It’s no secret that online holiday shopping has reached new heights here in Canada with experts estimating that over 70% of Canadian households are now clicking on “buy” buttons from the comfort of our couches. With websites like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, or kijiji, there seems to be a bewildering choice of online shopping sites and apps to pick from.
To start off there is Fancy. It’s an app that lets you discover and buy gifts that are curated by a world-wide list of shoppers. You can collect and share, create your own wishlists, and earn credit for sharing your collection with friends. Shoppers can filter gift ideas based on your relationship with that person and it comes up with a list of ideas. You can find this app on both Apple and Android stores for free. They also have a website were you can also do your shopping at www.fancy.com.
Giftry is a social-networking app that keeps track of individual wish lists. Register yourself, upload photos of the items on your wish list and let people know what you want. It’s also free and available for both Apple and Android devices.
Next there is Gift Finder. This app categorizes they type ofperson you’re buying for — chef, or golfer, for example — and then gives a range of gift suggestions in your price range. This is also free and only available on the Apple store. Though it does have a website available that you can use instead as well at www.notonthehighstreet.com .
Yellowpages has also entered the digital world with an app called YP Shopwise, which gathers flyers digitally from across Canada which you can filter geographically. It amalgamates printed flyers and turns them into a digital format that can be viewed on your phone. You can clip out products you want to buy and it creates a shopping list. It’s also free and available for both Apple and Android devices.
So, if you are like me at all and leave most of your shopping to the last minute AND are on a very tight budget, then the app Santa’s Bag might be right for you. So, this app is like a gift manager that tracks all of your purchases and keeps you on budget. All you need to do is enter your total Christmas budget, then subtract as you shop and it will calculate how much money you’ve got left to spend. Its also free but just available for only Apple devices.
Lastly, when the holiday season has left you feeling a bit stressed, one great way to get relief is with laughter. The website www.elfyourself.com lets you turn your camera roll pictures or Facebook page photos into up to five hilarious dancing elves. Once you have chosen your subjects and added them into your “cast of elves,” it will play a silly movie. Share your creation with others via email or Facebook. There are also apps available for both Apple and Android devices.
