Given the tough economic times, it may not feel much like “the Season to be Jolly”.   Before you start singing the holiday blues, here are some tips to stop the Grinch from stealing your holiday cheer.

Savor Simple Holiday Pleasures.  In the midst of the hectic holiday pace, don’t forget to slow down and make time to truly enjoy the season with those you love. Remember holidays as a child? Recapture treasured memories with your own children or grandchildren. Savor the simple pleasures of the season: Make snow angels and a jolly snowman after the first snowfall, select and decorate your Christmas tree as a family, snuggle up and enjoy its twinkling lights and fragrant smell, or bake holiday cookies for neighbors and friends. The lasting memories you create are the best gifts of all.  What are some of your favorite memories from holidays past that you would love to recreate with your family?

Tis the Season to Search for Savings.   If you are like almost half of the people PersonalShopper.com surveyed nationwide, you are planning to spend less this holiday season than in years past, due to an increase in household expenses, concern over the economy/market, or a painful loss of a job.   Budget strapped consumers have two primary strategies to avoid breaking their bank this holiday season:

1) Spend less per person 

2) Reduce the number of people on their gift list.   

Almost everyone said they will be focused on finding deals to make their dollar stretch farther. Bargain hunters cited three key ways to find the best deals:

1) Shop online

2) Shop early

3) Compare before they buy

Master Your Spending with a Gift Budget.  Resist the temptation to overspend this holiday season by creating a master gift budget with spending limits for each person on your list. PersonalShopper.com’s holiday survey revealed that the #1 reason people are not looking forward to the holidays is that they are afraid that “they won’t be able to find the gifts they want to give without breaking the bank or maxing out their credit cards.” This year, avoid the January credit card blues. I invite you to take advantage of the free My Gifts service and Budget Planner at PersonalShopper.com. Just share a little about who’s on your list and how much you want to spend -- and put our free service to work for you.  It sifts through hundreds of thousands of products (so you don’t have to) and recommends great gift ideas tailored to the personality and interests of each person and your pre-set spending limits.  So this year, you can finish your gift list in record time – without busting your budget.     

I am thrilled to have been asked by Reader’s Digest to share gifting tips and insights with you over the coming weeks.  Some of the topics I look forward to blogging about are:

      ·         How to reduce the size of your gift list without feeling like Mr. Scrooge

·         Which relationships do shoppers find most difficult to buy the right gift for? Why?

·         Top gifts by relationship, personality and price

I look forward to helping you find gifts that will truly delight the people on your list without busting your budget.   Together we can triumph over the Grinch and bring back the holiday cheer.