Christmas shopping.

It is getting to the time now where everyone will be starting their Christmas shopping (unless you are already done, then go you!) and I know how stressful and hectic it can be. Not at all times of course, if you pick the right day to go you will be fine, but go on a Saturday, like most people, then I wish you the best of luck.

You are out in the bitter cold, carrying a ridiculous amount of bags, trying to worm your way through a slow-moving crowd. As soon as you enter a shop, it is unbearably hot and you feel you can't concentrate on what you are doing. You try to pick up a possible present, but it is a hassle as there is no where to put your bags as the shop is so crowded. You quickly decide to buy the item, not really having thought about it, carry on working your way through the crowd towards the till and people are stood bang in the middle of the isles, casually having a conversation whilst you and every other individual is trying to weave round them, only to find the queue is stupidly long and your bus is due in 10 minutes. You feel like you are becoming more and more stressed, so you drop the item wherever, storm out in a stress and go home. Then you have to repeat the day another time as you have not got all your presents. 

This is what it is like for me anyway.

Although, I will be buying a lot of my presents online this year as I am worried it will snow and certain items will not arrive on time!

I don't even have many people to buy for (three to be precise), but I still find it so annoying. I just never know what to buy.

My mum. 

She loves Take That, and will normally have anything Take That related, but I am sick of buying their stuff now. She needs something new. However, the problem is, she works in a primary school, so she gets presents off about 90 kids, so all the basic ideas are gone, candles, chocolate, wine, photo albums, photo frames, keyrings, socks, gloves, jewellery, you name it, she will get it. So it is impossible to buy for her. 

My gran.

Grans are just generally hard to buy for. I can't get her slippers because she likes to choose her own and she does not wear much jewellery. I just never know what to get her, I can't even remember what I bought last year. I have probably wiped it from my memory because it was such an awful present. 

Matthew (my boyfriend).

I feel like I have bought him everything now, watch, aftershave, photo-frame, iPod dock, remote controlled dragonfly (not much, but I can't think of much else you can get a boy!). He can't have chocolate because of some health problems or something and he has like every gadget going.

But please remember, there are other people in the world who won't even be receiving any presents. There are many charities that will accept new toys, within any price range, which they will give to underprivileged children. So, please, when you are out Christmas shopping, or browsing online for presents, if you see something within a nice budget for you, that would be suitable for a child, pop it into your basket. You only need to buy one if you are a little skint, like most people are round Christmas, but you will be placing a smile on a child's face this Christmas, and surely that is better than any present you will receive?

Also, look through your cupboards and go through any toys or clothing that you no longer need and take it to a local charity shop. Many families shop there for affordable presents for their family, so please make their life a little easier round Christmas, and provide a charity shop with the chance to offer some nice presents.

I have a few clothes so far to take, some books and I have got two new toys to take to Ryman's (they will wrap them and give them to children). See this page for more information if you live in North West England.

Happy Christmas shopping lovely bloggers!

Are you looking forward to Christmas shopping, or is it your worst nightmare?

~Jazz

(I also apologise for slacking on this the past week, I will be catching up with all your blogs).