• Avoid the crowds at the mall and on the high street by shopping during off peak hours. If you work during the week and can`t make it to the shops when they`re a bit quieter, try doing a little bit on your lunch hour each day until you`re done. It will be less busy than going in the evenings of on the weekends.
• Make lists. Decide ahead of time what you want to get during each shopping trip. Have a list of each person you would like to buy for and what you want to get them. Pla
  
  your shopping trip by what`s on your list and you`ll avoid wasting time or spending on impulse purchases. Without a list you`ll spend more than you want to and may even over buy for some people.
• Shop online if you can or at least do some research online before hitting the shops. If purchasing online make sure it`s with a reputable company with a secure site. Always read the terms and conditions, especially their refund policy, delivery charges and when their Christmas delivery cut off date is.
• Shop throughout the year but keep a list of what you`ve bought and where you`ve hid them so you don`t forget when Christmas comes around. Shopping throughout the year also means that your spreading your spending out which will be easier on your wallet in December.
• Don`t wait till the last minute. Although you may get good deals the longer you wait the stores will be busier and many retailers will be out of stock of the items you`re looking for. You may have to settle for less than perfect gifts.
• Be imaginative. You don`t have to spend a lot of money to get a nice gift. Put a lot of thought into your gift giving and you`ll save money and the gift will be more meaningful.
• Stay calm and try not to get wrapped up in other peoples stress. Be polite, especially to the sales staff. They are just doing their job and see hundreds of people every day. If you treat them right they will return the favour and make your shopping experience more enjoyable.
• If layaway is available take advantage. You'll be able to get what's on your list and spread the payments out over a period of time.
• Make use of catalogues either for stress free home shopping or for selecting gifts before you hit the shops
• Give homemade gifts like baked goods, chutneys, jams or put a few recipes together and make a homemade cook book. Look through magazines or online to find other ideas for inexpensive homemade gifts.

All these tips will help you have a stress free shopping experience over the holidays but the most important thing to remain stress free in January as well is to set a budget and stick with it. Set separate budgets for present shopping and for food shopping and be realistic about each one.