The older you get, the quicker the holidays sneak up on you. If you're just now thinking of gift shopping, you might be kicking yourself. "Why did I wait so long?" you might be asking yourself. There's no reason to make yourself feel any worse. There's still time, and you can definitely find some great gifts. Regret will only make you feel worse.

Now that you know you can still get gifts, there are still a few other things to keep in mind. Buying gifts is an art. It's not just a matter of what you buy but also how you plan ahead for purchasing. Even if you're shopping at the (relative) last minute, you can still do things right. Here are five tips for last minute gift shopping.

1. Start now

Did you just realize you need to start shopping? Keep that thought in your head and don't let it go away. You might not be able to rush out to the mall or order everything right away. However, you can definitely get started. Whether you have one person to shop for or ten, you can still make a difference. It's all a matter of making that first move.

Think of who you need to buy gifts for, based on priority. Significant others and children should be kept in mind first. They're the type of people who will give you hints (or tell you) about what they'd like. You can then do the proper shopping for them with this information. For more distant relatives or coworkers, you might have to spend a little bit more time.

2. Save money

You know what absolutely no one has ever said sincerely? "I really regret saving money." More often, we regret spending money on things that we don't need and not putting it aside for things we do. Even if you have an idea of all the gifts you want to get, it won't do you any good if you lack funds.

Financial responsibility is a must when it comes to being an adult. It will really come to bite you around the holidays if you're not properly prepared. Hopefully, you'll have a decent spending cushion to depend upon for holiday shopping. When you're cutting it close like this, you might have to focus much of your paycheck on shopping for gifts. In the new year, you can focus on saving more of your money sooner.

3. Don't Make Any Promises

You might want to get someone a gift, but be unable to. Between mobbed stores, prices, and lack of funds, you might fall short. This could be disappointing for them, but it would be even more

disappointing if you promised them. You don't want to make any promises regarding gifts. Not only do you risk not being able to live up to them, but you also ruin some of the magic of gift-giving.

4. Take Chances

Last-minute shopping means that you'll have to take some chances. You might have to go into a new store and just buy something that you reckon would be appreciated. They might love it and they might be indifferent. However, it can be exhilarating to take a chance on a gift that they end up loving. You won't know unless you try.

5. Go Easy On Yourself

If you're kicking yourself for last minute shopping, you won't end up with anything but bruises. There's so much to keep in mind around this time of year. Delaying shopping doesn't need to say anything negative about you. It can just be a matter of being busy. It happens to countless people everywhere. The important thing is to make sure you take action as soon as you can.

We encourage you to get your shopping done at your own pace. As long as it's not yet Christmas Day, you can still make time for shopping. By trusting yourself, you can reduce shopping stress during the Christmas season.