The joy of giving: 6 ways to gift and give back this holiday season

The holiday season is here - it's time to break out the decorations, turn up the festive tunes and of course, find the perfect gifts for everyone on your shopping list. From the pressure to pick the most thoughtful present to the stress of going over budget, it's easy to lose sight of the holiday spirit. In fact, according to a 2018 study by CompareCards.com, two-thirds of Americans think that shopping is the most stressful part of the holiday season. But checking off your shopping list doesn't have to be a hassle. From holiday gift guides to easy ways to give back, Amazon has everything you need to make holiday shopping a breeze. Consider these tips to save your time and sanity this season.

Make a plan. Let's face it, holiday shopping is overwhelming; but you can alleviate some of that stress by planning ahead. Start your planning with Alexa by asking her to add items to your shopping list. Be sure to keep an eye on big holiday deal days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday to get the lowest prices. Check out the "Watch a Deal" function on the free Amazon App to receive notifications when deals are about to go live - that way, you'll never miss a deal! Alexa makes it easy to find the top deals every day. Simply ask, "Alexa, what are my deals?"

Start with gift guides: Finding great gifts for everyone on your list without breaking the bank can be tricky. Luckily, Amazon's holiday gift guides offer something for everyone. This year, Amazon released curated gift guides across Toys, Electronics, Luxury Beauty and more. Each gift guide is chock full of best-selling products and the latest trends. You can even filter by price point as you search, making it easy to stay within budget. When you figure out the perfect gift, ask Alexa for the item you need. She'll add it to your cart and you can review and checkout on mobile when you're free. You can even ask her to remember who the item is for.

Shop from anywhere. Make holiday preparation a breeze by shopping from your mobile device. In fact, more and more consumers are making the jump to mobile shopping. According to a February 2019 survey by digital marketing firm AdLucent, 64% of shoppers said they placed online orders on a smartphone during the previous holiday season. Spend less time waiting in line and more time enjoying the holidays!

Shop with purpose. There's no time like the holiday season to give back to a cause that's close to your heart. Amazon is making it easy for customers to join its commitment to deliver smiles all year. AmazonSmile is a simple way to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same Amazon experience - low prices, vast selection, fast and free delivery options and more, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price of eligible purchases to a charity of your choice. AmazonSmile's Charity Lists offer yet another way to give back. AmazonSmile Charity Lists give charitable organizations an easy way to create wish lists of products needed, while providing customers a convenient way to donate directly to these causes with the reassurance the list is managed directly by the charity. Shop thousands of AmazonSmile Charity Lists by visiting smile.amazon.com/charitylists, with new charities joining all the time. If you're interested in making a monetary donation, it's as easy as saying "Alexa, I want to make a donation."

Save the surprise. Shopping for a member of your household and don't want to spoil the surprise? Try Amazon Day for your holiday purchases. Rather than receiving each order individually, you can have all your orders arrive together on the day of your choice, making it easy to save gifting surprises for friends, family and roommates. Amazon Day not only makes receiving orders more predictable, it groups multiple purchases together in fewer boxes whenever possible. Amazon Day is free to Prime members and available on most items that are eligible for Prime delivery and shipped by Amazon. Learn more at amazon.com/amazonday and select your personalized delivery day at checkout.

When in doubt, give a gift card. Still can't find that perfect gift for a loved one? Don't sweat it: with a gift card, your friends or family members can select exactly what they want. Visit amazon.com/giftcards and audible.com/giftcenter for a wide variety of delightful designs, including boxes, tins and greeting cards with free one-day shipping (where available). Need it right now? Choose from options you can print at home, send by email or even text.