Apparently, I've Become an Early Christmas Shopper

I was out running errands the other day when I noticed every single store had already transformed into the North Pole.

Christmas trees.

Garland.

Ornaments.

Holiday music lurking around every corner.

And my immediate reaction was, "Oh my gosh, this is WAY too early."

Naturally, twenty minutes later I was buying Christmas presents.

Because apparently that's who I am now.

The funny thing is that when I start shopping early, I'm actually much less stressed when Christmas finally arrives. Instead of dropping a small fortune in December and panic-ordering gifts that may or may not arrive before the big day, I spread everything out over three months.

In my mind, this means I didn't really spend that much money.

Because if you buy the gifts over three months, they're basically free.

That's just holiday math. Don't argue with me.

Two gifts I bought for my "grown-ish" girls have already arrived, and they're absolutely adorable. Since I know some of you are early shoppers too, I thought I'd share a couple of finds.

A few months ago, I discovered these adorable knit purses from Why Not Bag San Francisco. They come in several sizes, but I bought the Mini Tote in the Espresso Stripe pattern for $29, and it has become one of my favorite little bags.

I have reached the stage of life where I'm actively trying to downsize my purse. The bigger the purse, the more random junk I carry around. Receipts. Lip balm. Pens that don't work. Snacks. More lip balm.

And then I wonder why my back hurts.

Yes, I am getting old.

What surprised me most was the number of compliments I've received on this little bag. Young women love it. Mature women love it. Complete strangers stop me to ask where I bought it.

And no, before anyone asks, I am not a paid spokesperson.

I just genuinely think it's cute.

My second find was inspired by TikTok, which continues to convince me I need things I never knew existed.

I came across these hilarious shower steamers and ordered a couple of boxes. The package smelled incredible before I even opened it. That's always a good sign.

The steamers are called "Self-Care But Make It Badass," and honestly, why not?

Each box contains eight deliciously scented steamers paired with funny little sayings guaranteed to make you laugh, giggle, or at least snort while washing away the stress of the day.

Something about standing in a hot shower, breathing in wonderful scents, and reading a sarcastic affirmation just speaks to me.

In fact, I may have accidentally bought them as gifts and then decided I needed a box for myself.

Which means I probably need to order another box.

That's how gift shopping works, right?

So, there you have it.

I went from rolling my eyes at stores decorating for Christmas before Halloween to secretly stashing presents around the house and planning my holiday shopping strategy.

Will I remember where I hide everything?

That's a problem for December Me.

For now, I'm embracing the early-shopping life.

And if you're looking to get a jump start on your holiday gift list, maybe one of these ideas will help. If nothing else, you'll spread out the spending, avoid the last-minute holiday madness, and possibly convince yourself that Christmas shopping over three months is practically free.

I'm sticking with that theory, anyway. 🎄🎁✨

P.S. If you're also hiding presents around the house already, please make yourself a note of where they are. Learn from my mistakes. There is nothing quite like finding the perfect Christmas gift in February.