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The only thing worse than racing through crowded stores buying too many gifts for an extended network of family, friends, and colleagues is to do it when you’re frazzled, exhausted, and racing against the clock. What’s that you say—this is your annual routine? Try these tips and see if the season doesn’t get a little merrier.

1. Shorten your list. Buying fewer gifts will lower your holiday shopping stress level considerably. In a large family or office, suggest drawing names so each person buys a gift for just one other. Or consider buying gifts only for children in your extended families; easing the burden on the adults will be a gift in itself.

2. Buy throughout the year. When you see the perfect item, don’t wait. If you don’t buy it now, you risk finding it gone or forgetting about it when December rolls around. The more gifts you pick up before the season starts, the more you’ll enjoy the season itself and the less you’ll burden your wallet all at once.

3. Buy when you’re traveling. Keep holiday giving in the back of your mind as you browse interesting shops on your next trip away from home. Shopping while traveling is often more fun and less stressful, and the people on your list will be pleased that you thought of them while you were away.

4. One size may fit all. Don’t be afraid to give the same gift to several people on your list. For example, sending amaryllis bulbs to each of your cousins or presenting homemade holiday bread to each of your neighbors or coworkers is perfectly acceptable.

5. Buy as many gifts as possible on-line and through catalogs. Staying away from crowded shopping malls is one of the best ways to avoid holiday-related stress.

6. Be creative. If you’ve been in a rut, giving the same old socks, ties, nightgowns, and perfumes to friends and family, try something different. It will probably be a lot more fun for the recipient and will definitely be easier for you. Here are some ideas you can try without even leaving the house:

• Food is almost always a welcome gift. Mail order catalogs offer a vast number of selections, from whole hams to dainty petits fours. You can delight any number of people on your list with a couple of toll-free phone calls. Or add a personal touch with a gift from your kitchen: a sampling of your homemade cookies presented in a pretty pottery bowl will make a beautiful gift.

• Museum shops offer a wide variety of appealing gifts. A gift from your nearest museum will give an elegant taste of local flavor to someone across the country.

• Think green. Flowers, plants, dried wreaths, and even holiday centerpieces are available from a variety of catalog houses.

• Gift certificates for any catalog or department store can remove the worry about choosing “the wrong thing” and still seem more thoughtful and personal than cold cash.

• Personal services. Surely there are those on your list who would be thrilled to be treated to a massage, pedicure, facial, or similar indulgence from a local spa.

• The most personal gift of all—something almost anyone would be happy to receive from you—is your time. You might give a friend a “gift certificate” for an afternoon of baby-sitting or a weeknight home-cooked meal; your sister a day helping organize her closets; or your dad a weekend painting the garage. Gifts like these are limited only by your imagination and the time you are able to spare—and you never have to set foot in a mall.