Not gonna lie, as soon as Halloween is over I’m going to start blaring “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” in my kitchen while making sugar cookies and drinking hot chocolate.
Now before you all get your feathers ruffled, I believe we all deserve to start the festivities a little early after the year we’ve had. If pure joy and the Christmas spirit isn’t reason enough for you, I’ve got some logistical reasons that are sure to get you started on that Christmas shopping.
You’ve probably noticed in the past few weeks that there seems to be a common topic (outside of politics) discussing the newest national issue- shipping. One moment amazon says “your package will be delivered in 3 to 7 days” and now it takes almost two weeks for that same package to arrive. Due to issues at ports and supply shortages, the supply chain has taken a heavy hit due to covid and other various reasons that are making it quite the scramble to keep stores stocked.
With that being said, here’s a few things to consider when planning for the holiday season without being a grouch.
1. Start planning early- Planning out holidays isn’t necessarily always for the faint of heart, especially when you’re having to coordinate with other family members schedules or friends. But the sooner it can be outlined, the less stress there is during the week of the holidays!
2. Gifts, gifts, gifts! With many gifts being in short supply in stores and at eCommerce stores, the sooner you start your holiday gift shopping the more likely those items will be available and be able to arrive before the big day. Especially if you want to be the cool cat for your company white elephant gift exchange, the sooner you start order, the more secure your spot will be as the “MVP” of white elephant gifting.
3. Flights- COVID has made it to where it takes more to book for a flight than just booking & boarding. With many airlines requesting a negative COVID test result or proof of vaccination, it's better to stay ahead of the curve on that front in order to make it nana’s Christmas dinner. Also booking ahead of time can give you time to find an affordable ticket that isn’t necessarily on a red eye flight.
4. Company parties- Everyone LOVES a good Christmas party, especially when it’s on the company dime. With Christmas bonuses and good times, what better way to help employees feel better appreciated than with a little extra custom gift to send home with them? Similar to planning out gifts, start making suggestions to your Christmas party chairperson or supervisor about ideas for your company party.
5. Budget- A budget is wonderful, it helps you stay accountable to yourself so that you don’t start the new year with an empty bank account, and helps you make decisive decisions about what gifts to give your friends or family members. Plus, with having a budget planned ahead of time, you have more time to shop around and compare prices for items that are on your gift wish list.
And what is the easiest way to accommodate all five-points than by using Brightbox? With customizable gifting for company gifting, and selecting items from in house you’re guaranteed to make the season bright. So happy holidays folks! We're counting down the days till Christmas 🎄