11/11 and Black Friday: start your year-end gift shopping early

November is when the year-end shopping season really kicks off: 11/11 first, then Black Friday on November 27. Right after come Teachers’ Day, Christmas, New Year, and year-end gifts for partners and colleagues. Leave it to the last minute and it’s easy to end up rushing and grabbing whatever is left.

Here are a few tips to make the most of the shopping season and get your gifts ready early, without losing the thoughtfulness.

Make a gift list for the whole season

Take ten minutes to write down everyone you want to give a gift to between now and New Year, grouped like this:

• Family: parents, grandparents, siblings.
• Your loved one: partner, husband or wife.
• Teachers: for November 20.
• Friends: close friends and friends far away.
• Colleagues and partners: year-end gifts for work.

With a list in hand, you’ll know which gifts need ordering ahead and which can wait.

Order personalized gifts early

The gifts people remember are usually personal: an engraved name, a printed photo, a melody of your choice. In return, they take a few days to make. At Linh Lang, ready-made music boxes take about 1–2 days, custom orders about 2–3 days, and custom artwork about 3–7 working days. Add delivery (1–2 days in Hanoi, about 1.5–5 days to other provinces), and ordering in early November gives you plenty of room for the whole holiday season.

Gift ideas from Linh Lang for the season

• Teachers’ Day: a music box engraved with a thank-you, playing a nostalgic melody like Memories.
• Christmas: a music box playing Jingle Bell, Silent Night or We wish you a Merry Christmas.
• Your loved one: You & Me engraved with your anniversary, playing Can't Help Falling In Love.
• Friends far away: the music box with Vietnamese wooden stamps or the Turntable music box, carrying a piece of home.
• Colleagues and partners: a music box with your logo engraved on the front, a year-end gift that stands apart from the usual gift basket.

Besides music boxes, Linh Lang also makes mini chess sets, engraved wooden medals and other handcrafted wooden pieces. Message Linh Lang if you need help choosing gifts for a whole group.

One small piece of advice

Sales make impulse buying easy. Before you check out, ask yourself: will they really use it, really keep it? A modest gift that fits the person is always worth more than an expensive one that ends up in a drawer.

Browse our music boxes and start your gift list today.