Ramping up the Research

I might like the lead-up to Christmas more than the actual holiday. I love all the research that goes into getting presents for the people I love. I work on the ideas all year long; paying attention to what friends and family mention throughout the year that they’d like to have or need. But it’s this time of year where it kicks into high gear for me.

I have some friends who aren’t happy unless all of their holiday shopping is done by Halloween, Thanksgiving at the latest. And I have an equal number of friends who are still thinking and plotting (and shopping) until the last few days before Christmas. I usually get done before I’m really ready to be done, which usually leads to, ahem, over-spending. So I’ve got the whole thing down to sort of a fine science. Because I have to make sure I’m done shopping and ready to give gifts right before Christmas, or else I’ll keep looking for other stuff and that is a budget breaker right there.

But I’ve started the research for this year already. Starting to formulate ideas and doing the research to decide if those ideas merit further action, i.e. a request to the grandparents or a higher priority on our budgetary list. I keep a running wish list on the Toys R Us website that I continually add to and take away from as the kiddos’ interests ebb and flow. But it’s all the plasticky, everyday sort of toys that they see commercials for or see their friends playing with. Right now for The Boy, that means all things Star Wars and Transformers. For The Girl that means all things Barbie and Disney Princesses.

The other things however are the ones that take the most research. Like trying to find a great gymnastics class that we can afford for The Girl, which I think she would love. And trying to find a club for the boy where gets a new book once a month (do those still exist?).

Christmas is my all-time favorite holiday. All the research leading up to lit up faces on Christmas morning as those I love open the perfect gifts.