Surviving Christmas

An unfortunate reality is that many people live quite far away from many of their relatives. Relatives may live thousands of miles away but they are still people you love and care about - and Christmas is an excellent time to express your love for them by sending them a Christmas gift. However, despite your best intentions, it is often difficult to Christmas shop for a distant relative.

One way to make it easier to Christmas shop for a distant relative is to call them to catch up before you do your shopping. Just giving them a quick phone call can provide you with a great deal of insight into their life. Obviously, its a good idea to make a call like this anyway, just to keep in touch, but it can also help you out a great deal with your Christmas shopping.

You might learn a great deal during this phone conversation: activities your relative is involved in, leisure activities they enjoy, new hobbies, life situations. All of this information can make it easier for you to select an appropriate Christmas gift. You might also consider asking your relative what they might want for Christmas. This may take away the element of surprise but it will ensure you are purchasing something your relative really wants.


Another option to consider is purchasing a gift certificate. This may not be the most exciting gift but it is one that is sure to be appreciated. A simple conversation will tell you whether a card for the local bookstore, a favorite restaurant, a movie or something else would be most appreciated.

If you intend to visit that relative over the holidays, it might be wise to either keep the gift small enough to put in the suitcase (and if you are flying, don't forget to bring paper as you won't want to wrap it in case of a search), or ship it before you leave. Often, shipping is the least expensive and most sure method for long distances - especially if crossing an ocean.


If you are shipping, you want to be sure it arrives at an appropriate time... You want it there after you arrive but before Christmas if you are going to be there. If you are simply shipping, you want it there a few days before the holiday. Remember, there will be a lead time during the holiday season, so figure out the day, and then ship a day or two earlier than it would normally take.

For expensive gifts, consider both tracking and insurance. While its not necessarily a good thing to require a signature for delivery, insurance and tracking don't require someone be home to answer the door. These are relatively inexpensive additions to your shipping bill, but the peace of mind is well worth the consideration - especially since you are already paying the actual shipping cost already. A few more pennies will not hurt the budget much.