Christmas is almost here! Whether you’re in outright panic mode or you calmly wrapped up all your festive planning in September, these tips will come handy in the coming days.
1. Last-minute pressie ideas
Even the most dedicated Christmas shopper gets last-minute gift requests sprung upon them (or maybe you haven’t even started your shopping yet? We won’t judge).
Our buying guides are here to help you before you shop:
All out of inspiration? Don’t despair. Our resident kitchen queen is here to help.
Check out Fiona Mair’s expert tips for cooking for a crowd, the best appliances to use and how to plan your prep day-by-day. She even shares some of her favourite dishes too.
Also make sure you learn from other people’s mistakes and avoid these epic food fails.
3. The gift of a gift card
It’s the king of last-minute Christmas gift ideas – in fact, Aussies spend up to $2.5 billion on gift cards each year. But they can also have a few pain points and there are some pitfalls you should avoid.
A box of chocolate is a last-minute gift that always delivers – it’s suitable for teachers, great-uncles, neighbours and colleagues alike. But how do you decide which one to give?
It’s getting a little close to the wire to do any online ordering if you want to ensure delivery before Christmas Day – so if you’re still ordering anything (food or gifts), make sure you check delivery times to avoid disappointment. And read our pros and cons of doing your grocery shopping instore or online.
Make sure you check delivery times to avoid disappointment
Regardless of where you shop, check their websites carefully to ensure your delivery will arrive on time and they can deliver all the products you want.
Don’t stress! We have a ton of gift ideas and useful advice to get you through this last week before Santa arrives!
6. Be wary of last-minute extended warranties
If you’re buying home appliances or tech such as computers, tablets or smartphones in the lead up to Christmas (or looking to bag a bargain in the sales), read our guide on whether extended warranties are really worth paying extra for. (Hint: in most cases, they’re probably not.)
7. Get the best tasting foods for your festive feast
8. Ask for gift receipts (and store your receipts in an app)
If you’re buying a last-minute gift and you’re not sure if the lucky recipient is really going to love it, ask for gift receipts instore. These days, many retailers can also email them to you so you have an electronic record.
If you have a lot of paper receipts, store them in one handy place in a plastic sleeve so it’s easy to organise returns after Christmas if need be (and so they don’t fade). Even better, take photos of them and store them in an app like the free ACCC Shopper app.
9. When to tell your insurer you’re going on holiday
Planning an extended trip away from home, perhaps that long-awaited caravanning adventure or a sabbatical to a holiday house? Most of the policies in our home and contents insurance reviews require you to tell your insurer if you’re away for 60 days or more – this could vary depending on whether you have a house sitter or Airbnb guest, though.
In the midst of the festive madness, when you’re panicking about finding the perfect lavender-scented hand cream for your kids’ teacher, or stressing that the Christmas bon-bons don’t match the napkins, take a deep breath and remember: we’re all in this chaos together.
Pru Engel is the Audience and engagement editor at CHOICE. Her job is to ensure as many Australians as possible know about the great work we do at CHOICE.
She works closely with our testers and experts to find the gems of information in our data and research that will resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions, whether they're purchasing an air fryer, looking for a new mattress or trying to find the cheapest car insurance. She also helps to drive meaningful change for consumers by collaborating with our Campaings team on content covering issues such as product safety and scams.
Prior to CHOICE, Pru worked as an editor at many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.
Pru has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) from the University of Technology, Sydney.
Find Pru on LinkedIn.
Pru Engel is the Audience and engagement editor at CHOICE. Her job is to ensure as many Australians as possible know about the great work we do at CHOICE.
She works closely with our testers and experts to find the gems of information in our data and research that will resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions, whether they're purchasing an air fryer, looking for a new mattress or trying to find the cheapest car insurance. She also helps to drive meaningful change for consumers by collaborating with our Campaings team on content covering issues such as product safety and scams.
Prior to CHOICE, Pru worked as an editor at many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.
Pru has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) from the University of Technology, Sydney.
Find Pru on LinkedIn.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland. LinkedIn
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland. LinkedIn
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