Gift Suggest

Holiday gift buying is one of those things that eat at you all through winter. The very thought of having so much shopping to do is so scary that people won't start it unless they can't put it off any longer. Holiday shopping and buying gifts can be easier if you plan things out and follow a few simple rules.

Budgets are important, not just because they keep you safe from bankruptcy but also because they help you shop. If you set a $40 limit on your best friend's gift, you won't go looking in stores that sell items or services beyond that amount. It's essential that you stick to your budget.

Sometimes you're tempted to buy something for maybe your spouse or boy/ girlfriend that exceeds the limit you've set and sometimes you find a gift that's not just great but also under budget and that leaves you with some extra cash that you can spend on your kids or immediate family. It's best to get the 'bargain shopping' out of the way first so you can get the benefit of what you've saved when you shop for family.

Bulk shopping is a great idea, especially for work or when you have to send something to a family and you can't afford to buy something separate for each member. Bulk gifts can be simple boxes of chocolate covered fruit like chocolate strawberries or they can be gourmet chocolate baskets. These gifts will not only look good when delivered to someone's home but are also easy to share between co-workers.

Buying a holiday gift takes lots of time and even more thought but when it's that special time of year when you buy something for your close friends and family and you want it to be good. Here are a few tips to buying holiday gifts.

Divide and conquer

This isn't just a great war tactic; it works for the amount of shopping that you have to do and also for the number of people you have to shop for. You don't spend equally on everyone's gift; you either spend more on family or on certain close friends. There may be a colleague that you get along with really well. Divide every person in your guest list into categories; the people who are more important will need more time to shop for.

Shopping online

It isn't easy to walk miles and miles of those department stores but it's extremely easy and a lot less stressful to shop online; especially if you're doing it from the comfort of your home. Online shopping can literally be done anywhere even if you're waiting for a bus or a train, your phone can help you look for something online.

Some things never get old

While you would naturally want to get something truly unique for everyone and that too at a great price, you have to remember that tradition lasts for a reason. No one would say no to some really great Christmas fruit so try the old Christmas favorites like chocolate dipped bananas and chocolate strawberries, pineapples oranges and pears.

Holiday party planning can be a drag if you're inviting more than people than one person can cook for and that often means you're going out of your mind trying to cook and fit everything in the fridge and then keeping it looking good and fresh for when the guests arrive. The over exertion that you go through can make you want to get the party done and over with as soon as possible and that kind of kills the whole point of the party where you were going to relax and catch up with old friends and family.

To keep things well under control, use your head when your make the guest list. Don't invite every single person you know just to get the obligation of having a get together or an annual meet-up off your head. Not only will it mix too many people from different parts of your life in your house, but it will also make it hard for you to entertain them. It's best to have smaller parties instead of a huge one. For friends and relatives that you rarely see, it can be a good time to give them their presents.

The easy solution is to get everyone to help. Remember that there's no embarrassment in asking your friends to help you out, it will make them feel comfortable at the party and you'll get some extra help. You can always have a potluck and take most of the cooking burden off your shoulders. You can concentrate on making appetizers and lots of dips. Serve something both sweet and salty. Chocolate is popular on Christmas so serve up some chocolate strawberries and chocolate dipped bananas. Chocolate covered fruit is available in a huge variety and it can make a great dessert.

Holiday parties, whether being hosted by you or whether you're attending one are one of the most common not to mention highly anticipated ways to celebrate winter holidays. It's usually the one time when the entire family gets together or when most of your friends are in one place. On thanksgiving, parties are somewhat less common with people gathering more for thanksgiving dinner but Christmas parties happen on and off.

What matters a lot at these parties is the food. Holiday food is something that everyone looks forward to so whether it's a thanksgiving party, dinner or a Christmas party, food will be important. You can make the main course as rich as you want have all the holiday favorites like potato salad, turkey and plum pudding. The appetizers are a different story. Christmas or thanksgiving dinner isn't something that cooks fast so you'll need the appetizers to e substantial enough to keep your guests pacified.

Don't make all your appetizers sweet and remember that your guests will be eating a heavy meal so don't serve anything that will kill their appetite entirely. Keep things light with things like corn stuffed tomatoes, cupcakes, cookies or chocolate strawberries.

Taking a gift for the host or hostess is traditional at holiday parties and most people will take something like wine or a pie and that's likely to crowd your host's table. Take something unique like a box of chocolate covered fruit that he/she can enjoy later after the party or gourmet chocolate baskets to snack on.

Buying gifts for women is complicated, there's no single rule you can follow when buying a gift for your mom, sister, daughter, wife or girlfriend. The reason is simple, you have a different kind of relationship with each and you can't buy your mom the same thing you buy your girlfriend unless you want end up in an asylum. Here are some guidelines for buying gifts for women.

If you're buying for your daughter and she's reached those difficult teen years, the safest thing to do is to ask her what she wants. Don't kid yourself into thinking that she'd like to be surprised, she's like to get what she wants for the Christmas and no amount of surprise can change that. Remember that teenagers always like to be asked what they want and they like it even better when they get it, so if what your teenaged daughter wants is reasonable, buy it for her.

The wife or girlfriend can be easy to buy for too. Women who aren't aged below 18, particularly ones in a relationship have the habit of 'dropping subtle hints' about what they want for a gift. Your job; pick up on the hints. It'll do you a ton of good.

Moms are easy, visit them and get them something chocolaty like chocolate strawberries and they're happy. Women generally like food, gourmet chocolate baskets are a great gift item to give your wife or your mom without fear of being sent to the mad house.