Christmas-Shopping Tips to Avoid Crowds

The Christmas-shopping season is always busy, and for those with busy schedules, Christmas shopping can be a huge hassle. Here are some tips for those who want to avoid the rush during the Christmas season.

Shop during the week. The malls are always packed on the weekends during the Christmas season, but many malls are not as busy on weeknights. If you want to shop on weeknights, the earlier you do it the less busy the stores will be. I usually finish all of my shopping before Thanksgiving and I never have to deal with the crowds.

Shop during "extended hours." I worked retail all through college, and during the Christmas season, I'd often be working at the mall until midnight for extended store hours. However, very few customers actually came in to shop on weeknights at 11:00 p.m. This is a great time to avoid crowds in many stores. It can also be a great time for parents to shop without their kids (as long as they can find someone else to watch the kids while they're gone).

Shop at less popular malls. Older, smaller malls often draw smaller crowds. I shop at malls that are less popular whenever possible. They have many of the same stores, but shopping there is quicker, and I usually can find better deals, because sale items don't sell out as quickly. Often the store associates are more helpful, too, because they are less busy and they haven't dealt with 1,000 angry customers.

Shop online. Last year, I wanted to get some of the day after Thanksgiving deals, but I didn't want to go to the mall. So I shopped online. I still got some great deals and I never had to deal with long lines, crowded bathrooms, or overflowing parking lots. If you would like to shop online for Christmas gifts, make sure that shipping is guaranteed by Christmas.