When Is the Best Time to Start Christmas Shopping?

Christmas is a little more than two months away. It seems hard to believe, but 2024 has flown by, and now we’re just a little more than 60 days away from the big day. Maybe you’ve already started shopping, maybe you’re already done, but there’s a good chance that you haven’t picked up the first item.

Christmas shopping, at least for most people, is a stressful proposition. That’s why stores are so chaotic on December 23 each year. However, knowing when to start your shopping can help you alleviate some of that stress, get the best deals, and ensure that you’re getting the items that are on the wish lists of your loved ones.

Even if you haven’t gotten the early start on your Christmas shopping that you would’ve liked this year, considering some of these factors can help take away some of your stress next year and beyond.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

The two biggest shopping days of the year are Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This is because retailers know that the majority of people don’t start their Christmas shopping months before the big day, no matter how many times they say they’re going to.

Black Friday, which refers to the day after Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday, the Monday following Black Friday.

Retailers slash prices to their lowest point of the year on these days, making it a great time to Christmas shop for multiple people at a fraction of the cost. Black Friday deals are available both in-store and online while Cyber Monday deals are built around the world of e-commerce.

While you’ll have less than a month until Christmas if you wait this long, it’s a great way to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to shopping.

Early Fall: September to October

The idea of piling into a crowded store on Black Friday is enough to cause stress for some people, which is why there are those who choose to get their shopping done before the biggest deals of the year are even available. These shoppers are willing to pay a little more just to avoid massive crowds, product shortages, and other issues that can stem from the busiest shopping day of the season.

Usually, retailers start stocking their holiday items during the fall, with some beginning as early as the first week of September.

While people often complain about retailers putting out Christmas items before Thanksgiving (or even Halloween), the fact remains that it gives early shoppers an opportunity to get ahead of the game by knocking some must-have holiday items off their list.

If you’re looking for a specific item for one of the people on your shopping list, starting early is a great opportunity to grab that item before the full holiday rush sets in.

Christmas in July…or Any Summer Month

If you want to take things to an extreme, you can start your Christmas shopping during the summer. This is a fine idea for people who don’t need to wait for certain holiday items to become available since most retailers and manufacturers won’t put out the hot-ticket items for Christmas in the middle of summer.

However, it’s a great opportunity to use some free time to knock a few names off your shopping list.

You’ll probably want to be strategic if you start your Christmas shopping during the summer. For instance, if you want to buy something for a child in your life, you may want to wait until the Christmas items drop later in the year.

However, if you’re shopping for someone who doesn’t really care about which items are popular at the start of the holiday season, summer is a great chance to get some of your shopping done early.

After Christmas

No, shopping for your loved ones after Christmas doesn’t mean that you’re missing out on the holiday completely.

Instead, you can use the after-Christmas sales as a chance to get ahead of your shopping for the following year. Decorations, gift sets, and even some toys get marked down by huge margins after Christmas, allowing you to get a one-year head start on your shopping for the following season.

Obviously, there are some potential drawbacks to getting such an early start. You have no idea what items are going to be popular a year ahead of time, so if you’re looking for trendy, hot-ticket items for someone on your list, this probably won’t work.

However, you can get some gift sets for those people you shop for who you may not be quite as close to. It’s also a great time to upgrade your tree since most stores have trees that didn’t get purchased marked down by huge margins.

Mid-December

There is something to be said for those procrastinators who don’t get around to their Christmas shopping until time is almost up. Procrastinators who get a late start may get the adrenaline rush associated with fighting through crowds of their peers, the risks typically outweigh the rewards.

The biggest risk is that you’re unlikely to find every item that you go in looking for, especially if you shop at a store instead of online. Retailers try to only keep the amount of holiday items that they can reasonably expect to sell, meaning they would rather have five too few of a particular item than 10 too many.

There are also risks associated with putting things off when shopping online. Delivery companies get flooded with orders, which means you run the risk of your order not making it to you before Christmas.

Shop Smart

Ultimately, when you start your Christmas shopping is up to you, but fall seems to be the sweet spot on the calendar. Shopping then ensures that you’re getting access to the hottest holiday items without having to wait for last-minute deliveries that you hope make it on time.