I find buying presents to be incredibly stressful. My expectation for when I give a gift is to make the receiver the happiest possible. I always want to find that gift that they have always wanted, didn’t know they wanted, something surprising or at least makes their day.

Easier said than done.

You see, when you try to find the perfect present just a few days or hours before you need to have it, your resources and ideas are limited. So this year I decided to do my Christmas shopping earlier. I started making a list of ideas about a month ago and have been secretly listening intently when talking to the family and the boyfriend to what they casually say they really want. With the exception of one difficult to buy family member, all my holiday shopping is done. Sounds great, right? Wrong.

Now I have these great gifts that I want to give NOW. The appropriate window for giving Christmas gifts is like a month away. Pure. Torture. I might need to get some really cute wrapping paper and ribbon to tide me over through Thanksgiving. Holidays are rough, people.