It's one of the most stressful yet joyful times of the year. Christmas time has everyone putting up lights, jamming to holiday music, and consuming fun & festive foods and drink.

However, it also comes with the stressful side of things. Buying gifts has a tendency to be one of the top stressors around this time of year, along with family gatherings. We don't typically have to worry about the family stress in our family since everyone is pretty spread out.

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It's the gift buying process that tends to be the thing that gets us. Who wants what, things being out of stock, making sure we've spent a similar amount on each kid, etc. all lend a level of stress that can be exhausting.

Also, trying to find that perfect time to start shopping. Is it something you start crazy early or do you wait until a couple weeks before the holiday? Making it even tougher is when sales at the stores happen.

We all know about Black Friday, but that has evolved and changed so much over the years. Deals start popping off right after Halloween, and they make some of those so good, it makes you think there won't be better deals. However, there are.

In Texas, it seems like we're pretty spread out as to when we start buying gifts according to a survey from BetOhio. 12% of Texans say they start shopping for Christmas BEFORE October 1st. That's definitely one way to lessen the stress of buying gifts, and also be able to spread it out over several months. However, the deals won't be there.

The most popular time for Texans to begin their holiday shopping is between December 1st and the 15th. 23% of us get our start then and go hot and heavy to grab everything we need. I don't start at this time, but it is a time where I do the majority of my shopping.

So what's the amount of money people spend on those gifts? It tends to vary a bit, but 24%% of Texans say they spend between $251-500 on gifts per year. However, the amount you spend has a myriad of factors, including how much disposable income you have and how many people you have to buy for.

LOOK: 25 over-the-top Christmas displays from across America

To help get everyone in the mood for the upcoming holiday season, Stacker compiled a list of some of the most over-the-top Christmas displays across America.

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LOOK: What Christmas was like the year you were born

To see how Christmas has changed over the last century, Stacker explored how popular traditions, like food and decorations, emerged and evolved from 1920 to 2021 in the U.S. and around the world. 

Gallery Credit: Stacker

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