Christmas Countdown: Gift buying methods

We're only weeks away from Christmas! That means it's time to get organized and start thinking about how you're going to get all those gifts for your family and friends.

Christmas shopping can be a mammoth task, so it's important to have a plan that will allow the festive period to go as smooth as possible.

With that being said - let's start with the most important question of all - how will you be buying your presents?

Thanks to modern technology, gone are the days where Christmas shopping meant hours walking around a shopping centre. Now, you can get it all done in just a few clicks! But is Christmas shopping online the best way to go?

Reasons to buy your Christmas gifts online

The best thing about doing your Christmas shopping online is how easy and convenient it is. If you work till late during the week and don't have many weekends free, it's amazing to be able to order all your presents for your family and friends from the comfort of your sofa, straight to your door. Plus, there's no queues or traffic to think about!

Buying gifts online also allows you to explore different options and varieties of potential presents for your loved ones, and minimizes the risk of running into the dreaded bare shelf and sold-out sign sitting in place of the perfect gift you dreamt up for your friend.

Of course, things can still sell out on online, but that brings me to my next point...

There are millions of online stores - and if one has run out of the perfect gift you had your eye on, you can find another one in a click of a mouse! The best thing about shopping online is that there are no limits - you can get just about anything on Amazon - so go wild. Get the craziest presents you can think up if you want. Guaranteed you'll find them on the web!

One more thing - I'm a big fan of personalised gifts. They can transform the most basic present into the most heartfelt. So even if your budget is a little smaller than last year, you can still gift your family and friends with things they can treasure for a long time.

And getting an item personalised online is one of the quickest and easiest things you can do. There are even websites that specialise in it!

Of course, some people will still prefer the more traditional way of doing their Christmas shopping and there are plenty of pros for that method too. Let's explore them!

Reasons to do your Christmas shopping in-store

First of all - save that delivery charge! It could actually work out cheaper to buy your gifts in-store, especially if you're purchasing larger objects. Delivery costs can really add up. Also, sale timings can differ between website and in-store, so you could get lucky and snap up a deal by visiting a store in person rather than its website, saving you even more.

Also - online shopping does provide a sense of instant gratification, but what's more instant than walking out of a store with exactly what you want in your hands? Rather than waiting around for your items to arrive, in-store shopping allows you to get all your pressies straight away. Plus - there's no panic if there's a delay with the post - over the festive period, waits can be a little longer as sellers go on their holidays and postal offices close.

Have you ever bought something online that looked great on the website? Waited for the standard 2-3 days, excited and anxious, and then it arrives at your door it's nothing like you expected. Shopping in-store eliminates this all-too-common event! You can hold your item in your hand and get a feel for it when purchasing in-store, and confirm that you love it before spending your hard-earned money.

So, both very good options - but which one will you choose? For me, I'll more than likely be buying a majority of my presents online - that's how I do almost all of my shopping anyway - why should Christmas be any different?!

You could also mix and match - buy your bigger, more important gifts in store and get the little bits and pieces for the office secret santa online.

Whatever you decide - it's time to get your Christmas shopping strategy in order now. Christmas is around the corner and will be here before we know it!