I have barely started my holiday shopping this year! Can you relate?
I do have a good excuse. Besides the normal chaos that comes with teaching a fall term (final papers and exams to grade, marks to get in), we finally moved to our new house! So that has taken up a lot of time. It’s been six years since we moved homes and I found this one the smoothest moves in a lot of ways. First, because we still own our other home, I didn’t have to book the movers for the possession date. That allowed me to come over to the new house, set up my kitchen and bathrooms and get this place pretty liveable BEFORE the furniture and boxes arrived in earnest. Second, when we got into the new house, the former owners had paid a cleaning service to go through the home. So there was no clean up to do (in other moves, I’ve had a LOT of cleaning to do before I even moved in. One memorable experience involved cat hair in the freezer compartment of the fridge. Don’t even ask!).
But now my Facebook friends keep reminding me on a regular basis that there are only so many days left until Christmas! And I have barely started my shopping. I did order some presents a few months ago … they are in a box somewhere …
Then there are the old standby presents that I’ve purchased so often they are expected by the family every year (pjs, calendars, socks, you know the stuff). My sons both have expensive hobbies that could (hopefully will) launch into careers for them (music and photography). So they have big ticket items on their wish list. My daughter is a starving university student and wants practical stuff (soap, toothpaste, warm socks, some gloves).
As an author, you would think books would be high on my list for present items. But as a published writer, the pressure is on as to what books I gift to friends and family. I have to pre-read them and my TBR list is a mile high. But I have to admit that I am an Amazon Prime member and yesterday the courier arrived not once but twice with “Christmas presents, maybe?” as my eldest son, home from university, asked when I answered the door. I hurried them upstairs and hid them before the younger son got home.
How are you doing with your Christmas shopping? What gifts do you chose for the person who has everything? And is this a time of stress for you?
If you are stumped for people who are hard to buy for, remember Surviving Logan is available in most Chapters and many independent bookstores across the country. My dad and husband are both tough to buy for and if they hadn’t already read that book, I would have it at the top of my list. It’s the perfect blend of biography and adventure story. If you don’t want to brave the mall, you can still order it online and get it in time for Christmas!
If you have any teens or fantasy lovers on your list, my Marked Ones series has been very popular. The best book to start with is actually the brand new release, Journey to the Rift. It is the prequel to the rest of the series and a great starting point for those who don’t want to commit to the series just yet. All three books (Five Corners and Finding Refuge) are available online via Amazon and should arrive before the big day!
And my final plug is that all my books are available as e-books via the Kindle store. This is a good option if you’re on a tight budget and have someone who loves their e-reader on your list!
Whatever you have planned for Christmas, remember gift giving should be the smallest part. Spending time with friends and family is worth more than any present could ever be! Happy holidays, everyone!
