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1® Tips IW An Easy Holiday Sopping Experience
(MS) - Seeing the smile on a loved
one's face after opening a gift on
their list is quite possibly the most
rewarding aspect of the holiday
season. Even though it isn't a sur
prise to them, that doesn't dimin
ish the pure glee one gets from
actually receiving it!
If the journey you experience to
get that smile seems like an uphill
climb, it doesn't have to be. With
the right tools and preparation,
you can get that ultimate gift by
spending less time and money.
Like the Andy Williams song says,
"It's the most wonderful time of
the year." Enjoy it!
Here are 10 tips for a more enjoy
able, easy and enlightened holiday
shopping season:
1. Be a multi-channel shopper
- Browse stores, catalogs, newspa
pers, and then conduct an online
shopping search to find the item
you want at the best price, in stock
and with shipping information.
Gift buyers who visit sites like
Shopzilla often find aggressively
priced merchandise, and where
that perfect gift is in stock vs. sold
out.
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that friend or family member who loves getting handy no
matter what the occasion.
For the budding or expert craftsman you know, building a
gift around his or her hobby will be appreciated that much
more. Here are some ideas to get you started, courtesy of
Woodcraft.
1. Pint-sized helper. Perhaps you know a child who
just loves getting involved in home-improvement proj
ects - watching dad fix the sink or mom renovate a room.
Encourage that budding curiosity by giving a My First
Project® tool set and project kit from Woodcraft. Your
resident young apprentice will love the down-sized ver-
2. Find a regional specialty item
- Online shopping is an easy way
to find and then buy a gift remi
niscent of a favorite vacation or an
old stomping ground. You don't
need to live somewhere to buy the
trademark product of that area.
3. Shop at the times most con
venient and least hectic - Stores
never close when you shop online.
You can shop 24/7/365 - after you
put the kids to bed, late at night, or
before going to work.
4. Save money on gas - Organize
shopping outings to stores by
neighborhood and also fit in an
errand or two if possible. Or, stay
at home and do your shopping on
your computer and skip the car
trip all together.
5. Look for holiday specials on
shipping and handling - Shipping
charges add up, so be sure to find
out exactly how much it will cost
or find merchants who offer free
or discount shipping incentives.
Online comparison shopping Web
sites will feature promotional ship
■ ping options and also provide total
costs including tax and shipping.
6. Figure out the "must-have"
fit Mm for Ik WMauii^fc
Everyone
. loves a
•great
Jf gift and
J while
the holi
day season
is the obvious time for
gift-giving, there are plenty of
ideas out there you can surprise
gift - If your holiday gift list has
everyone on it, from parents to
friends to coworkers, you might
want to flip through the magazines
they read or log onto the Web sites
and blogs they visit to find out
what's hot.
7. Know what you're buying - If
you want to buy a gift that you
know little or nothing about, go to
the experts to find the best product
for your money. In addition to
going to your local retail store and
asking a wildly busy sales person,
you can also go to a Web site like
www.shopzilla.com to read con
sumer and expert reviews.
8. Know where to find coupons
- Holiday shopping requires you to
stretch your dollars and might even
test your networking skills. Beside
coupons found in catalogs, news
papers and online, you might be
so bold as to ask a family member,
friend or colleague about taking
advantage of "friends and family"
shopping specials or passes that
they might have access to. Events
for employees and their friends
often net greater discounts.
9. Find the "hard to find" gift
sions of adult tools, such as a hammer, screwdriver, Phillips
screwdriver, tape measure, and an 8" square. Additionally,
My First Project offers a selection of easy-to-construct, eco
friendly project kits that kids love to build, like birdhouses,
butterfly houses or a toolbox.
2. Hobby Enthusiast. The’ popularity of woodworking
continues to grow. For those you know who love passing
the hours working their craft, help them along by creating
a gift basket with everything they'll need. For example,
include instructions for building a sturdy, yet deco
rative Adirondack patio chair, and a gift card for A
woodworking classes and materials for use at JL
your local Woodcraft store.
3. Reliable storage. What would the
handyman be without his tools? To get a
job done right, he has to use the right tools
and maintain them. Make sure his pre- H
cious equipment is well protected with an ™
item like the Gerstner Tool Box. This mois
ture-free chest has 10 drawers for storage
of a variety of items. The box is designed in
classic American style, and is constructed of
Red Oak with tongue and groove joinery that
insures strength and durability.
- You can put miles on your car.
You can run up your phone bill.
Or, you can master the art of online
shopping and find that perfect but
impossible-to-find gift. Tap into
communities by visiting message
boards to find out availability and
suggested pricing for special items.
Going the extra mile can keep
you from literally going "\jX
an extra mile.
10. Keep an eye on
the calendar - As *S§
Christmas and
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Hanukah
approach,
the streets,
malls and
stores get
more con
gest e d .
Your stress
level goes up a notch
and prod-
ucts are
harder to
find. Avoid
this stress! Shop
online - early
and often. But,
be sure to allow
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4. Get organized and stocked. Create a work space any tin
kerer, do-it-yourselfer or serious craftsman is sure to enjoy.
There are plenty of retail organizational systems available
that can quickly turn a cluttered area in a garage or base
ment into a dream work area. Stock the work space with
the requisite power tools, such as a pneumatic nailer and air
compressor, power drill, electric sander, jig saw and multi-
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CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE 2006
enough time for your gifts to be
delivered.
Armed with this information,
you too can shop like an expert,
saving time and money while find
ing and purchasing the perfect gift
for everyone on your list.
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tools, such as the Fein Multi Master,
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which uses a broad assortment
of accessory blades to han-
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die sanding, scraping and
H|t hundreds of previously
111 "manual" tasks.
These are just a few of
the hundred gift ideas
___ to keep do-it-yourselfers
■' V busy throughout the sea-
SP son. For more products
and inspiration, contact
the Woodcraft store nearest
you, visit www.woodcraft.
com or call (800) 535-4482.