To avoid the crowds, plan to go to the department store or mall early to do your shopping. The crowd is usually smaller during the opening hours plus most shops and malls open as early as 7 a.m. in the morning while often closing late to give more ample shopping time for the people during the holiday season.

You can try to avoid the malls if you want to avoid the crowds. Your neighborhood stores, shops and boutiques can be sources for great and unique gifts and these are always less crowded.

As to the gifts, creating a list before shopping would be very much helpful and would enable you to save more valuable time as you get to map out your route for the entire day. However, you cannot always expect to follow what's on your gift list for you might not find something you fancy for a certain item for example when you get to the shopping mall. Here are some gift ideas to think about.

If the gift's recipient is into computers, think about cd software for example. Find something personal like maybe a yearly planner or a collectible pen for a supervisor or a boss. Individuals who enjoy listening to music will appreciate to receive a cd on their fave artist's new album.

Some guys would love to receive a handy tool like maybe the latest drill, etc. You can always head to the nearest home depot or hardware center for the latest tool devices that could make perfect presents for the handy man.

For people who love to travel or are going on a trip vacation soon, travel accessories and gift items make great gifts. You can give a travel guide, a tote, a backpack or items that have practical use for their journey.

A basket filled with goodies is also unique. You can spruce up an old basket with decor or you can buy a new basket and decorate it. Your local bakeshop can be your source of sweets or to give it a personal touch, you can bake the goodies yourself. The goodies could also be other items aside from food. You can create a stationery basket, a sewing basket with sewing materials and other basket kits that you could think of.

People who love to do gardening and have a green thumb will be more than happy to receive flowers or plants.

If you don't have any idea what to give, gift certificates will make your recipient happy as well. In this manner you are assured that he or she will have the choice to buy whatever it is the he or she likes with your gift certificate.