Mates, I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been one of those people who have all their Christmas shopping done by November. It doesn’t matter how many reminders I set myself or how many times I open several browser windows and add gifts to my carts only to close my laptop and vow to do it all next week. I just can’t bloody do it. But this year, this year will be different.
Because whichever way you spin it, there are going to be ‘uuuuge postage delays. Australia Post has already announced their cut-off dates for Christmas delivery, with some starting as early as December 8 for standard interstate postage. This means we’ve all got to tap into some big Virgo energy and get our Christmas shopping sorted quick-smart.
So, in the spirit of giving, we’re giving you a few ideas of how you can work with said cut-off dates and get your Chrissy shopping done as quickly and as efficiently as possible.
Order from online retailers that offer express delivery
This one is pretty obvious, but ordering from big online retailers like Amazon and The Iconic will give you a little more leeway on last-minute Christmas shopping. Both are notorious for having speedy (and often free) delivery times. Plus, if you sign up for Amason Prime, you’ll score free expedited delivery on eligible domestic items and free international standard delivery on certain purchases, too. Around now, many online retailers will start to announce their Christmas postage cut-off dates, so be sure to suss those out before you hit buy.
Shop online sale events
One of the perks of starting your Christmas shopping in November is that you can get your Christmas shopping done early and take advantage of all the online sale events happening this month. Kicking off with Click Frenzy next week (Tuesday, November 9), you can nab yourself a huge discount on a range of fashion, beauty, tech, homewares, and more. And if you miss out on the Frenzy, you can always pick up some more bargains at the end of the month when Black Friday (November 26) and Cyber Monday (November 29) roll around. Aside from all the savings, the best part is that all your goodies will arrive well in time for the big day, so you won’t look like the grinch at family Christmas bc ya pressies don’t show up on time.
Support your local
Considering parts of the country spent most of the year in lockdown, it’s a great time to support small local businesses. You can do this by shopping locally in-store, via their websites and even via social media pages like Facebook and Instagram. Plus, if you ask around, some small businesses are even offering local Christmas delivery options and ‘Click & Collect’ type situations.
Click and Collect
Speaking of ‘Click & Collect’, I now get why mum was so obsessed with it every Christmas. It’s really is a thing of beauty. You do all your shopping online, choose to pick it up, and you don’t have to tackle all the riff-raff at your local mall. Pays for itself, really.
Give gifts that keep on giving (subscriptions)
Ah, the last-minute gift that’s requires zero Christmas delivery time and has saved my toosh a time or two. Gifting someone a subscription service is a bit of a cheats way to save Christmas. It can be done as late as Christmas Eve (lol, me), and it feels like a super thoughtful gift — if you spin it right. There are so many different styles of subscriptions you can gift people — streaming services (Disney+, Binge, Kayo, Shudder), cleaning services, coffee and alcohol. All you have to do is find one that suits your person and viola, a thoughtful gift that keeps on giving. Just make sure you don’t default on the payments halfway through the year. That could look a bit shit.
