Do not wait until Christmas Eve. Yes, these tips are to encourage last minute shoppers and their habit of getting gifts almost before it is too late. However, consider Christmas Eve as too late. Out for a few hours on Christmas Eve will let everyone know about the last minute shopping, and no shopper wants that. Plus, at a mall on Christmas Eve, one will be crowded by all the other Christmas Eve shoppers. It will be noisy and stuffy and can give shoppers a mall headache.

Avoid dollars stores at all costs. Shoppers can be trampled. Remember the rule about running into all the other last minute shoppers. Yes, the dollar store is cheap and fairly convenient, however, shoppers may end up spending more time waiting in the line to pay and leave than the time spent finding those purchases.

Try not to buy a turkey at the very last minute. Turkeys bought at the last minute may actually be on sale, but are most likely the unwanted ones because they are too large, too small, too old, or simply not the preferred brand. Therefore, waiting too long to get a turkey may leave a shopper with slim pickings for choices. However, if one cannot help waiting until the last minute to get the turkey, remember that grocery stores are like the crowded Christmas Eve mall or the dollar stores during Christmas time. Consider finding a 24-hour grocery store and go at a time when there should not be a huge crowd, like midnight.

Try downtown “Mom & Pop” shops. Big box stores and fancy malls may be all that and a bag of chips, but they run into the noisy crowd problem. Also, it is usually quality and not quantity that matters. Small “Mom & Pop” shops tend to have great selections of whatever a shopper looks for, and then some. By looking in a little hobby shop, one may, by chance, find the absolute gem of a gift.

Do not bring the kids along. Many children tend to ask for the things they see and want in that moment and may be disappointed should they not get it. If they are the kind of children that pull food off the racks in the grocery store and put them in the cart without notice, it may be best to not let them come on the most last-minute shopping trip. Try leaving them with grandma and grandpa.

Hide gifts in the closet and wrap them on Christmas Eve. Last-minute shoppers may not want to let everyone else know that their shopping was done last-minute. So get the gifts whenever it works out, but hide them in the closest until the very last minute. Then wrap them and place them under the tree on Christmas Eve, just in time for them to wait overnight to be opened. That way, no one will actually know when the shopping was done; all they will know is that the wrapping was done at the very last minute.

Shop Online. Online retailers promise a Christmas delivery as long as you place your order in time. Typically the deadline is December 20th. Online shopping is an ideal way to grab those last minute Christmas gifts without fighting the crowds. Keep your address book and credit card in front of you so you can complete your order.

Gift Cards. Gift cards make great last minute gifts when you're not sure what to get. Be creative and tuck the gift card inside a Christmas mug filled with candy, or buy a Christmas stuffed animal and secure the card around the neck or to the arm with a piece of ribbon.

Compare Prices. There are lots of great sales right now, so shop around to get the best price for your last minute gifts. Most stores have an online site, which means you can compare prices from your couch and save money on gas. Make sure you look at the regular price to make sure you really are getting a good deal.

Take a List. If you do brave the stores, take a list with you and stick to it. With so many items marked down, temptation will call. Take the store advertisement with you to help you remember the exact item you want to get from the right store. Stores and malls have free gift wrapping available, take advantage of it. This saves you time and money while getting your last minute shopping done.

Don’t Panic. Saving all your holiday shopping for the last minute can be very stressful. But nothing will add to it like finding out what you really wanted to get is out of stock. Don’t panic. There is always a way to find that perfect present you have to get, it only takes a bit of cleverness and calm thinking.

The big name retailers are the primary targets for most shoppers. Try and find some family owned businesses in your area. They will often carry the same merchandise as the bigger stores but they will be much less crowded, which means they will almost assuredly have sufficient stock.

Some family owned businesses may be a bit harder to find so you will have to delve into you community and ask around.

Keep in mind what needs to be done. Know what you need to buy and know the options that you have. Stay on target and don’t panic and you will be able to survive your holiday shopping. Just remember that buying Christmas presents does not have to be saved for the last minute. If you are worried about procrastination taking hold again, start planning your shopping now. After all, there is nothing wrong with having everyday feel a little like Christmas.

Check out holiday-entertaining.suite101.com/article.cfm/6_tips_for_last_minute_christmas_shoppers and
www.associatecontent.com/article/2488643/last_minute_christmas_shopping_tips.html?cat=46 for more information on holiday shopping tips plus many great gift ideas.