Casual Conversation

I ordered my wife's gift a few days ago and over the weekend we planned what we will gift to family members.

In years past I've gotten gifts as much as eight months early if I found the perfect gift.

Back in 2002 or so I got the perfect gift for my now ex-brother in law. He was a huge Hitchcock fan and a coworker who collected life masks ended up with an extra Hitchcock.

Now life masks were made for special effects in movies, and were essentially a cast of the head used to make models.

For most of a year I had a paper bag on my living room table, the top neatly folded over.

I got to experience the joy, over and over, of people asking what was in the bag, telling them it was "Alfred Hitchcock's head," and seeing the shocked reaction when Hitchcock stared back up at them.

And the jerk of my ex-brother in law loved it too.

Edit: I figured I'd put in an image of an identical life mask, what people would see when they peek into the bag:

Evolved over time, but now I shop earlier to allow online shopping for most of it. Yea, I already bought my first gifts and there would be more if I have ideas …. Although I’m sure I’ll still be scrambling at the last minute.

Anyway, I’m also offended that commercial Christmas starts earlier and earlier every year - why does my grocery have more Christmas cookies than Thanksgiving? So I’m not actively shopping until then. I usually don’t get caught up in Black Friday, but that’s a good date to keep Christmas shopping from taking over

When our kids became about 12, we started a new tradition because they usually wanted one expensive gift - phone, game system, etc. I buy smaller things and stocking suffers in early/mid-December. Then on Christmas Eve we go out to lunch and buy their big gift together.

Back when I still did Christmas at all, I converted first to a religion that didn't have Christmas. It did have, however, a 4-5 day festival of approximately equal importance in the spring. I made sure all my family, friends, and colleagues know that I wouldn't be celebrating a Christian festival, but that I would be giving gifts in March. Then I'd look at what I got for Christmas and did some cynical calculations.

For each person who gave me a gift, I decided if I wanted to lessen the relationship, keep the relationship as-is, or deepen the relationship. I'd then pick a gift of lesser, equal, or greater value (roughly speaking) and give that response gift in March. The only difference? I'd get them all for a song and a dance in the inevitable post-Christmas bankruptcy sales.

So the best time to get Christmas presents is after Christmas. January and February is when businesses get very desperate (to the point of dissolution for many) and prices drop like concussed bees.

I used to spend the year keeping a list of things people mentioned they wanted, and then go on a shopping spree before Halloween.

Unfortunately my bills keep going up and my niece keeps having kids, so now I only shop for the rugrats and I do it at the last goddamn minute 😭

I guess you are on time right now. But the best deals here are in the last days when shops can't get rid of their inventory.

I don't give Christmas presents to friends or family anyway, but we are carefully buying Christmas presents from outlets, thrift stores and online shops this year, trying to get as much quality toys for the local food bank where my aunt volunteers. Normally we only bring food packs.

I'd typically have them all ready by now, but I don't have anyone to give to this year :(

January

I just started this past weekend, but if I see something perfect or amazing earlier I’ll snag it. I know I’m going to get an instant camera for my niece, I’m hoping there’s a good Black Friday sale on one next week.

Day before usually

"Get" as in buy/make them for others or "get" as in receive them?

US based, for context. I have a large family spread all over the place. We do a Secret Santa drawing, where each person gets another's name and buys them their gift. So everyone gets one nicer gift instead of lots of little stuff.

We get our names and start buying around now so we can take advantage of Black Friday sales. People start receiving their gifts in the mail from early December through the holidays.

For non-family, non-Secret Santa, this is also the time I start buying gifts. I keep a note on my phone through the year for gift ideas, so it's usually pretty easy come November to buy for people.

Bought most of mine a week ago. Most of my kinfolk get them early/midmonth December. I'll prob wrap them closer in to the date, about when I buy remainders.