Every Christmas season has its fads of the year, and people flock to the stores in the hopes of snagging the latest “hot” item. If you’re more of a traditionalist when it comes to buying Christmas gifts, you may prefer one of these timeless ideas that never go out of style.

1. Musical Gifts

Just about everyone likes music of some sort. For those who prefer to listen, popular gift ideas include CDs, mp3 players, or stereo systems. If your music lover would rather make their own, musical instruments make great gifts. Don’t forget to include some sheet music, or a how-to book to get them started.

2. Jewelry

Jewelry is always a popular and timeless gift idea. Handmade, original pieces are a wonderful gift that will stand the test of time, as are simple, classic pieces.

3. Photo Albums and Scrapbooks

One of the most personal gifts you can give to someone is a photo album or scrapbook of treasured memories. If you don’t want to do a whole book, small collections of framed photos or a digital picture frame also make a wonderful and inexpensive gift.

4. Food, especially Baked Goodies

Call me old-fashioned, but I love giving and getting gifts of baked goods that remind me of my mother and grandmother. The highlight of Christmas for me used to always be the day that we loaded up the wicker picnic baskets full of goodies and went delivering. Of course, if you’re anything like me and can’t bake to save your life, you can always share the love with a gift basket filled with great food items.

If you’re having trouble deciding on a traditional gift, consider one of these ideas. Of course, you could always give the number one requested gift — cash — if you really wanted to, but where’s the fun in that?

Happy Shopping!

(originally posted August 4th, 2010)

Christmas shopping can be an experience that brings even the most hardened shopper to their knees. Trying to find the perfect gift, braving the malls and the crowds, and coping with the added expenses make this an extremely stressful time for many people.

There are, however, ways to minimize the stress and make the Christmas shopping experience more enjoyable. Here are a few tips you can use to beat the holiday stress:

1. Make a list and a budget. In these tough economic times a budget is even more of a necessity. By making a list of everyone you need to buy gifts for and how much you want to spend on them you’ll be in a better position to avoid the stress of unexpected expenses. Don’t forget to budget for the wrapping paper, bows and tags as well.

2. Start early. Getting all the shopping out of the way before the mad rush is the best way to beat holiday stress. While you may miss a holiday sale or two, you’ll avoid having to fight the crowds and the stress that goes along with them.

3. Shop online. Of course, as an affiliate for amazon.com I’m biased when it comes to online shopping, but it is a very convenient way to avoid the stress of the mall at Christmas time. It’s an easy way to comparison shop as well without running from store to store, and many big retail chains now offer the convenience of ordering online and picking up in-store.

4. Plan your trips. If you do have to, or want to, venture into the stores plan your trips so that you can get in and quickly get what you need. This is another way that making a list can help ease your Christmas shopping stress. If you know exactly what you’re getting for each person on your list, it will make your trip to the mall go that much more smoothly.

5. Practice safe shopping. It goes without saying that you should practice safe shopping habits regardless of where you shop. Most large online retailers now have safeguards in place to keep your information private, but it pays to do your own due diligence before handing over your credit card information.

Above all, enjoy yourself! Christmas shopping is a stressful experience, but it can also be a lot of fun. All it takes is a little planning, and you’ll soon have the perfect gift for everyone on your list.

Here are a few gift ideas for the big kids. Some of these are even on my list! :)

(originally posted 11/16/09)