Christmas Shopping; High Street vs Online*

Yes, one of those things that goes hand in hand with Christmas is the Christmas shopping, whether you love it or loath it the majority of us have to do it, especially if you’re a parent with kids who are depending on you to play Santa Claus. After another wrapping session last night I know I’m in the home straight and could possibly be done by the end of the week! What a comforting thought. I really do only have the pets to buy for now, but then lucky me, I have LM’s birthday in January to start thinking about. Oh well!

So for those of you who haven’t even started yet, there are 25 shopping days until the big day, are you going to utilise the Internet and shop online or will you be hitting the high street? There are pros and cons to both!

High Street
Pros
– You can see what you’re buying in person before handing over your hard earned cash. You can check the quality, the colours and sizes rather than just relying on a photo on the screen.
– It’s easier to find what you want. I find massive websites like ASOS, Debenhams hard to shop on as there are just so many things! In a store you can browse around and everything is so much easier to see.
– If it’s you precious work night outfit, you can try before you buy. Not everyone has a body like the model on screen. What may look good on the website might not look good on you, then you have the faff of returning.
– The music, the lights, the atmosphere. Christmas shopping in store can be so enjoyable and really get you into the festive mood. I love when stores have late night shopping and you’re popping in and out of cosy shops and the streets have all the decorations up.

Cons
– You have to leave your house. Some people don’t like facing crowds, long till lines and bracing the cold weather. And Christmas shopping on a Saturday can actually be a nightmare especially the closer you get to Christmas.
– If the store is busy the displays can get messed up which makes it hard to see what you’re looking for.
– You can miss out on online exclusives.
– You have to carry all the shopping bags home. A nightmare if you’re using public transport!

Online
Pros
– You can do it from your cosy arm chair with the Christmas lights on and your gingerbread candle burning.
– Whatever you buy is delivered right to your door, no carting bags further than you designated hiding place!
– You can do it discreetly so the kids don’t see. You can do it when they’re in bed, or even when they’re up if you know they won’t look at the laptop screen. So much easier than trying to fit in a day when they won’t be shopping with you if you choose the high street.
– You can Google for voucher codes to make your shop even cheaper. This is why I do so much of my shopping any time of year online, there always seems to be a free delivery code or 10% off for most stores knocking around so why not utilise it? You can also claim cash back on a lot of websites these days, every penny in your pocket is better than a one in theirs!

Cons
– If something is out of stock that’s it! If you are in store usually they’re happy to phone around other stores to check the stock for you.
– If something isn’t right you have the lengthy process of returning for an exchange or to get your money back. Then if something goes missing you need to make that dreaded phone call.

For me, I prefer online. As much as I love the atmosphere during Christmas I prefer to go enjoy it with a hot chocolate in hand without the stress of shopping. Online I can utilise my money best, have presents delivered without Little Miss finding out and I don’t need to come too close in contact with people and can avoid triggering my social anxiety. Thank God for the Internet, hey?!