Getting Personal

                Do they know it's Christmas? - Christmas Present tips for the last-minute guys
            
                When was the last time you sat next to someone who gloated that they had bought and wrapped their Christmas presents by the end of the summer sales? Trust us, these people either have no life, are cheapskates because they have paid less than half price for last year's stock, or they are just plain cunning and are not to be messed with. How on earth did they know what Christmas presents to purchase that early on and where on earth have they put them? Storing Christmas presents is an annual challenge for most of us. There's a fine line between getting them out of sight from prying eyes and remembering their clever hiding places again on Christmas Eve. 

Those of you who have children will know it's impossible to plan and buy their Christmas presents in advance. Oh yes, in September your five year old son will be banging on about a Dino Dig kit and you get it delivered straight away knowing that you've made a dream come true - until they come back from their best pal's house in late November announcing they want a PicoZ Red Helicopter just like so-and-so's. Now you're in trouble. There will either be tears at Christmas time or your Christmas present budget just grew a little. 

As soon as we get to November 1st, you can guarantee the huge pumpkin lanterns and witch hats will be sent back to the store room to make way for the life-sized reindeer and over-loaded Christmas trees in shops across the land. Anyone with an ounce of sense will mark this black day in the calendar and avoid the centre of town for the next seven and a half weeks. It's not going to be pleasant so don't bother. Some people make this choice simply to retain their sanity and good humour. Others avoid Christmas present shopping in the stores in the run-up to Christmas because if they don't they will come out in a nervous rash. Shoppers can be ugly and vicious as they jostle for the last Grow Your Own Arsenal Pitch (did you see the stampede at Highbury in May 2006 for a slice of the real thing?) If you don't believe us, rent the Arnie film "Jingle All the Way" and see just how bad it can be. (OK, it's just a movie, but we have to make the point!) 

So what's the choice? If you can't beat them, join them? Not quite. Buying your Christmas presents over the internet is the easiest solution. Making your selections at home before lunchtime and then putting your feet up in front of the match at 2.45 sounds like a morning well-spent. For the last-minute Christmas present shoppers, there are two options. One, you head down to town in the downpour while your mates are enjoying a few rounds in the pub, and spend hours hunting around stores that are already preparing for the post-Christmas sales. There'll be no colours or sizes that anyone in their right minds would choose, nor will anything that meets your budget be available anymore. Or two, you jump online and choose the exact Christmas presents you had in mind, and wait for them to arrive. Who says you have no Christmas spirit? You just have better things to do with your time. You have still thought about what you are buying. And let's face it, the number of times shoppers deliberate for ages over a Christmas present like an Iconic Telephone for their parents – should I? Shan't I? It's not a problem you are likely to encounter. You make a decision on the spot and stick to it. In fact, once the item's paid for the thought has flown. There are more people than care to admit that there have been a number of Christmas presents brought home and then the guilt pangs set in. What if they don't like it? Is the colour right? Will they be offended by my humour? None of these questions are likely to bother you. 

So you have sat yourself down at the PC and you are still wondering if there's enough time to put it off till tomorrow because you hoped to squeeze in a round of golf today. Check the delivery times and then you'll be able to make your decision. You don't want to go to all this trouble and then discover that your Christmas presents won't arrive till January 3rd. Your street cred would really take a nosedive if that were to happen, and you might just wish you'd been a little bit more ahead of the game.

Related article: Plan Out Your Presents this Christmas (Presents)