By Rabindra Rooplall

THE season is here, with its wonderful anticipation and all-pervasive feeling of bonhomie magically charging the atmosphere. Of all the holidays in a calendar year, Christmas is easily the most exciting.You may be one of thousands of Guyanese who wait until the last minute to buy Christmas gifts; or you may not know exactly what to get for whom; or sometimes you may just have so many people to buy for that you never seem to get finished without the last-minute headaches.
Amidst the annual Christmas cluster in Georgetown, which is prompted by last minute deals, discounts and just the entire social aspect of being in the City at that time of year, here are some ideas for how to avoid the last minute fluster. This advice is based on a cumulative compilation based on women who were willing to share their opinions on condition of anonymity.

BE PREPARED
Preparation is the key to avoiding holiday stress. If you’re not the type that has a schedule or notepad in front of you and plot out what would be the best days and hours to do your holiday shopping, then there will be last minute blunders; and on many occasions you will end up spending over your budgets and still not getting what you really wanted.
Try to avoid peak shopping times and overcrowded holiday spots. Early morning weekday hours during the beginning of the week are a good time to avoid crowds.

KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY WANT
Window shopping and wasting time can increase stress when shopping actually begins, so going from store to store looking for that one right gift won’t really solve the issue. Simply check your local newspapers for advertisements that interest your appeal, and budget for that gift; or, better yet, Facebook has everything under the sun being advertised; yes, and there are those local store in Guyana who were smart enough to have sponsored ads circulating, making things easier for consumers.
Resolve to spend more time in preparation and less in the actual shopping.

DON’T HAVE ENOUGH CASH?
Many may not have the extra cash for the holidays, but there are homemade gifts that are actually heart-warming, once given sincerely, since they are more personal and unique than commercial gifts. Thus the appeal and memory can last from year to year. For example, organising the compilation of family photos and making an album is priceless; having children compile songs they sing on a CD for a loved one is also unique; or simply making a dish or a picture frame for someone who would appreciate such is amazing; or buying those gift vouchers that are also tangible.
In addition, consider gym memberships, flowers and chocolates delivered to the address of the recipient. Trust me, it works.

INTERNET SHOPPING CRAZE
Some people are notoriously difficult to buy for. If you are faced with buying a gift for the person who has everything, perhaps the easiest method for avoiding stress is simply to ask them what they want, and go to ZoOn Online Shopping in Georgetown, PAS Cargo online shopping in Waterloo Street Georgetown, or one of the innumerable online sources to shop from.
However, there are a lot of scammers out there, so I would advise consumers to buy from reputable and trusted or well-established online stores or marketplaces, and ensure that sellers or merchants have a good reputation and track record.
If you see deals or offers that are too good to be true, then they probably are; try and avoid them. Shoppers are often tempted into taking up unbelievable offers, and in doing so, purchase a product that never arrives; or they inadvertently divulge their private and financial details to scammers.
When purchasing online, always make sure you’re using a secure payment method at the checkout. This will ensure that the information being sent in the transaction is encrypted and can’t be intercepted. You can confirm that an online store’s checkout is encrypted by making sure there is a little lock icon visible in the address bar, followed by ‘https’ and not ‘http’.
Many people have been scammed locally. You might receive an unsolicited email saying that you’ve received a prize in a competition, or a parcel that needs to be delivered, but to receive it you first need to pay an administrative fee or extra postage. Be very wary! Don’t give out any details or pay any fees upfront to claim a ‘free’ item from someone via an unsolicited email, message or phone call.