Extreme Christmas Shoppers wanted for Guardian article

DonnaLFerguson

Hello MSE forum users
I'm a freelance journalist and I'd like to ask your help with an article I'm writing for The Guardian on Christmas shopping.

Apologies for 'touting for business' but I'm trying to get word out to as many people as possible - and I've checked and been given permission by MSE editors to post this.

I'm looking to interview people for an article on how you do your Christmas shopping, and I especially want people who are quite extreme - so:
- people who have bought everything already
- people who absolutely refuse to do any Christmas shopping before the 23rd or 24th December
- people who never buy anything before December 25, and then buy everything in the sales etc
- people who only buy online, refuse to set foot in a physical shop
- people who buy everything in the January/ post-Xmas sales like Xmas cards, stockings etc

If you are one of these people, or know someone who is, and you wouldn't mind appearing in the paper, please get in touch. Ideally it would be great if you also wouldn't mind being photographed, but if you'd prefer not or want your name changed I could potentially do that.

Let me know and as I say, please forward this to friends or anyone you think might be able to help me, stick it up at work - whatever you want - but my deadline is very soon: 12th NOVEMBER so next Tuesday.

The best way to get in touch with me is to email me donna.freelancer+media@gmail.com or you can tweet me: donnalferguson


Thanks again
Donna

Former_MSE_Dan

Hi all,

Just to reassure - Donna is a national newspaper journalist and we gave her the nod to post this earlier when she asked if any of our forummers could help her out and spread the MoneySaving word a bit.

Cheers - have a good weekend all.

Dan

vikki_louise

Hello, sorry I wouldn't want to take part but many of us on here don't do January sales, others like me do Christmas shopping at 1am on Christmas Day (for next Christmas) as places like M&S start their sales at midnight Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. There should be lots of posts from people on the 'gone but not forgotten' board who are extreme Christmas shoppers

DonnaLFerguson

Thanks Vicki, that's super helpful, will post a link to this thread on there.
Thanks again.

DonnaLFerguson

Getting loads of fantastic responses from people who are super orgnaised... but what about the bargain-hunters? Anyone actually go out and do their Xmas shopping on Boxing Day, refusing on principle to buy the presents for that Christmas before Xmas day? And the people who, on principle, avoid shopping until Christmas Eve - and then do all their shopping then. Anyone that extreme?

Thanks again, this truly is a wonderful community of people.

whitewing

I keep chuckling at this thread. I thought it would be interesting to see extreme Christmas people, and then I find that I am one!

Sorry that I can't help with the article but do link it to the thread when it's published, as I wouldn't want to miss it.

SugarSpun

My Dad used to do all his shopping on Christmas Eve. I remember one year he wanted to get my Mum a bathrobe, and it had to be a particular fabric. We went through about thirty shops before he finally found one and it was this hideous lurid neon pink. But we were knackered so he bought it anyway, and then we only had about half an hour to get everyone else's gifts (at that time both his parents and both the kids). He always bought mine last of all because I always went shopping with him, so he used to put me in a Starbucks with a cup of hot chocolate while he went for my gift. I got cash that year; was brilliant except I didn't get my hot chocolate.

Always_after_a_bargin

Sorry I can't be a part of the article but what I will say is. I am a extreme christmas shopper but this is not because I am madly in love with christmas or anything but like thousands and thousands of people on MSE I have a limited budget due to ever increasing costs of living and even with the strain on our wages we still want to provide that wonderful experience of christmas for our children.

I know that from January I shop in the sales for the birthdays of the year and I also pick up next years wrapping paper, bows etc. Then once kids go back to school in September the christmas bargin hunting starts. Thanks to this forum and other bargin websites that people contribute to ables me to give my children the christmas they deserve. Also the thought of going into a department store a week before christmas fills me with dread!

I even buy my christmas presents on behalf of the kids and husband as the thought of paying for anything that is not reduced, or had a discount code applied to it would make me shudder. So yes I am quite obsessive and controlled when it comes to christmas but I have to make my budget stretch as far as possible. I now apart from some stocking fillers am finished so while some people are rushing around like mad people in a busy filled shopping center I am in front of the fire curled up watching a christmas film with my children knowing everything is bought and wrapped.

Hope that gives you a little insight and good luck with your article. I look forward to reading it.

DonnaLFerguson

Thanks very much for the very helpful replies and responses. I have so enjoyed reading your posts. I admire the organised bargain hunters among you so much. I wish I was more like you!

Still looking for an 'extreme' Christmas shopper who refuses to actually buy gifts until Boxing Day - there's no point paying more just because it's before Xmas, you may as well get the gifts the day after etc etc.

Anyone like that? Or know anyone who is?

No photo necessary and you can be anonymous!

Please do get in touch today.

Thanks everyone.

whitewing

Don't forget the Christmas Day internet bargain hunters. Two categories I can think of: those spending xmas money, and those preparing for next years gifts. I did once buy 18 baskets for something silly like a penny each + collect from store with the intention of making hampers the following year.

whitewing

You could also put a post on the Debt Free Wannabe Board. There are some very creative people there in terms of stretching finances, re-evaluating the spirit of Christmas and balancing Christmas with long term paying off of debts. They may be avoiding the Christmas board as part of their strategy of dealing with debts.