Highlights: Holiday Gift Guides

I am a chronically and perhaps annoyingly early Christmas shopper.  Since we alternate spending Christmas and Thanksgiving which each set of parents, Brian and I usually have everyone’s shopping almost done by Thanksgiving so we can bring them with us when we visit (we opened presents with my parents on Saturday night).

Nevertheless, I get pretty excited when it’s officially Christmas season and the sales really start.  One of these years I’ll go shopping on Black Friday, but for now I’m looking forward to Cyber Monday and doing a little Christmas shopping for myself.  But, since most people I’ve talked to aren’t done with their shopping, I offer this collection of gift guidance from around the web:

I’m hoping to snag some good deals online tomorrow.  Just in time, Mashable has tips to avoid Cyber Monday scams.

I don’t know anyone I’d call a “Canada Lover“, but if I did, Apartment Therapy’s list of gifts would probably help.  They also have a collection of gifts for design lovers which cost less than $100.  Those gifts seem a bit easier to find a recipient for.

Lauren, one of my HLS roommates, posted a great list of gift ideas for runners.

Heather also posted her wish list, which has a variety of ideas from different categories.

Sarah shared some of the gifts she might be giving this year; I’d be happy giving or getting any of the things on her list.

I also love when retail websites have their own gift guides to help you with your purchases.  Built has one, as well as ThinkGeek,  and mental_floss (just a few of my favorite sites).

If none of those worked for you, Real Simple has all their guide guides linked in one location.  There are guides for hostesses, pets, food lovers and more.

Finally, if you’d rather think about shopping than actually do it, enjoy this article from mental_floss about the origins of several big box stores.