Holiday Grocery Shopping Tips

Throughout the year, the one thing that usually gives me comfort is planning meals and entertaining dear friends. I know, it sounds absurd but true – hosting gives me a great sense of joy! However, for some reason, this year the thought of all that entertaining makes me feel slightly stressed out.  Instead of giving myself a headache worrying, I’m going to try something new this year.

For the first time, I’m going to focus on creating memories while being relaxed! Sounds impossible? Not with these helpful hints in place:

1. Order all groceries online: Nothing makes me more stressed out than visiting my local grocery store along with 1,000 of my neighbors.  My blood pressure (already high) rises to levels that can possibly send me to a much-early grave.
2. Buy as many dishes ready-made as possible: Here’s the deal: whether you’re entertaining family, friends or neighbors, as long as you put the ready-made dishes into a gorgeous serving platter and place on a pretty table (table cloth, napkins, flowers and candles) no one will know the difference. And the selection of delicious pre-prepared side dishes has grown exponentially over the last few years.
3. Have friends and family bring a dish or appetizer to pass: I usually hesitate to have people bring food to my home since I want to make it easy and fun for my guests to plan an evening out. But not this season. I’m getting past my hesitation to inconvenience my friends and family (and I’m sure they won’t mind bringing a little something to share).

It is hard for me to “just make it easy” because I enjoy the ceremony around gatherings at my home: the food, the table and the ambiance.  So, even as I’m focusing on making things easier on myself this year, I still want to host memorable holiday evenings that feel welcoming and elegant.

Tags: Holiday Grocery Shopping, Holiday Shopping Tips

Holiday Shopping Tips: Get Ahead!

Every year I vow to be more organized during the holiday season.  And every year I end up running around like a mad woman trying to get everything done – shopping for gifts, baking, party planning, decorating.  I’m in awe of and a bit jealous of my friends who are uber-prepared and get their shopping done early.  But this year I have vowed to get a head start on holiday shopping to make my December more relaxed and enjoyable.

• Start Organized: Organization is key when shopping early.  It’s wise to start by reviewing your finances and planning your overall holiday spending.  Don’t forget that in addition to buying gifts, you may have other holiday expenses such as food, travel, decorations, holiday cards, postage, and gratuities.  Make a list of all of the people for whom you will be shopping, including teachers and babysitters.  Create a shopping list by beginning with a dollar amount of how much you plan to spend, then think of different gifts within that price range.  Leave adequate space for tracking what you’ve purchased.  If you prefer to record things electronically, you can create a master spreadsheet and give it password protection.

• Watch For Discounts: Stay on the lookout for rebates, coupons, and sales in weekly flyers.  You can search for items online and do some price comparisons there as well.  You may know that certain items won’t have a change in price between now and the holidays.  I went ahead and bought an item for my daughter a few weeks ago because I know that it will not go on sale between now and Christmas, so I may as well buy it now.

• Check the Return Policy: One thing to be aware of when shopping early is a company’s return policy.  While some stores expand their return policy around the holidays, others don’t, so be sure to ask before you buy.

• Stay Sharp: Whether you shop online or in person, stay hydrated and give yourself time to eat meals and snacks as needed.  The last thing you want is to end up mentally fatigued, which can lead to buying a less-than-ideal gift just so you can be done.  Besides, who wants to shop while feeling cranky and irritable?  You want to be making wise, prudent choices when you’re spending your money.

• Wrap As You Go: Make things easier on yourself by wrapping presents as you buy them.  You can leave off ribbons and bows for now in order to make stacking and storing gifts easier.  Don’t forget to label whom the gift is for, or, if you think you may need to know the contents, unobtrusively number each one and include that correlation in your master list.

• Think Homemade: Now is a great time to start making homemade holiday gifts if you’re so inclined.  Picture frames, ornaments, and framed artwork are great choices.  For more ideas, see my blog from October 23.

• The More The Merrier: It might be fun to plan some shopping outings with children.  By having your kids or grandkids with you when shopping, you instill in them the joy of giving gifts to others.  Plan to make those trips with the kids short and try to go when stores are less crowded.

• Quit While You’re Ahead: Finally, once you’ve completed your gift-giving list, stop shopping!  Once your list is complete and your budget spent, it’s time to relax and be happy you’re done.

Now I’m motivated to get my spreadsheet started.  And better yet, I already have gifts to list on it!  Here’s to a tranquil, joy-filled December.

Tags: Holiday Shopping Tips