The lazy guide to Christmas shopping without the stress

A 2023 YouGov survey found 45% of people in the UK got stressed out by shopping for their loved ones at Christmas. But there are lots of ways you can take the hassle out of the experience and make more time to sit back, relax and enjoy the festivities.

Here’s La-Z-Boy UK’s lazy guide to Christmas shopping:

1. Avoid the busiest times to shop
   
   Large indoor shopping centres get particularly busy in the run-up to Christmas as shoppers take advantage of being able to escape the elements and find lots of their favourite stores under one roof. Long queues at the tills, crowds of people and motorists fighting over parking spaces can make Christmas shopping feel more like a battle than a joyful experience.
   
   Do your research on when the busiest times are likely to be so you can take advantage of quieter periods. Particularly busy times are likely to be weekends, whereas weekday morning and evenings are likely to be less crowded. Retail parks and town and city centres can seem less congested than indoor shopping destinations as the stores are usually more spread out.
   
   Of course, you can also tick off plenty of your shopping to-dos from the comfort of your own home. Online shopping means you can browse to your heart’s content without ever needing to leave your La-Z-Boy sofa or recliner.
   
   Some of our recliners make this even easier by offering USB charging so you can make sure your phone or tablet stays powered up while you shop.
   
   
2. Make agreements with loved ones
   
   Research shows that clutter in our homes make us feel more stressed. This means that many of us actually dread being given lots of things we don’t want or need for Christmas which we will then have to find space for.
   
   One way you can do less shopping and end up with less stuff you really don’t want is to make an agreement with your loved ones to buy fewer presents. What this agreement looks like is completely up to you. You might decide not to buy each other gifts at all or do a Secret Santa among your friends and family where each person only buys and receives one present each.
   
   You could also agree to create gift lists so everyone knows they are giving something the recipient actually wants. This makes shopping simpler as you don’t need to agonise over what to choose and means you know you’ll be getting presents you actually asked for.
   
   If you don’t want to ask for a list of presents, you could each agree to make contributions towards a big ticket item like a new sofa, a holiday or even a home improvement project.
   
   
3. Consider alternatives to simply buying more stuff
   
   If you don’t fancy traipsing around the shops in the run-up to Christmas, you can look at giving experiences instead. This could mean giving vouchers for days out or restaurants or you could plan a trip to the theatre, cinema or a concert.
   
   Giving experiences doesn’t have to be expensive – you could give a homemade voucher offering to babysit, cook them a meal or give them a foot rub. Whatever you think your loved one will appreciate could work. Spending quality time with friends and family is more important than buying a huge pile of presents.
   
   
4. Take the worry out of food shopping
   
   It’s not just shopping for presents which can make Christmas feel stressful. Buying all the food and drink you need can take a lot of time and money too. Pre-ordering your Christmas food in advance and snagging a precious pre-Christmas delivery slot for online grocery shopping is one way you can take things easier.
   
   You can also start by buying Christmas items now and putting them away for the big day so you don’t have to get hold of everything in one supermarket trip. Items with a longer shelf life, alcohol and frozen foods can be bought now and stashed away ready – just don’t forget what you have already. Leave just the fresh items to buy closer to Christmas and try to head to the supermarkets during quieter periods like early in the morning or late at night to avoid the checkout queues.
   
   If you’re hosting a party over Christmas, you could ask your guests to bring some dishes with them to minimise how much you need to buy yourself. Our La-Z-Boy corner sofas mean there’s always somewhere comfortable for people to sit. And many of our sofas and recliners come with added features to make socialising even easier, including handy cup holders and even built-in storage to keep your snacks.
   
   
5. Don’t sweat the small stuff
   
   Remember that Christmas is a time to celebrate and enjoy being around friends and family. Although shopping can feel vitally important, the main thing is to take time out to rest, recover and have fun so prioritise enjoying lazy moments this Christmas. No one will remember if you forgot to buy the cranberry sauce so don’t allow your shopping list to stress you out. Your loved ones will remember the time you spent with them over how much money you spent on them.
   
   Make sure that you stop and reflect on the good things in your life and make time for yourself as well as others. So sit back, relax, put your feet up and enjoy your Christmas, however you decide to celebrate.