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Posted on 12 Nov 2022

We Asked A Christmas Expert For Her Tips – Here’s The Best Ways She Told Us To Shop Smart This Festive Season (And Two Things She Said To Avoid)

From heroing pre-loved gifts to saving money on bigger ticket items!

by Valeza Bakolli

BuzzFeed Staff

"From making a list of who you need to buy for to what you’re actually planning to buy each person. I’d start looking at gift guides well in advance for inspiration, and that prevents you from panic buying if you leave everything to the last minute! If you think about it, a bit of planning can actually save you a lot of money in the long run."

"I think it’s super important, plus it's really easy to achieve by simply buying them what you think they’d *actually* want and use! Not only is it more likely to get a reaction and make them feel special, but you’ll also prevent the present from going to waste."

"It really puts that finishing touch on a gift – and it doesn’t take a lot of money to do it well! My family favourite (in fact, my dad gets upset when I don’t do it!) is just a classic brown wrapping paper tied up with string and then adding dried orange slices, sprigs of foliage, and other things you can collect yourself for free! I also love eco-friendly alternatives to traditional wrapping – for example Paperchase's glitter-free wrapping paper, which is easier to recycle – and even swapping conventional wrapping paper with beautiful fabric that can be reused each Christmas!"

"I definitely think people are shopping earlier this year and utilising promo events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. And this particularly rings true when shopping for kids gifts! As people tend to buy multiple gifts for little ones to make Christmas feel really special, it often helps to stagger the cost over a few months rather than spending loads in one go. For example, my parents have been buying my nephew his presents since July!"

"We’ve also seen a huge uptick in online shopping, and particularly social media as a shopping outlet (e.g. live shopping and TikTok shop), which seems to stem from Gen Z doing more of their own shopping than ever before! It seems that once people know what they want, they want it ASAP."

"Aside from the online shopping boom, shopping local and smaller businesses IRL is also on the rise, with people coming together to show their support for the incredible independent retailers we have available to us – especially during the festive season. What’s really nice to see is that although everyone is feeling the pinch, it definitely hasn’t stopped the Christmas spirit!"

"I think we really need to get out of the mindset of ‘you have to spend loads of money to make something a good gift’. I’m a big believer in buying meaningful gifts over the more flashy (but essentially impersonal) ones! I bought my partner a little box of personalised love tokens from Martha Brook, and it was the sentiment behind it that got a great reaction – not an impressive price tag. And that, of course, goes for other products that you’ll use over the festive period too, like decorations and games. If buying anything new, make sure it’s something you’ll reuse year after year rather than more of a novelty, trend-led, or single-use product."

"It’s easy to be tempted by great deals and trending products, but you need to ask yourself “would I have bought this if it wasn’t on sale?”."

"Whether it’s Boots’ Price Advantage or your Tesco Clubcard, it’s a good idea to save your points for when you’re making those heavier purchases and want to save where possible."

"Aside from buying generic gifts and leaving things to the last minute, a big mistake to make is not considering delivery times when buying your gifts! Even not taking into account the planned Royal Mail strikes, Christmas is a super busy time so it’s best to get ahead of the crowds – even when shopping online."

"It's a bad idea to not check refund policies, ask for a gift receipt, or otherwise make it difficult for your giftee to return something if they don’t like it! It's just a recipe for a wasted gift, if you ask me."

"I think retailers are very aware of the pinch that’s being felt by everyone, so we’re seeing quite a lot of price freezes across the board, a focus on lower-priced gifts, and loyalty schemes where members get better rates at retailers like Marks & Spencers and Boots. Currys are also doing a great exchange service so you can take back any old, broken bits of tech and get money off something new – which is amazing for those bigger ticket items!"

"Rental services are worth a shoutout, as they’re huge ATM – they’re a great money-saving option, and also amazing from a sustainability point of view! Especially with party season coming up, where we’d normally buy a bunch of trend-led outfits that we’ll take loads of pictures in and then probably never wear again. A few options are ByRotation (I rented a £1,500 dress from them for only £50 for a big event recently!), Cocoon Club for luxury handbags, and John Lewis also have a new rental service section on their website."

"A shopping category that was once seen as maybe a little shabby has actually now become super chic. And with huge resale brands like eBay now amping up their authentication services, customers find buying second hand just as trustworthy (not to mention better for the environment and their wallets) as purchasing something brand new."

"And this particularly goes for toys! It might cost you a little bit more, but you know that it’s going to last and (let’s be honest) look more beautiful."

"I’m a big fan of this as your loved ones can really tell that you’ve chosen it specifically for them. I bought my parents a trip on the Belmond Orient Express, you know the murder mystery train? They absolutely loved it! And for kids, why not get them a trip to a safari park or another fun activity instead of adding to the load of toys they’ll probably already be getting?"

If they’re not super into experiences, then I still think a gift that holds lots of sentiment and meaning is a failsafe option – something they’ll feel you really thought about and haven’t just thrown your money at."

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We Asked A Christmas Expert For Her Tips – Here’s The Best Ways She Told Us To Shop Smart This Festive Season (And Two Things She Said To Avoid)

We got the chance to speak to Courtney Rogers, founder of CIJ Group and Retail PR to pick her brain about all things festive. As expected, she had a great deal of insights to offer on the best ways to shop smart this Christmas!

Here are her three top tips to follow when it comes to Christmas gifting:

✨ Plan your shopping in advance ✨

✨ Add a personal touch ✨

✨ Wrap your presents beautifully ✨

Understandably, Christmas shopping has looked a little different this year – here are the biggest trends Courtney's seen lately:

✨ Starting shopping earlier ✨

✨ Online vs. IRL shopping ✨

✨ Supporting small businesses ✨

Here are her best money-saving tips for during the festive period:

✨ Prioritise sentiment over spending when it comes to gifts ✨

✨ Avoid impulse purchases ✨

✨ Utilise points schemes ✨

Here are some common mistakes people make when Christmas shopping (and what you should avoid doing yourself!):

👎 Leaving things till the last minute 👎

👎 Making gifts awkward to return 👎

Here are some retailers that are really doing their bit to help customers shop smart and save money this Christmas:

✨ Brands concerned with cost-cutting ✨

✨ A different way to 'shop' ✨

Here are some surprising trends she's seen in the gifting category this year:

✨ Buying pre-loved gifts ✨

✨ Replacing plastic with wooden gifts ✨

Finally, here are Courtney's favourite things to give as gifts herself:

✨ Experiences as gifts ✨

✨ Failing that, something with the 'wow' factor ✨

We absolutely loved hearing about all things festive from the Christmas pro herself! Here are some of the great products and services Courtney mentioned that you can shop for yourself:

You can get creative with wrapping your presents this year using this classic brown paper, some string, and festive bits laying around your home or the local park.

And this reusable fabric wrap is perfect for small to medium-sized presents. It even features a stunning Christmassy print!

If you love the sound of Courtney's sentimental tokens, then you know this personalised little bag of I owe yous will make a great gift!

Now's a great time to support small businesses with your Christmas shopping! Glaize create the most stunning bespoke stick-on nails that'll make a truly unique gift.

And this Morning Notes journal from LSW Mind Cards is the perfect present for your pal that's into small biz, mindfulness, and gorgeous stationery.

Check out John Lewis' new fashion rental section for an eco-friendly (and less costly) alternative to buying tons of new dresses for Xmas dos!

And a subscription from Cocoon Club would make an excellent gift for the fashion lover in your life!

For a sentimental gift with a bit of 'wow' factor, there's this beautiful personalised locket that conceals a special message and photo inside.

And if you want to get in on the wooden toy trend, this personalised train set is perfect!

Check out Boots' star gifts section if you appreciate retailers that are doing their bit to support customers this Christmas. They have loads of wallet-friendly deals on ATM and most of their gift sets like this Origins Let it Glow! one contain no plastic inserts in their packaging!

An eco-friendly Christmas shouldn't just be limited to presents! This gorgeous pine cone and foliage garland can be used year after year.

And swap your disposable novelty gifts for ones that the family can enjoy each year. I can almost guarantee that playing with this classic Jenga set will become a family tradition!

An experience gift is something they'll remember forever! I can't imagine anybody not being thrilled to receive this luxe spa day treat that they can enjoy with a loved one.

Finally, if you want more inspo on meaningful presents that'll really wow your giftee, check out our roundup of personalised Christmas gifts!

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