birthday or just because presents.
I usually try and buy things during the course of the year as I see stuff I think they might like. Problem with that is I’m a fan of instant gratification so it’s really hard to sit on all these fabulous presents until Christmas time! :)
I like to shop, love to, no. I start picking up things a few months early and end up finishing around 12-23. I buy more lottery tickets and gift certs than actual gifts. I bag most gifts and skip wrapping with paper and bows. Many of my gifts are for DD, as our fam has decided to stop most gift giving. Christmas is a lot more enjoyable w/o the gift buying frenzy!! Happy Holidays!!! Sue
I buy practically the day of, I’m really bad at this. I’ve brought one person gifts so far but.. that’s about it!
I love Christmas but hate crowds, so I super shop online and then I go to stores at odd times trying to beat the crowds. Yes, I am pathetic.
I do love buying for people though. I treat it like a challenge. My husband is insisting we go to the mall next week though. The. Mall. He better be taking me out for a mighty good lunch to make up for it.
I get a few during the year but most of them are bought in a Christmas shopping rush.
I wait until after Thanksgiving to start shopping. Most of my shopping is done online.