Here’s a scary thought!

If you get paid monthly on the 1st – or the 15th – of the month, you have just 3 x paydays (October, November and December) until Christmas. If you’re paid fortnightly, from today (1st October), you have 5 x pay packets – or 6 if you plan on giving them a electronic gift certificate on the day. And if you get paid every week, you have 12 x payments coming to you by Christmas Day.

Let’s go further. If you have to buy at least 6 presents (one each for your mother, father, partner, sister/brother, own child and best friend – I’m being minimal here), and you’re thinking about about $25-$50 for your best friend,  $50 each for your parents, and sibling, and maybe about $100 each for your partner and child, you’re looking at a minimum of $375 just for gifts. Not for wrapping, tags or cards to send to others, let alone new outfits for the holiday season, forgetting entirely about all the cabs you’ll need to get from party to party.

So the salaried employees paid monthly need to put aside at least $125 every pay packet until December. Those getting paid every two weeks need to deduct out about $75 every pay packet, while the weekly bunch (does anyone get paid weekly anymore?) has to take out a modest $31.25 every week.

Started your Christmas gift shopping yet? Let us know – take part in our Christmas gifts survey!

If you know – or represent – a gift website, how does it celebrate its anniversary with customers?

Do you offer free shipping? Two-for-one deals? Dollars or percentages off to match your birthday ie 15% off if your business is 15 years old?

I’m compiling a list of special offers provided by gift etailers for a special blog post - and I’d love to hear from you!

The wedding gift registry business for retail stores is big business – worth as much as $12.4 billion, apparently. Just think: one bride = 50+ possible customers, all with the intention of purchasing what she wants.

According to TheKnot wedding media company, a typical bride-and-groom register for at least 142 items, ranging from $11 to $442 with nearly 40% of these splurges that the couples want but doesn’t need. I can’t think of 142 items – oh wait, well, actually…

So if you’re planning to get married and do create a wedding gift registry, here are my 5 top ideas for a gift registry that makes us all happy!

1. Consider registering with an online registry that lets you add items from any online retailer. This increases your choice – you may not want to receive only homewares, for example – and it makes it far easier for out-of-towners to simply click on and purchase. Ever wandered through a department store with the printed list trying to find the item only to discover it was out of stock or discontinued? It took me three attempts before I bought something kind of lame just to get out of there. Yep. Nuff’ said.

2. Make sure your registry allows people to contribute a cash portion to any item. Not everyone has a Favourite Rich Uncle who can singlehandedly delight you with a 104″ plasma TV. So give us the option to chip in for something really special. If we don’t quite reach the total, you get the cash amount that we did cough up.

3. “Open” your registry  only after all invitations have been sent. There is nothing more annoying that receiving your wedding invitation after the registry “doors” have been flung open, so to speak, only to find that you’re left with boring plastic spatulas, rubbish bins and pillow slips as the least expensive gifts listed. By giving people a little advance notice, they can a) save up, b) check out what’s on offer and c) have half a chance to buy you something nice that reflects something about your relationship with them. By giving them a time-frame, they also know when they should expect a thank-you card. (You’re writing them ASAP, right?)

4. List gifts that anyone would be happy to give you. It’s always nicer to give someone a wedding gift that is not vanilla-anonymous but has some sparky interest to it so it can be a talking point later on. If you’re hankering for a new dog bed for Rover, go ahead. Want to add a Morrocan tagine instead of a casserole dish? Be my guest. Found the perfect Hawaiian-style flame torches for your garden? Of course. Keen on asking for black satin bedsheets and pillowcases? Ummm, not so much.

5. Try to apply the 60-30-10 rule to the prices on your gift registry. This means you select 10% of your items (which is about 14 if it’s really an average 142 wedding gifts) priced at $150 or more to cater to your favourite relatives, Richie Rich and Mayda Money, choose 30% priced at $75-$150 (this is about 42 items) to appeal to those who aren’t quite that loaded but still want to get you something nice, and 60% (about 85 items) priced at $75 or less, which is everyone else who is by now broke saving up for their outfit, transport, accommodation etc for the wedding. The bulk of the 60% tier can of course be each (or pairs) of those things you need in quantities, such as towels, placemats, coasters, glasses, candlesticks, hurricane lamps etc.  This makes it less financially confronting to your guests, and ensures they have a decent chance of buying you something you want.

Ah, you gotta make these guys feel special! They’re much too polite to say so (actually, they’re usually just much too polite for their own good), but they die a little inside if you don’t make them feel loved and adored!

And please don’t forget their birthday either as they’re always thinking about how to make other people feel happy, so it’s time for them to have the favour returned. Librans (and Leos, Cancer and Pisces too actually) are devastated if you overlook their Big Day. Think about signing up with a free online birthday reminder service and make sure you tick the 30-, 14- or 7-day prior reminders, too.

Libra is ruled by Venus which rules love, beauty, art, and general gorgeousness. Imagine a charming and well-mannered beauty queen and you’re getting close! Think about the type of upkeep it takes to be a beauty queen, that might give you some clues, too. Facial? Mani/pedi? Perma-tan?

Since Libra rules relationships and marriage, you can’t go wrong with something that relates to them being a couple - and even more so on improving it if they have any planets in next-door neighbour Virgo). Single Libran girls like relationship self-help books like The Rules, He’s Just Not That Into You (actually, they know who likes them, they just need help navigating the seas of singledom, especially when someone is treating them badly), Men Are From Mars (I think John Gray must be onto his tenth type in the series – Mars and Venus on a Date was the last variant I remember). Libran men pretend they don’t like those kind of books – then again, they’re the ones swiping your copy of InStyle. Which is another gift suggestion, actually.

Perhaps you could shout your favourite Libra, a classy speed-date event, an opening night at the theatre, art gallery, ritzy musical or dinner at a three-chef hat restaurant so they can dress up.

They lurrrve clothes, jewellery, shoes and accessories (and that’s just the men). Anything from a clothing store gift certificate to an open cheque to spend breakfast at Tiffany’s would be great. What about giving them a stylist to help them chujz up their wardrobe for summer?

Still no clue? Both sexes love flowers and are often a little overcome at the sight of a stunning bouquet heading their way. Can you get a courier to deliver something to them in person or at least to their desk so everyone else oohs and ahhs at what they’ve been given?

And don’t forget the greeting card to go with your expertly wrapped present (spend extra and get it done properly). I’m thinking a mushy Hallmark one with flowers on it – not one of those cheap jokey cartoon ones that tease people about their age. No, my dear, that really will Not Do.

How early do you start your Christmas shopping? Do you do Kris Kringles? What was the most memorable Christmas gift you ever received?

Tell us in a fun new Christmas gifts survey and you could WIN one of 5 x 50-60 page FutureStars email reports about your next 6 months ahead, worth $39 each! Please pass it on to your friends and family!

The survey closes 31 October 2009.

BONUS!

Give yourself up to eight more chances to win!
1. Follow itsinthestars on Twitter and leave me a comment telling me who you are plus your Twitter ID – worth 1 extra entry on top of your original answer.
2. Tweet about this Christmas gifts survey encouraging others to fill it out, using the link http://tinyurl.com/lhhx9v - worth 2 extra entries on top of your original answer.
3. Blog about this Christmas gifts survey and send me a link to your post - worth 2 extra entries on top of your original answer.

4. Join It’s In The Stars as a member to receive the monthly horoscope newsletter containing exclusive member content (out on the 1st of every month), annual forecast and member discounts. Make sure you enter “Christmas gifts survey post on blog” in the Where Did You Hear About Us registration field – worth 3 extra entries on top of your original answer.

Research has found that 53% of professional couples in the UK risk not getting sufficient coverage for all their belongings after they’ve married.

Thanks to generous wedding gifts from family, friends and colleages, the average British couple receives about GBP12,000 in household items. Over half of them however, forget to update their home contents insurance, meaning that if the iPod docking station, dishwasher and power drill you received at your wedding was not included, then following a theft, fire or loss you wouldn’t be able to claim for them.

About 23% of the wedding gifts were considered “designer” items while 14% of couples received art, antiques and valuable family heirlooms. When you consider that most couples go away for their honeymoon, this is a fantastic time for your local burglar to make off with your wedding goodies! Take care, kids.

Forbes ran a great story about a company which has tapped into people’s concern about people in Third World countries being paid fairly for their work. Ten Thousand Villages works with over 130 artisan groups in 38 countries who make fair trade jewellery, home decor, gifts, clothing and other items and is considered one of the largest companies in this field (it netted $US24 million in sales in 2009, up from $US10 million in 2000). In addittion to its website, it also has bricks-and-mortar stores in upscale neighbourhoods to reach the affluent gift-buyer.

There are a lot of fantastic fair trade websites out there! Here is a not-exhaustive list of 44 other fair trade websites (let me know about others!) that you might like to know about for truly unusual anniversary, birthday, christening, Christmas, engagement, housewarming, Valentines Day and wedding gifts that will help to support artisans in developing countries..

These ones feature artisans’ works from a number of countries
Pachacuti (I want their amethyst & blue topaz necklace), A Better Footprint (little boys will love the recycled cans made into toy cars), Global Goods Partners (how cute is their hot pink dog collar?!) Global Sister Goods (make Christmas an international affair with their Zulu nativity set), Serrv (I’m loving their Neela bright blue ceramic tile towel hooks), World Next Door (I love their Zulusports brightly coloured bracelets), World of Good (created by eBay), Trade As One (see their sweet children’s elephant puzzle), Manos de Madres (my niece would love their dresses), Gifts With Humanity (the Tree of Life wall art made from recycled oil drums is very now), Five Accessories, Fair Trade Marketplace, One World Projects (you’ve gotta see their gift baskets!), Global Exchange Store (check out their ingenious baby pumice stone feet), Pangea Collection (intricate artisan jewellery), World Shoppe (check out their pretty greeting cards from Bangladesh), Generation Wonder (your little girl might like their pink heart purse), and Brindabella Baby.

Central & South America
Ecobre of Mexico makes beautiful hand-hammered copper items, including unique copper kitchen sinks), Pueblito (it sells a range of South American jewellery including a striking seed necklace), Propueblo (their banana husk tissue box from Ecuador could make a great housewarming gift), Mayan Hands (check out the purple chenille shawl), Maya Works (the children’s backpacks are great value), Shop Mayu (see their beautiful alpaca throws), Partners for Just Trade (they’ve got some fun animal pillows in Spanish – great for kids), Inca Kids (check out their handknitted cupcakes), Kusikuy (Bolivia and Peru), Basura Bags (they make amazingly colourful bags and totes from 100% chip packets in Honduras – quite striking and a cool way to clean up the streets).

Africa
Shea Yeleen, Baskets of Africa (stunning grass baskets), Bridge for Africa (I’m loving their cool telephone wire baskets), Suubi(hope) (check out their particularly funky t-shirts), Indego Africa (be a geek with a conscience using their laptop sleeve made in Rwanda), Rwanda Baskets, Leakey Collection (eye-catching necklaces made by the Maasi in Kenya), and Tropical Items (out-of-the-ordinary raffia hats made in Madagascar).

Asia
Rupalee (fantastic Christmas decorations), Tilonia (lovely cotton tablecloths), Mata Traders (great accessories and clothing from India), Orijyn (Laos silver and silks), Wear Gianna (from India, Laos and Thailand), and Brag Bags (which makes beautiful bags in Vietnam – my favourite is the overnight bag).

There are also some others you might like to visit, including Make Piece (which sells pretty jewellery made by African-American women living below the poverty line in Washington DC), Shanti Boutique (see their Buddhist jewellery), and Taraluna (which has a variety of fair trade items, including a wooden earring stand made in India).

Ever forgotten an important birthday? Eeek – embarrassing, isn’t it?!

If you tend to forget people’s birthday – or worse, don’t know them – you might want to sign up with a free reminder service, such as Birthday-Reminders.com.

You can set your preferences to receive an email reminder 30 days, 14 days, 7 days or 3 days beforehand, (and if available, a reminder via SMS, too) which gives you enough to organise a birthday gift  - as well as another nudge on the morning of the actual birthday. You can also opt to send snail mail birthday gift cards or email ones and check out their suggested birthday gift ideas based on your recipient’s relationship to you, age group and gender.

It helps you create a simple email request asking people for their birthdays which, once they answer with their dates, will be added to your account. It is amazing – although not surprising – how thrilled people are when you remember their birthday! And it’s this time of year which is traditionally the busiest for birthdays – don’t forget one by mistake!

One of the more unusual wedding  gift registries I’ve seen is one where your friends and family can buy shares in the stocks and mutual funds that you nominate.

So instead of giving them a toaster by GE or an iPod docking station, you could actually give them shares in GE, or Apple or whatever resonates for you. A lot of guests have been complaining quietly in blogs and forums that they are offended having to hand over cash but I think this idea is more palatable because you are helping to – literally – share in their future. Probably the most appropriate thing you could do is to see what shares they’ve picked and select a company that means something to your relationship with them.

Wedding Futures.com suits couples trying to get a nest egg together, those who are marrying for the second time around and have all the household accoutrements, and for those eco-warriors who don’t want “stuff” but are probably quite happy to achieve some financial security.

These gifts really will pay dividends over time!

Tomorrow (16 September) will be 100 days to Christmas Day. If you haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet, here’s 10 things you can do right now to make the task less painful!

1. Make a list. Seriously. You might be amazed how many Christmas gifts you may need to get in total if you plan to give at least one gift each for your mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, brother, sister, half-sister, half-brother, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, cousin, grandmother, grandfather, boss, mentor, colleagues, best friend, good friends, neighbour, babysitter, housekeeper, and so on…

2. Check their current clothing sizes. Aunt Marie might not appreciate a size 18 reindeer jumper if she’s lost several dress sizes thanks to Weight Watchers while little Taylor might have shot up several inches, making his new jeans look like cut-offs.

3. Check colour preferences. You might adore a smart navy coat, but it’s not nearly dark enough for your 16-year-old goth niece, while a hot pink lipstick might make your grandmother’s moustache show up.

4. Check addresses. If you’re not giving them the gifts in person, you don’t want them getting lost in the mail. Twentysomethings move a lot (usually back and forth to their parents’ house) while your fellow travelling buddy may have been relocated to Singapore from South London.

 5. Check sea mail deadlines. You’ll save yourself quite a bit on postage costs if you send gifts overseas via sea mail. The cut-off dates for sending Christmas gifts for the US and UK from Australia, for example, is drawing very near, while the ones to South America have already passed!

6. Check your spelling. People hate to get their name wrong, so if you’re ordering anything personalised, make sure you know how they spell their name, and also, how they prefer to be called. Some Katherines, for example, go ballistic when called “Kate”, while some teens may adore – finally! – getting something with their uh, cool rapper name they’re trying to get known for.

7. Sign up with relevant online newsletters. Many retailers include special offers you can use rightaway while other enticements can include birthday discounts, free shipping, free-gift-with-purchase etc – all of which can make buying Christmas gifts that little bit more affordable.

8. Check eBay for “bulk lots”. Many retailers sell what they call bulk lots of excess merchandise. If you have friends and family who live all over the country, buying little Christmas gifts in bulk amounts can save you heaps.

9. Check for possible gift ideas on Twitter. Simply enter “#ihave” in the search box and you’ll find all sorts of interesting items available.

10. Pick up a gift card once a week from now on (that makes about 14 by Christmas Day). This spreads out your expenses and lessens the likelihood of that mad scramble in the days before Christmas Eve. If you honestly don’t know what to get your teenage nephew, for example, a $50 iTunes card should do the trick.