As the kids get older, it seems that the gifts are a little more elaborate and costly, but if you do your shopping correctly, you can find the same product at a lower price. With some effort, you can save yourself a good amount of money. Here’s some tips to help you finish your Holiday shopping done without breaking the bank or going insane getting it all done.

First you shouldn’t wait until the last two weeks before Christmas to start looking at what to get someone. It’s hard enough as it is to find time in our busy schedules to take a run to some mall to check out prices and availability of a gift. Do you really want to do all of your holiday shopping done in two weeks? It sounds good to do, but the idea I’m making is…Are you getting the best price for the item? Ideally you should start doing so around the first week of November. This will give you seven weeks to stop at different stores or get online to research possible Christmas gift ideas.

Shopping Online has become more the way to go these days when buying Christmas gifts. With the price of gas and the inconvenience of traffic along with the cost of parking, online shopping is bigger than ever. Look around, get a good idea of what different products cost. You will find that it’s not often you find two merchants selling the same item for the same price.

Negotiate. You’d be amazed how many smaller businesses will work hard to get your business. WalMart, Target and the other “big Box” stores tell you want you will pay for a particular item. That’s it period, but a small business owner know that he competes against those larger ones. They know that you are looking to save money, so they are willing to give you a better price. Since they own the company, you can talk to the “Big Man” to see if a deal can be reached. Try doing that in one of those big box stores.

If done correctly, you won’t be stressed out from all the preparing you did to get ready for the holiday and you will still have money left over for maybe a gift for you.

The set includes an 8-inch chef knife, 8-inch slicer, 8-inch bread , 5.25-inch boning, 5.25 utility, 12 – 4-1/2-inch steaks, 4-1/2-inch vegetable, 3-inch parer,shears, 14 slot block, 5-piece measuring cup, 5-piece measuring spoons, cheese grater, cutting board 6 x 10, salt and peper shaker, ice cream scoop, vegetable peeler, can opener, bagel holder, slotted spoon, cork screw, solid spoon, small slotted spoon, strainer, small solid spoon, pasta fork, fork, ladle, slotted turner, solid turner, large spatula, and spatula. Hand washing recommended.

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Jenga is a towering good time and worth screaming about. For 1 or more players, ages 6 and up. Stack the pieces to build the tower. Try not to cause the tower to tumble. Packaged in a customized coffin-shaped box.

The classic Peanuts story is now a fun board game. Join Charlie Brown and his friends to see who makes it back to the Season’s Greetings Patch first to be the one to light the the star on top of the Christmas Tree. Includes the game board, Peanuts cards, character pieces, spinner, and instructions.

1. Reason for the Season – Lonestar
2. O Holy Night – LeAnn Rimes
3. O Come, O Come Emmanuel – Diamond Rio
4. Go Tell It on the Mountain – Randy Travis
5. First Noel, The – Josh Turner
6. Breath of Heaven (Mary`s Song) – Vince Gill
7. Mary, Did You Know? – Kenny Rogers/Wynonna Judd/Wynonna
8. Away in a Manger – Joe Nichols
9. O Little Town of Bethlehem – Alabama
10. What Child Is This? – Jo Dee Messina
11. Gift, The – Collin Raye/Jim Brickman
12. Tennessee Christmas – Steve Wariner
13. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – Travis Tritt
14. Little Drummer Boy – Sawyer Brown
15. O Come All Ye Faithful – Clay Walker
16. Christ, The (A Song for Joseph) – Billy Dean
17. Silent Night – The Judds

1. Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms
2. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree -Brenda Lee
3. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town – The Andrews Sisters
4. Silver Bells – Bing Crosby
5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Judy Garland
6. The Christmas Song – Osmond Brothers
7. I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Wayne Newton
8. White Christmas – Don McLean
9. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? – Donny Osmond
10. Sleigh Ride – Mick Jones
11. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Bobby Vinton
12. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Andy Williams

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The first place I look for small token gifts is at the local holiday bazaar. There are a few bazaars every year which I attend and inexpensive ornaments.

This year I found a vendor that made “angel feather” ornaments for $.25 each. I bought 20, and I am giving one to every person on my “acquaintance” list. I only spent $5.00, and I have a gift for everyone. My secret to finding the best prices at holiday bazaars: attend the small, local church bazaars. They are more likely to have cheaper prices, because they are raising money for the church and just want to sell the items. Big bazaars tend to have professional vendors who charge more for their products.

Another idea I sometimes use is baking. You can make all of the gifts at once for as cheap as you choose. People also usually like home-baked goodies. If you have diabetics on your list, there are diabetic-friendly mixes available. My grandfather is diabetic, so instead of a bunch of holiday cookies, I buy him fresh fruit and some sugar-free candies. One year I made him a sugar-free pudding pie.

One way I have specifically celebrated with co-workers is by bringing in goodies for everyone to share at work. I make a sign explaining that I wish them a Merry Christmas, and the goodies are from me, and I set out the sign and the treats in a common area. People like this because they can have a treat to snack on at work. It cheers up the office a bit, too. You can get away with bringing less treats this way, if you are on a tighter budget.