« Be a Dentist, My Son | Main | Lights, camera… »
October 20, 2006
‘Tis the Season
Fa La La La La!
Only 65 shopping days until Christmas, and 57 shopping days until Hanukkah!
I love Christmas shopping. Well. I love it on one condition: if I finish early. The earlier, the better, in fact.
To me, Christmas shopping is sort of a game. I make up a list of who I’m shopping for, and what I need, and then I ruthlessly track store sales and internet bargains. The rules are as follows:
(1) All shopping must be completed by Black Friday. That way, I can smugly watch the news stories about people trampling one another trying to get the latest hot gift at Wal-mart or Target or Best Buy, and feel superior to them.
(2) Sales are maximized. There is no high in the world like snagging a two-hundred dollar cashmere sweater for $19.99.
(3) Not to buy doubles of everything. This is my biggest shopping hurdle . . . I always end up liking the presents I buy so much, I want one for myself. So I try not to do the one for you, one for me thing.
If my presents are wrapped, my cards are mailed and my Christmas cookies are baked and frozen by December 1, I’ve won. If I’m running around the week before Christmas, desperately snapping up anything I can find, regardless of cost and whether the recipient will even like it, I’ve failed.
So far, I’m doing nicely this year. I’ve already bought presents for the following people: my mom, my sister, my nieces and nephews, my mother-in-law and all of George’s co-workers (if left to his own devices, George spins his wheels for two weeks trying to think of what to buy them, and in the end, guiltily slinks into the holiday party empty handed). And I’m about half-done buying Sam’s presents.
George is another story.
Me: What do you want for Christmas?
George: Nothing.
Me: No, really. I don’t know what to get you.
George: I don’t need anything, honey. I just want to spend time with you and Sam.
Me: Oh, Jesus Christ, that is so lame. Will you just freaking tell me what you want already???
Because I’m all about the Christmas spirit.
So . . . are you an early shopper, or are you one of those desperate people racing around the mall on Christmas Eve with my husband?
Posted by Whitney at 6:00 AM | Comments (9)
Comments
I always intend to shop early, but then I fail miserably. "Next year!" I exclaim the day after Christmas, and no, it never happens.
This year, though, this is the year.
I mean it.
Posted by: laurenjharwood ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.literarychicks.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 20, 2006 7:17 AM
I'm pretty much finished shopping for my husband and sons. It's the women on my shopping list that are driving me nuts.
Posted by: Darla at October 20, 2006 10:17 AM
I make a lot of the presents we give so there's always this frantic flurry of crafting in December. I'm not doing it this year. I swear. Plus, all my friends are fully stocked with handpainted glassware, crocheted scarves and ponchos and shrugs and about a bazillion other things. Now I just have to figure out what to buy.
LC Eileen
Posted by: Eileen at October 20, 2006 10:32 AM
Whitney, I feel as if you have climbed into my head and just described how I am!!! I went to the dentist about a month ago and the dentist asked me, sarcastically, if I was done with my Christmas shopping. I shocked him by replying that I was halfway done. I too, make a list and this year it's down to 45 people. I try to be done by Halloween so I can enjoy the giving spirit, until I start frosting those &%$@*+! cookies.......
Posted by: Cameo at October 20, 2006 11:02 AM
I usually try to start early, but it always seems that I still have 1 or 2 things left to buy that last week. I have a really picky nephew who is hard to buy for. I think he gets it from his mother! Speaking of my sister, she always asks me what I want. And I tell her 2 or 3 things (I'm not picky). Anyhow, she never gets me anything I actually ask for (at Xmas or birthdays), so why does she even bother to ask?
Posted by: Terri at October 20, 2006 1:23 PM
I hate Christmas shopping. Seriously. Hate. It. SO much so that my husband has done most of the Christmas shopping for most of our married lives! I end up doing all the wrapping, which is fine by me! I can't stand the crowds, the traffic--I drive in enough of it with my job (don't even get me started about mall traffic and the holidays!!) so I don't want to be ANYWHERE near it when I am not working... I will go and get something special for the girls from me to them, but that's about it.
As for buying anything for the husband--I feel you, Whitney! My husband never needs anything or the stuff he wants is kind of expensive, and I have a budget... I bought him floor mats for the Jeep last year--$100!! For floor mats! This year he wants something for the 'Vette! As long as he has his toys I always have stuff I can get him for either one. Makes shopping SO much easier!
Posted by: Sheri at October 20, 2006 4:01 PM
Are you serious? I'm still catching up on last year's Christmas shopping.
Will you be my Yoda?
Posted by: Lani at October 22, 2006 8:49 AM
I am a last minute kind of gal :-)
Although the Internet is a great way to shop when you live so far away from family...
Posted by: Michelle C at October 22, 2006 9:17 AM
I'm usually pretty decent. I don't start as early as I would like (maybe like my sister who starts the day after Christmas when everything is on sale). I don't start too late either (like my husband who usually starts the week before, although this year, he has already started...hmm..).
Maybe I need to start a list of who we need to buy gifts for.
Posted by: Jo at October 23, 2006 10:12 AM
