Buying gifts is an art and an exercise in creativity itself. Everywhere you read you will find examples of people planning lists of gift as well as planning a few months in advance for Christmas or Valentines Day. My theory for buying gifts is in stark contrast to these which says the best gifts that you can buy are the last minute gifts.



Planning in advance has its own advantages no doubt but the fact is that even if you plan too far in advance so you will have a few things that will only happen at the last minute. So why bother to do the initial planning.

Let us take example of Christmas and say it is only a week away then what you do is pick up your notebook and pen and start jotting down names of people whom you want to give gifts. With that piece of paper, hop on to your car and head down the nearest factory outlet. Start with the first name on the list and begin your buying spree. Of course you are looking for appropriate gifts but you will find amazing deals and packages for the last minute shopper like you. Apart from the fact these since you have limited time your mind will work like crazy and spit out ideas every other minute. Never dump those ideas as that is your creative side of the brain working at its best. Act on those and you will be amazed at the kind of gift you would come up with.

This last minute strategy is similar to the corporate world theory of managing by chaos whereby the teams strive for the best only when presented with a chaos. Let us say major shipment due to arrive for manufacturing company got delayed but you know that you want to get out those materials out of factory. Teams and the management will work in unison to get alternative shipments form local manufacturers, change lines and manufacture other items. Teams will work over time to make sure nothing comes in the way.

That is exactly what happens when you shop at the last minute. The advantage is that there is only you and your family thinking and acting fast on the ideas. The other obvious benefit is that as you shop you will get ideas by observing what others are buying. Another advantage is that you will have all sorts ideas appearing in websites, newspapers and magazines for last minute gifts. You will never get ideas two months in advance for last minute gifts. The last but not the least you have the knowledge that you will never rethink what you bought and have the temptation of going back and changing the gift. You simply have no time.

So adopt a last minute gift giving strategy and save time for other important activities earlier one.