| I confess that holiday shopping once felt
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| | have. Make notes of their favorite things
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| like an enormous, energy draining chore,
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| | to do, favorite places to go, favorite
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| and it was one that I dreaded all year.
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| | brands of clothes, favorite games,
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| Now I have found a way to really enjoy
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| | favorite possessions. Sit for a minute
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| it. Here are some tips to help you take
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| | and brainstorm the possibilities. You
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| pleasure in it, too.
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| | might be surprised at the good ideas that
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| 1. Make it fun. Do whatever you need to
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| | pop up.
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| do to make the prospect of holiday
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| | 4. Shop online as much as you can. You
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| shopping more enjoyable. Some people get
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| | can save significantly at the online
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| energized by the mall, but, for me, the
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| | discount stores, such as Overstock and
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| mall is a big energy drain. Instead, I
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| | SmartBargains. Some sites will save you
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| love to sit curled up in a big fleece
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| | sales tax; others will have items you
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| blanket with a cup of cocoa and a stack
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| | would not find in your local mall. And
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| of catalogs. For weeks now, I have been
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| | you can generally find a coupon code this
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| tearing out pages and circling gift ideas
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| | time of year to save even more.
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| for my favorite people. It is fun to get
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| | After you have been shopping online for
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| inspired in this way. Then, I will make
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| | some time, you may find (like me) that
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| my list and search for online coupons for
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| | most of your gifts come from the same two
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| the stores I have selected (since I
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| | or three websites each year, and that can
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| hardly every make an online purchase
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| | save you money on shipping, too.
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| without a coupon code.)
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| | 5. Save for the holidays throughout the
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| Whichever method of shopping is most fun
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| | year so you are not crunched come
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| for you, do it. Maybe you will go on a
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| | December. It is easier for me to stay in
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| special lunch date with your spouse and
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| | the Christmas spirit if I do not have to
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| power shop for the kids. Maybe you will
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| | feel like I am searching for the best
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| make a daytrip to the most festive
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| | bargain on every single item. I would
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| outdoor mall with some girlfriends.
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| | rather find the exact perfect gift and
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| Shopping can be one of the most enjoyable
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| | then use a coupon code when purchasing it
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| parts of the holiday season. Just make
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| | online, rather than running all over town
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| sure you are doing it in such a way that
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| | (or all over the world wide web) to find
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| it does not feel like just one more thing
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| | it cheaper. That probably costs me a
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| you have to do this time of year. The key
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| | little more in the end, but it saves me a
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| is planning ahead and asking yourself
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| | ton of time.
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| what you really enjoy about the process
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| | 6. Look for quality and personality, not
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| of finding gifts.
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| | quantity. Nothing squashes my Christmas
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| 2. Start with a budget. What is the
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| | spirit more than focusing too much on the
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| dollar range that you wish to spend for
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| | price tag. (Have I spent enough on this
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| each person? Make sure you stay in a
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| | person, have I bought her enough gifts?
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| range you can afford. Nothing takes the
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| | Will I give their family as many presents
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| fun out of holiday shopping more than
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| | as she will give my family?) When
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| knowing you will still be paying off the
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| | shopping takes on the air of competition,
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| bills next Christmas.
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| | it is no good. Look for things that are
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| 3. Plan ahead. I know that many people
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| | beautiful, lasting, heartfelt, and
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| have all of their holiday shopping
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| | sentimental.
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| completed in July, but I never have, and
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| | Sometimes it helps to supplement
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| probably never will. However, I can get
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| | something store bought with something
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| myself to jot down notes throughout the
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| | handmade. Buy or create a gift while
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| year (in the back of my Daytimer) about
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| | trying to imagine the look on their faces
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| things that my family members have
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| | when they open the gift.
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| mentioned they like or would like to
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