Christmas presents

[tobyaw]

Over the last couple of days I’ve done most of my Christmas shopping. As has become a habit in recent years, it has been fuelled by Amazon.

Just as I don’t like Christmas decorations or Christmas music to creep through the year, I don’t approve of Christmas present purchasing being anything other than a December activity. I despair at those who have all their present organised before the end of September.

Back in the days of physical shopping, I used to take delight in buying many of my Christmas presents on Christmas Eve; now I like to start looking at Amazon a week before Christmas. The proximity concentrates the mind, and makes decision making more satisfying.

Comments

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

You clearly place far more trust in courier firms than I do...

Courier failure

[houstonjames.livejournal.com]

My brother was hit badly by that a few years ago, having bought most of his presents from Amazon - only to be told, after the items shipped and it was "too late" to cancel the order, that they wouldn't arrive in time. (Presumably he was still entitled to cancel the purchases and return them under Distance Selling regulations, but that doesn't get a refund until much later...)

Having said that, Amazon seem to have done a good job for me this year; I only have one present left to buy, which will probably come from Tesco bought in person anyway. Now I just have a lot of wrapping to do!

[tobyaw]

It appears that the couriers served us well this Christmas.

I’ve learned to trust that when Amazon Prime says next day, it means next day.

[lewis-p-bear.livejournal.com]

Ah, we are of those for whom you despair but we have an excuse.
When The Bloke worked for Sony everything went insane at the start of September and if one did not have Christmas sorted by then you were in stook.

There is also the thought that, if one sees a gift, suitable for a friend or loved one, during the year buying it then and there means you are ahead of the game and also spreads the cost.

[tobyaw]

Christmas cannot be allowed to take over the year! It’s bad enough that shops have Christmassy things on their shelves for a quarter of the year without pandering to them and actually buying stuff!