THE FOUR STAGES & SYMPTOMS OF XMAS SHOPPING – WHAT STAGE ARE YOU?

1. Mildly Concerned (until the end of November)

You’ll have a nervous feeling, knowing if you don’t start shopping soon, you’re going to get worried – Christmas is coming and you need to start buying gifts.  You’ll be noting possible presents to buy but not actually purchasing, thinking you still have plenty of time and you’ll come back later.

TOP TIP – When you see something you like, make a note of who it’s for, where you saw it and the cost so you can compare later on.   Get the basics in - wrapping paper, scissors, sticky tape (lots) and on a roll, labels (stick on = easier) with string (more fiddly but prettier), bows and ribbon (nice have, not a must have).

2.       Worried (First week December)

You’ve progressed to feeling worried.  Christmas is on your mind and rather than filling you with excitement, you’re thinking about all the things you still need to do.  Typically, you’re trying to remember those presents you thought were a good idea and trying to recall where you saw them.  You’ll also be conscious of trying to limit spending and get gifts at the best possible price.

TOP TIP – Compartmentalise your gift buying to ease pressure.  Get all nieces, nephews, friends and grandchildren bought before the end of the week. www.compare4kids.co.uk/gifts will direct you to the best gifts for children 0 – 16.

3.       Anxious – (Week 2 December)

You’re feeling uncomfortable, bordering on frightened that someone will be left disappointed.  It’s getting difficult to make decisions and you’re questioning some of the gifts you’ve already bought.

TOP TIP – Know what and who you’ve bought for and who’s left to buy for.  Wrap and label those gifts to prevent double buying in a moment of uncertainty. 

4.       Blind panic – (Week 3 - last full week of Xmas shopping)

The day you wake up with a strong feeling of fear that prevents reasonable thought and action.  Budget goes out of the window, you’re looking dishevelled and wide eyed as you dash through the aisles and displays, stuffing a myriad of gifts that will always “come in” when you inevitably overspend and over buy. 

TOP TIP – you’re a sales persons dream – stay away from the shops!  Have a shower, get a cup of tea, make a list of who you need to buy for and set a budget.  Start with the youngest and work up.  Go to www.compare4kids.co.uk/gifts to cover everything you need for kids.  Only hit the shops once you have a plan (and not too much left to buy!)

Compare4kids.co.uk has done the hard work for all last minute Laura’s and Lenny’s – they’ve researched the best kids gifts from over 50 retailers and put them together on one website, a bit like having your very own online personal shopper.  Stressed out shoppers can now relax with a cup of tea and a screen and select great kids gifts based on age, gender and price.

Catering for girls and boys aged 0 – 16 – there’s a vast range of presents available, catering for budgets of £5 to “blow the budget”.  Not only that, the site aims to offer the best price available on the internet, meaning no last minute ‘expensive’ panic buys or the disappointment of finding empty shelves.

As advent calendar windows open with alarming speed, panic-stricken, time-poor shoppers can simply click on the gift they want, which takes them directly to the individual retailer’s website.  The site works great from both a desktop and mobile device.

Compare4Kids founder, Rachael Ede, said: “Whether you’re shopping for your own children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren or friends, we have gifts to suit everyone and all budgets.  It’s super simple to use and means you can get the Christmas shopping for the kids done quickly and without any hassle, all from the comfort of your armchair.  Or, if you wake in the middle of the night with crushing realisation that you literally have no time left, Compare4kids.co.uk is the site to come to.”

Retailers listed include Mothercare, Hamleys, Argos, Amazon, I Want One Of Those, Not On The High Street, John Lewis and many more.  Go to www.compare4kids.co.uk/gifts

 

ROYAL MAIL LAUNCHES NATIONAL COMPETITION FOR TWO CHILDREN TO DRAW A CHRISTMAS STAMP FOR 2013

• Royal Mail today announces that for the first time in 30 years it is giving schoolchildren the chance to design its Christmas stamps
• Primary school children aged 4-11 are being invited to take part to create the artwork for official Royal Mail  stamps for Christmas 2013 
• There will be two winning pictures - one to appear on a 1^st Class stamp, the other on a 2^nd Class stamp. They will be picked from 120 regional finalists  
• The competition’s theme is “What does the Christmas season mean to you”? The designs can be religious or secular
• Only twice before have children’s designs been used on Christmas stamps; 1966, the year the first Christmas stamps were issued in the UK, and 1981
• The search for the winning designs was launched by children’s author and illustrator Lauren Child, creator of the famous Charlie and Lola characters. All entries have to be received by the closing date of 19 July. Winners will be announced in the autumn  
• Both winning designs will have to be approved by the Queen 
• Full details can be found at www.royalmail.com/designastamp 

Royal Mail is giving primary schoolchildren the chance to create an official Christmas stamp for the first time in more than 30 years.

Only twice before has the company’s official Christmas stamp been designed by schoolchildren – in 1966 and 1981 and today Royal Mail announced details of its 2013 Christmas Stamp Design competition.

Launched by children’s author and illustrator Lauren Child, the competition is open to primary school aged pupils from 4-11, and will give two winners the chance to see their design used by hundreds of thousands of people sending festive greetings to friends and family across the country.

The theme of the competition is “What does the Christmas season mean to you?” and the designs can be religious or secular. As with all Special Stamps issued by Royal Mail, both winning designs will have to be approved by The Queen.

Two winning designs from children will be selected by a panel of judges, and their designs will appear on one of the 1^st and one of the 2^nd Class Christmas Stamps from this year’s range.

Lauren Child said: said, “I’m delighted to be part of this fantastic campaign to get children thinking creatively about what Christmas means to them. As well as seeing their stamps on letters and cards in the UK over the festive season, the winning designers will also join a list of the best children’s illustrators who have designed Christmas Stamps for Royal Mail – a great honour indeed.”

Stephen Agar, Managing Director of Consumer and Network Access, Royal Mail said: “I am delighted we are able to give two UK schoolchildren the chance to design an official Royal Mail Christmas stamp. Previous designs have become iconic images and it will be a fantastic honour - and a prize that money cannot buy – for the two children chosen.”

The two winners will follow in the footsteps of highly acclaimed children’s’ designers and illustrators who have designed Christmas Stamps in the past, such as Nick Park (2010), Axel Scheffler (2012), Quentin Blake (1993) and Michael Foreman (1987).

Schools, and parents of home-schooled children, can sign-up to the competition online or by returning the application formin a pack sent to them by iChild, the online educational resource centre,  in association with Royal Mail. 

Applications for the 10,000 availableresource packs will be sent out on a first come first served basis and entries must be received by the closing date of 19^th July 2013.  

The winners of the competition will be announced in the autumnand the stamps will be available to buy from November 5^th 2013.

Royal Mail will select 120 regional runners up across the UK. They and their schools will each receive prizes of £100 for the school and £100 gift vouchers for the child.

From those 120 runners up, a shortlist of 24 finalists will be chosen. They and their schools will receive prizes of  £500 for the school and £500 of gift vouchers for the child.

From the finalists two winners will be chosen, one for the First Class Christmas stamp and once for the Second Class. They will also receive prizes of £1,000 for the school and £1,000 in vouchers for the child.