Getting Ready for Christmas?

So we've just started August and I'm already thinking about Christmas. This is probably a little bit crazy, but that's only five paydays until the big day (and the last one doesn't really count because it's right before Christmas so you've not got time to get anything).

I used to pride myself on the fact that I would get most of my big Christmas shopping out of the way in October, then I could enjoy December's Christmas shopping time by just picking up odd bits and pieces without the stress and hassle of the season. I think that's one of the reasons why I really enjoy the run up to Christmas; it's kind of entertaining watching everyone else get so wound up when I don't feel the need to myself.

Of course, Mr Click had to go one better than me and started getting Christmas presents for me last month. I mean, there's being organised and then there's being ridiculous, right? Then again, I think I started it when I cast on for my Nativity figures.

Remember when you were little and used to write a letter to Father Christmas?

I was a very helpful child. I used to pore over the Argos catalogue, carefully listing line description, item number, product code, page and price of the things I really wanted (read: anything that caught my attention).

Nowadays, Mr Click and I keep a somewhat regularly updated wish list on Amazon. I'll admit, he's been better at keeping his up to date than I have with mine, mainly because I nag him about it and then never get around to doing it myself when I'm online.

On the one hand, some might think this will take a bit of the fun out of Christmas shopping. Half the fun of buying Christmas presents is thinking of things that a person will like. Just because I buy a few things off of Mr Click's list doesn't mean I don't come up with a few little gifts myself. But it's also good to get things you know that person will like. There's nothing worse than looking at a gift under the tree and hoping it's that box set/top/piece of jewellery/whatever and then unwrapping it on Christmas Day and finding it's something you're never going to use.

I'm also using the Amazon Wish List feature to keep track of things I want to buy but haven't yet. I recently discovered you can make private wishlists so I'm happily pinching stuff from Mr Click's list and sticking it in a private one that he can't see. There are some things there which are dead cheap, which I'm planning on using to make up orders for free delivery when I'm ordering things for myself; there are things which are really expensive, which I'm watching in the hopes they'll come down in price or that when I've got some HMV vouchers I can pick up there; and there are some things which I don't really want to get him, but which he really wants so I just have to summon up the motivation to buy them.

I'm having quite a lot of fun getting organised for Christmas.

I just need to remember to actually buy stuff as well, otherwise I might get carried away and spend the next few months just playing musical wish lists!