I don't believe that shopping should be a contact sport. I don't appreciate a crowd when I'm trying to get through my list. Shopping can be enough of a trial without adding a thousand other people, all on the same mission.
So I hadn't planned on shopping yet, nor had I given my gift purchases too much thought before today, but when a wild winter storm woke me at 5am with no sign of sleep in sight, I opened up my laptop and went to one of my favorite retail sites, Wishing Fish. They have cool gifts (no, I don't get a kick back!) and I found almost everything I wanted for my siblings and half of my boyfriend's presents. Then I hit Amazon for my niece and nephews' toys and in one hour, 80% of my holiday shopping was done. For an extra chunk of change, I could have had everything gift wrapped if I'd been so inclined (but gift wrapping all our presents together is how we spend Christmas Eve in my family--yes, a little odd, but that is what we do).
I expect I'll hit a big box store for gift wrap and tape, and I'll go online again for one last sweep to get my mom something special. But I'm essentially done. And I didn't have to brave the crowds or snow or the mall or slushy parking lots or shopping bag handles that break. I didn't have to listen to unhappy children or rude sales people or refuse samples of pumpkin walnut chai latte mix from overly eager staff.
On the other hand, I didn't see Santa or the twinkly lights or the giant tree at The Store Formerly Known as Marshall Field's and I didn't pretend to fence with tubes of gift wrap as blades in the department store aisles with my boyfriend. And I certainly didn't retire after hours of my "shopping" with friends or family to a warm cafe for hot chocolate to review my purchases and catch up on things.
If holiday shopping is simply for the experience, then by all means, let's go. But for getting things done, I'll take the Internet every time.
Comments