With the festive season just around the corner, it’s almost time to shower our friends and families with gifts. That means it’s time to run the gauntlet of shopping centre turmoil. Get ready for flustered soccer moms forced to grab lunch for little Johnny before carting him off to afternoon practice, dawdling high schoolers taking the scenic route through the malls, and endless queues of elderly people counting their change. To help you get through what is considered by many to be the most stressful time of any year, we've put together this handy list. We call it The Man's Guide to Gifts.
First things first - get your game face on. These streets are mean, yo. Be prepared to elbow your way through throngs of deal-hungry bargain hunters all gunning for the last remaining two-for-one thingamabob promising to revolutionise your vegetable chopping experience forever. Ready your shins for kicks from overzealous MMA grandmas ready to throw down because you picked up the pair of oven mitts she had her eye on. Step back, bruh, and keep on moving. You just ain't man enough.
Next point: resolve to start earlier next year. If you're only starting now, then it's almost too late. Shop for bargains during the course of the year and you'll find the festive shopping experience a much more chilled one.
Shop online. It's 2016! If you haven't tried shopping online yet, I can only assume you just climbed out of your Y2K bunker and you've had more than your fill of baked beans and artificial light. I'm here to help usher you into the warm sunlight of online consumerism. Almost everything you need, can be bought online: from groceries to homeware, clothing to eyewear (http://www.specsavers.co.za/shop/unisex/glasses and http://www.specsavers.co.za/shop/unisex/sunglasses). Online mass retailers like takealot.com offer you a one stop shopping experience for gifts for all age ranges and tastes. Superbalist and Zando offer trendy clothing and gift options for everyone on your list.
Choose wisely. It's not quite the festive season yet, so you've still got time to plan the perfect gift. Consider gifts that emphasise your relationship with the person. Couple focused gifts work for your significant other, because they allow you quality time with your person. Think about couples getaways, romantic nights on the town, dance classes (better brush up on your moves beforehand so that you don't spend all night dancing on their toes!), or even surprise homemade three course dinners. The most important thing here is the focus on the time together.
It is personal Sonny, it's not strictly busine. Personalised gifts mean a great deal more than mass produced lucky packet trinkets. Again, you've got just enough time to really make these gifts something special, perhaps consider the DIY option. Homemade gifts go a long way in telling someone you care about them. The internet is a treasure trove of awesome DIY projects (think Pinterest and Instructables). Find something appropriate and go with it: handmade building blocks for toddlers and preschoolers, hot chilli sauce for the firebreathers in your family, jams for the grannies and perhaps even a work of art for a good friend.
The moral of the story is: you're not too late. There's still time to make this festive season something really special for your loved ones. Just put your thinking cap on and get to work. And if you have to hazard the shops, remember to beware of those grannies gunning for your shins. These streets are mean, yo.
Date Published: 26 October 2016
