Mommy's guide to shopping for christmas

Picture this Christmas morning your little ones roll out of bed, rub there sleepy eyes, and bolt down the hall. Before you can say good morning they are looking for what Santa may have brought them. Wrapping paper you slaved over applying just right is being thrown all over the place, and the gifts they just opened(which you carefully chose and paid top dollar for) are being tossed to the side while they dive for the next. Does this sound like the peaceful picture perfect day you imagined? Probably not.

Every mom pictures her kids happy smiles, warm mugs, freshly fallen white snow and peaceful Christmas music in the background. This isn't really reality and while I do have a lot of different tips to having an amazing family Christmas today I thought I'd focus on those things that they are going to inevitably toss to the side- the presents. There's no reason anyone should be spending a ton of money around the holidays on stuff that your families don't even need or have never thought of before, so here is some easy points to ensure that doesn't happen.

• Start thinking about Christmas in January-

Stores do a clear-out after the holidays of the overstock they thought they would sell sometimes this can go for up to 90% off this is the time to buy. This also happens between May-June this is the time to buy toys, DVDS, video games, and clothes.

• Continue shopping at the end of holidays Valentines, Easter, even Halloween can all equal great stocking stuffers or deals on things like jewelry, pajamas, slippers, yummy bath and body works products, and around Easter bikes are a great thing to think about if your kids are going to be grown out of theirs by next year.

• I URGE YOU TO THINK BEFORE YOU BUY!!!-

I don't want you to load up your house with garbage just because it was on sale. Try to think ahead if there growing out of there clothes buy a size bigger and for the winter/spring season. It is really easy to get swept up in how cute something is, or even the amazing deal you'll find shopping at these times but think of just 3 things:

1. Do they need it?
2. Can I store it?
3. Will they use it?

 I find when I was a new mother I would buy things like play sets, BIG mistake. There is no way to comfortably store 10 play sets and children tend to take the figures elsewhere to play. So getting figure packs will save you money and children will be really happy never knowing the set exists.

• Shop local groups looking for new in box items-

 I recently got my husband a brand new $250.00 Tassimo for $25.00 off of a local auction group. This was an amazing buy because of the deal, I have the place to put it, and It's something that he will use replacing his morning Tim Horton's run with our own home. You can find similar deals on places like Kijiji and eBay as well, just make sure you know what you need before you log on.

• Make sure you can store the items before Christmas as well-

The last thing you want when your floating on cloud 9 having spent 70-90% off on everything you need for your family is to discover your kids playing with their new toys on a random day. Find a good hiding spot, I use Rubbermaid totes that blend in with the rest in my basement and no one even looks twice.

• Enjoy the holidays-

The reason I wrote this is when you have all the commercial stuff out of the way before December you can actually spend the season relaxing. Bake cookies, go tobogganing, make ornaments, do whatever your kids want to do because the stressful part was done slow and steady and is over!

You may be thinking this girl is crazy shopping in June for Christmas, but the fact is I'm a mom. I know what my family needs and wants, and I know how to get it on a dime. Christmas morning when chaos is ensuing I will be sitting back with my warm mug watching the smiles on my kids faces with a smile on mine. Knowing you are ahead of the game will do that to a girl.