Every year I do the bulk of my present shopping in one loop of the same store, and every year people ask how. This is my BIG W gift guide, sorted by the people in your life and what you're happy to spend. Real ideas for kids, partners, parents and the hard-to-buy-for, from Aussie stocking fillers to the odd splurge. Warm, practical, and light on the guesswork.
I have a confession. I used to be a last-minute, panic-in-the-aisles gift shopper, the kind who ends up buying a scented candle for someone who hates scented candles. What changed wasn't discipline. It was realising that one big loop of BIG W, done thoughtfully and early, covers about eighty per cent of my list. Kids, adults, the neighbours, the teacher gift, the secret Santa. It's all there if you know where to look.
So this isn't a list of the twenty most expensive things in the store. It's how I actually shop it, person by person, with a budget in mind for each.
01For the kids (the easy part, honestly)
Children are where BIG W is at its strongest, and it's the department I start with because it's the most fun. The licensed toy range runs deep, so whatever a kid is currently obsessed with, there's usually something. My rule of thumb: one "big" gift they've actually asked for, and a couple of small surprises to pad out the morning.
For the under-fives, I lean on the classic stuff that never dates: building blocks, ride-ons, craft kits, picture books. My youngest still plays with a wooden set I bought here two Christmases ago, which is the sort of quiet endorsement no marketing line can buy.
For school-age kids, it's board games, LEGO, outdoor play gear, and the crafty make-it-yourself kits that buy you a rainy Sunday of peace. And here's the tip I wish someone had told me earlier: if you're organised enough to shop the mid-year Toy Sale, you can lock in these gifts months ahead and spread the cost with free lay-by. According to Better Homes & Gardens, thousands of Australian families now do exactly this. I'm one of them, and it's the single change that took the panic out of December for me. The BIG W toy range is where I do my rounds.
Budget bands for kids: stocking fillers for a few dollars each; a solid mid-gift around AUD 30 to AUD 50; the big licensed set for AUD 100 or so if it's the year's must-have.
02For your partner or a close friend
This is the tier where a little thought goes a long way. I stay away from the obvious "gift for him / gift for her" bins and instead think about how the person actually spends their evenings.
For the homebody, it's the cosy stuff: a good throw rug, nice bedding, a candle they'll genuinely use, a fancy mug and a book they've been meaning to read. For the one who's always in the kitchen, a mid-range small appliance (an air fryer, a decent coffee gadget) lands better than another cookbook, though the cookbook range here is surprisingly good too.
The move I swear by: pair one practical item with one small indulgent one. A soft throw plus a novel. A coffee gadget plus a bag of good beans. It reads as considered rather than functional, and it rarely costs more than a single mid-range gift would.
03For parents and grandparents
The hardest group, because they say they don't want anything. I've learned to give things that make daily life a touch nicer: quality towels, a good set of sheets, a photo frame, a jigsaw for the ones who love a quiet afternoon, or gardening bits for the green thumbs.
Books are my secret weapon here. The range covers new-release fiction, big glossy cookbooks, and history and biography titles, usually below RRP. A well-chosen book for someone who reads is never the wrong call, and you can browse the BIG W book range alongside everything else in the one trip.
04For the "I have no idea" people
Teachers, colleagues, the secret Santa draw, the neighbour who waters your plants. This is where I keep it charming and low-stakes.
| Who | Idea | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher | Nice notebook + pen set, or a good candle | Around AUD 20–30 |
| Secret Santa | Novelty mug, a book, or a small game | Under AUD 25 |
| Neighbour | Boxed chocolates + a small plant or homeware | Around AUD 20 |
| Colleague | Desk plant, quality water bottle | Under AUD 30 |
| New baby (of a friend) | Soft toy + a couple of baby basics | Around AUD 30–40 |
The whole table above is a single lap of the store. That's the point of shopping this way.
A few things that make it feel less like a chore
Buy your wrapping, cards and gift bags in the same trip, because there's a full range and you'll otherwise forget. Keep a running list on your phone so you're not double-buying. And if you can, go early in the season. The genuine luxury of Christmas isn't an expensive gift; it's not being in a crowded aisle on the twenty-third with a thousand-yard stare.
BIG W — one loop, most of your list
Kids, partners, parents and the hard-to-buy-for — plus wrapping and cards — in a single trip. Free lay-by during the Toy Sale spreads the bigger gifts across pay cycles.
🛒 Australian discount department store · Woolworths group · Everyday Rewards points on your spend. Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
That's my whole system. One store, one loop, one afternoon, and a list of people who feel properly thought about. The presents matter less than the fact that you had the headspace to choose them, and shopping this way is how I got that headspace back.
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