Holiday Tips and Tricks | Shop Smart and Stay Sane!
Do you dream of a worry free winter wonderland? Then pull up your stockings and get to work! Holiday shopping can be a sweet treat or a last minute nightmare. To survive the madness that is holiday shopping season, we've rounded up our top tips for gift giving without the very merry migraines. Follow our full proof plan to beat Santa at his own game!
Start Early...Like ASAP!
It is never too early to start holiday shopping. The earlier you shop, the sooner you reach sanity. And let's be real here, is that $5 you saved on your nephews gift from Toys R' Us worth the crowds or headaches? I think not.
Need Inspiration? Google Gift Guides!
When in doubt, google last years top gift guides to spark shopping ideas. There are lists out there for every age range, personality, and gender. Need a gift for your toddler niece? Google it. How about your middle age golf enthusiast father-in-law? Google it! Let the experts be your guides. And check out the Tamarind Gift Guide for our holiday favorites!
Make a List, Then Game Plan
Once you have the perfect gift in mind, plan where and when to pull the trigger and purchase. Researching where a specific gift may be instead of aimlessly wandering from store to store saves you time and energy. And nothing is more satisfying than crossing items off a to-do list. Your welcome!
Shop Local First
We know the Black Friday/ Cyber Monday Sales are enticing. Hell, we've waited in line bundled and huddled with family post Turkey binge at 3 A.M. to snag deeply discounted tech once or twice. We've even been the folks re-folding piles of sweaters torn to pieces from dusk til dawn. But those sales should be a last resort. Try to find the gifts on your list close to home and support your local economy. Think of all the annoying potholes that could be filled with the help of your all mighty holiday dollars!
Check Out Good Karma Sales
Give back while giving a quality gift. Good Karma Sales promote conscious consumerism, blending holiday shopping with charity. Participating businesses donate a percentage of sales to charity in lieu of the Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday mass consumption frenzy. This year, Tamarind joins the Good Karma Sale movement and will donate 10% of sales profits from Saturday, November 26th to Monday, November 28th to The Living Room—a Sonoma County charity that provides warmth, safety, and support for homeless and at-risk women and children during the day when overnight shelters are closed by offering nutritious meals, assistance with essentially daily needs, healthcare education, parenting skills, job search skills, computer and mail access, and referrals to community resources for shelter, housing, and vital services. Tamarind is proud to support this local charity this holiday season.
Go for Gift Wrap!
Save yourself the time and paper cuts and jump on free gift wrap. Look for the option when checking out online or ask your cashier when in store. Most places offer the upgrade free of charge during the holiday season. And honestly, your family and friends won't mind if your bag of gifts don't match. It's whats inside that counts.
(Images via A Cup of Jo, CNN, Park and Cube, The Wild Unknown, Baba Souk)
