Five Tips for Nailing Christmas Shopping This Year

December is a cracking time of year, but there’s no denying that the Christmas period is also one of the busiest times of the year. From finishing up work before the holidays to all the socialising, drinking and shopping, there’s a lot to do – but with some pre-planning, you can make it more fun. Here are five tips for this year’s shop.

Start early
Along with Boxing Day, December 23 is traditionally one of the biggest retail days of the year. Getting your shopping done earlier will mean there are fewer people around and there’s more stock, meaning less chance of missing out on anything on your list. Another pre-Christmas shopping hack? Keep an eye out for sales before Christmas. Some retailers won’t wait until Boxing Day to begin discounting stock.

Stick to one place
The best plan of attack is to make a detailed list, allocate one day to get all your shopping done and thank yourself later. Hit up a major destination such as Chadstone – The Fashion Capital. You’ll be able to visit big department stores and smaller fashion boutiques, such as Incu and Acne Studios, as well as skin, body and haircare-focused outlets like Aesop and Mecca (perfect for gifts). Plus, there are plenty of food options including Fonda, Axil Coffee Roasters and Black Star Pastry. Santa will also be visiting the shopping centre this year, if you’re bringing the little ones along with you.

Wrap thoughtfully
There are plenty of different ways to wrap your presents, so don’t worry if you forget to stock up on wrapping paper. Furoshiki – the Japanese technique of wrapping objects in a square piece of cloth – is also a popular option. Patterned silk scarves from retailers such as Oroton can be used and then form part of the gift, or you can check out the fabric wrapping packs at stores such as Typo.

Plan ahead
It’s good to go in with a game plan. To help you out, Chadstone – The Fashion Capital has produced its own digital gift guide with more than 500 products to choose from, from retailers big and small. There’s fitness gear from 2XU and LSKD; T-shirts, bags and shoes from Aje; elevated homewares from Halo Tree; and cookware from Le Creuset. Also on offer is high-end menswear from Orlebar Brown; gift vouchers from Oscar Oscar Salons; and Lego sets for the kids at the Legoland Discovery Centre. You can also check out Chadstone’s top picks for Kris Kringle gifts, luxury treats and food-themed presents.

Get creative

Making your own Christmas decorations is a nice way to personalise your tree, along with any events you might be hosting. With a packet of air-dry clay from a craft store or a retailer such as Kmart, you can make your own decorations, name tags or placeholders for your table. Roll out a piece of clay, shape it with a cookie cutter, use a skewer to poke a hole up the top and use props or stamps to print a name or decoration. Otherwise, an elevated grocery store such as Colonial Fresh can help you fill out imaginative ideas such as a custom charcuterie board stocked full of local meats, cheeses, olives and dried fruit.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Chadstone – The Fashion Capital.