HOLIDAY GUIDE – Jonesboro Right Now – Holiday gift shopping is in full swing. You’ve got wish list after wish list to look for, stockings to stuff, and don’t forget about the work Christmas party!
Combined with everything else that has to be done around the holidays, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Jonesboro Right Now has put together some tips on how to stay sane this shopping season.
How to Find Unique Gifts This Season
While early shoppers might be driven by a desire to stretch out their spending over the course of several months, others undoubtedly start so far in advance of the holiday season because they know finding a unique gift can take some time.
As shoppers ramp up their holiday shopping, they can look to these tips to find unique gifts for their friends and family members.
Give gifts some serious thought:
Even if you don’t plan to shop early, you can still start brainstorming gift ideas well in advance of December. Keep a holiday gift ideas list open in a notes application on your smartphone so you can quickly and easily jot down potential gifts for anyone on your list.
When the time comes to start shopping, simply open the list. This approach increases the chances you find something unique as opposed to settling on items like the newest gadgets or smartphone iterations that are promoted come the holiday season.
Shop off the beaten path:
It’s less likely that shoppers will find unique gifts at big box retailers or popular retail websites. And those that do might only find success after traversing large and crowded stores or spending hours scrolling through endless pages of results. Local boutique shops and independent retailers are a great place to go when looking for truly unique gifts.
A handcrafted item created by a local artisan will stand out from the mass-produced goods found at big box stores and online retailers. Shoppers can take solace knowing they’re helping to support local economies by directing their shopping focus on independently owned local retailers.
Avoid limiting yourself to items:
While it’s customary to give items to loved ones come the holiday season, shoppers looking for unique gifts can look to experiential gifts. According to a 2025 survey from Tinggly, 82% of respondents indicated they would rather receive an experience than a physical gift.
Experiential gifts can be anything from concert tickets to nature-based adventures like a kayaking trip to airboat rides. When looking for a gift recipients will remember for years to come, shoppers are urged to give strong consideration to experiential gifts.
Make it a team effort:
Gathering resources and giving a gift from a group of people as opposed to a single individual is a great way to expand the budget, which could open doors to truly unique gifts.
When gifting collectively, holiday shoppers might be able to pay for gifts like an airline ticket to a favored destination or a more expensive experience like a bi-plane ride.
Holiday Shopping in High-Price Era
Holiday shopping also is a costly endeavor, particularly in an era marked by high prices. Despite the rising costs associated with inflation, consumers appear ready to spend this holiday season.
According to the Basis 2026 Winter Holiday Shopping Trends study, 35% of consumers are planning to increase their holiday spending this season.
But 57% of consumers acknowledge they intend to look for deals and discounts more actively this holiday season, while one in three admits they will shop while sticking to a stricter budget.
As high prices loom over the holiday season, shoppers can keep these tips in mind to avoid overspending.
Avoid blind shopping:
Starting a holiday shopping excursion without knowing what you’re looking for can lead to impulse buying and overspending. Prior to shopping, make a list of the people you will be shopping for and the dollar amount you intend to spend on each person.
Once that list has been made, jot down some gift ideas next to each person’s name. Gift ideas should reflect how much you intend to spend on each person. This pre-shopping planning should not take long, and it can reduce the risk of overspending and even save time on shopping excursions.
Track your spending:
It’s easy to lose track of holiday spending, particularly for shoppers who start months in advance of the holiday season. But tracking all gift-related spending, including dollars spent on items purchased months in advance of the holiday season, is vital to staying within your budget.
Take advantage of retail holidays at local businesses:
Many retailers, whether they’re big box stores or locally owned independent businesses, participate in retail holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Such days offer plenty of opportunities to find great deals. This can be especially true when shopping at locally owned, independent retailers.
Big box stores and online retailers may offer great deals, but only limited inventories. By the time shoppers get to the store or visit the website, many of the best deals might be gone, and shoppers will then settle for non-sale items.
Smaller businesses may offer store-wide discounts on retail holidays, ensuring shoppers can find great deals throughout the day and not just during the small window when sale items are still available.
Coordinate with fellow shoppers:
Pooling resources with family members is a great way to find great gifts without breaking the bank. If someone on your list really wants a big ticket item like a new tablet or television, coordinate with your family members to pool your resources so that wish can be granted without anyone ending up in debt.
Making the Most of Retail Holidays
Retail holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday have long featured great deals on a wide range of items, and the following are some ways shoppers can make the most of these deal-laden consumer events this holiday season.
Do your homework:
It’s hard to miss retail holiday deals at big box stores or online retailers like Amazon, which heavily promote their sales for weeks if not months in advance of the season. But these are not the only places shoppers can find great prices on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Many small, independently owned local businesses also get in on the retail holiday action. Shoppers hoping to capitalize on retail holiday bargains can look to local retailers’ social media as days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday draw closer so they get a full picture of all the deals they can access once each day arrives.
Sign up for perks programs:
Many retailers, including locally owned independent businesses, offer perks programs that can add up to great benefits the more customers patronize the establishments.
While these will not necessarily lead to lower prices on retail holidays, program members may be able to use accumulated points on holiday season purchases, thus reducing the amount they spend during the holiday season.
Shop early:
Big box retailers and online giants like Amazon advertise big deals on retail holidays, but those deals tend to feature limited inventory. When the inventory is exhausted, the deals are exhausted along with them.
Shoppers hoping to take advantage of retail holiday deals at big box retailers and online stores are urged to fully investigate the sales prior to the big day. Check to see if the inventory is capped and when targeted items will officially go on sale. That’s often early in the morning, so it behooves shoppers to start shopping early on days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Even small, locally owned businesses may feature limited inventory, so it’s best to visit such stores when they open if you’re hoping to find great items on sale.
Checkout quickly:
When shopping online, many shoppers add items to their virtual carts and then go back to shopping for additional items. But just because a sale item is in your cart does not mean it’s yours.
If you hesitate when checking out or spend extra time shopping for additional items, the sale item might be already be sold out when you return to your cart to check out.
If there are some must-buy items on your retail holiday shopping lists, then purchase them the moment you place them in your cart.
Stocking Stuffers: Treasures for Everyone on Your List
The secret to filling a stocking isn’t to pack it with cheap trinkets. Instead, it’s finding compact, functional items tailored to everyone on a holiday shopping list.
According to a survey by Thrive Causemetics, people prefer cash, gift cards, or food as holiday gifts. Makeup and routine skin care essentials also featured prominently on stocking wish lists.
When it comes to finding the best stocking stuffers, the following curated guide for people from all walks of life can serve as a useful resource.
Foods and beverages:
Edible gifts and kitchen tools are a hit because they can be used immediately and don’t take up a lot of room. Some ideas for stockings include miniature bottles of artisanal sauces, specialty sea salts or festive hot cocoa powders or bombs.
A sleek handheld milk frother is a great stocking stuffer for someone who enjoys drinks like lattes or cappuccinos. High-end chocolate bars or local honey jars also are great for festive foodies.
Self-care:
Small wellness products can turn winter days into cozy, spa-like experiences. Skincare products like rich hand creams, lip balms or sheet masks can amplify the possibility of pampering.
Aromatic shower steamers or hydrating bath oils make bath and shower time luxurious. Additional self-care options include silk eye masks or soft socks for lounging around.
Tech:
Technology is an important part of daily life. Compact tech and utility gadgets can make life move along more smoothly. No one can have enough charging cables to ensure devices are at full battery power. In addition, small power banks and cable organizers will round out all charging needs.
Determine if gift recipients can use compact multi-tools, Bluetooth tags or pocket-sized flashlights. Each of these ideas meets the needs of a wide array of people.
Kids’ play:
Kids can stay engaged with small items that fill their stockings and place an emphasis on hands-on fun. Creative tools like markers, mini modeling clay sets or sticker books will fuel hours of imaginative pursuits. Interactive fun comes by way of bath crayons, fidget toys or even travel-sized card games.